Murphy’s offensive production turns into LGBTQ donations
Each time Daniel Murphy does something good in the batter’s box, the Rockies’ first baseman is generating donations to LGBTQ charities.
That’s the idea behind Bases For Pride, a crowdfunding effort on Twitter started by four Rockies fans earlier this year. They’re aiming to reconcile their Rockies fandom with Murphy’s history of anti-gay comments.
“There’s a lot of people in the LGBTQ community who are Rockies fans and who have been torn since the season started, because they signed a guy who has been outspoken against LGBTQ ,” said Nick Stephens, a bisexual who founded Bases for Pride along with friends Connor Farrell, Nick Tremaroli and Judy Steele, who identify as straight.
“Ultimately we’re trying to make it so people can feel a little bit better about continuing to support the team with Murphy on it, and also feel like we’re domurphy ing good things within the LGBTQ community,” Stephens said. “We’re making the best of a situation that is kind of uncomfortable, because honestly we do root for him.”
When with the Mets in 2015, said he “disagrees” with the gay “lifestyle.” He didn’t exactly walk that statement back last summer after being traded to the Cubs. A devout Christian who cited his faith as the basis
Sam Hilliard is having the type of season that should warrant a call-up when the Rockies’ roster expands in September, but the Triple-a Albuquerque outfielder isn’t satisfied.
Hilliard already has a career high with 29 homers and 20 steals to make him only the second Isotopes player to ever have a 20/20 season. But the former 15th-round draft pick out of Wichita State is hungry for a 30/30 season, after which he hopes the Rockies call his number.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about (a call-up),” Hilliard said. “But I’m definitely trying my best to stay level-headed — if I think too much about that, I know that’s only going to affect me in a negative way. Ultimately it’s something I can’t control, so I’m focused on doing what I’m doing.”
Complicating that focus is his father’s ALS diagnosis. Jim Hilliard, a former University of Texas linebacker and retired orthopedic surgeon, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) shortly before Sam went off to big-league spring training in 2018.
Sam admits the diagnosis for his father’s incurable disease weighs on him, especially considering he can’t be around his dad, his mother, Tamara, and his two older brothers who live near Fort Worth, Texas.
“It’s tough not to be at home when all this stuff’s going on,” Hilliard said. “My dad still comes out to visit, and I see him every other month or so. I’m just trying to be there for him, and balance that and baseball, but it can be hard. He’s doing okay and he’s very strong in his faith. He’s still the same guy — witty, funny. It’s great to not see his personality change at all, so that’s helping us get through it.”
As Sam has carried his father’s battle with him — “He’s a grinder, and I definitely look up to him a lot”, the outfielder said — he’s shot up the prospect boards. MLB Pipeline has him as Colorado’s top-rated outfield prospect. The self-admitted “late-bloomer” who had no Division I offers out of high school now warrants mention from Rockies manager Bud Black, who usually doesn’t make a habit of commenting on the organization’s minor leaguers.
“He’s sort of come on the scene the last couple years as a true player, and there’s still a gap between where he is and the ceiling, so that’s exciting,” Black said. “What we’re tracking is the strikeouts, to see if that rate can come down more, and it’s been a little bit better lately. Beyond that he plays an up-tempo game — he runs well, he defends, and he’s got the power we’re seeing.”
Hilliard, who’s been an all-star at four consecutive minor league levels, is striking out at a 28.5 percent clip this season compared to 31.2 percent in 2018 with Double-a Hartford. He’s played in right field (81 starts), center field (21) and left field (three) for Albuquerque in 2019, and will have to swipe 10 bases in the final month of the season in order to accomplish his 30-30 goal. Expect the 25-year-old to “turn up the aggressiveness” on the base paths.
“I’m not going to run wild or anything, but I’m going to push the envelope a little bit,” he said.