TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays and Rance Mulliniks have grown together.
'When I first came over here in 1982 we won 78 games,' Mulliniks said before one of his usual days off -- when a left-hander is pitching for the opposition. 'That was the first year this team showed signs of developing into a good ballclub. Actually, I probably timed it just right.'
Mulliniks, the left-handed hitter in Toronto's third-base platoon, entered the majors with California in 1977. He was traded to Kansas City in 1980 and sent to Toronto in 1982.
He and Garth Iorg form the 'Gance Mullinorg' combination which has shared third for the Blue Jays since 1982. Both are .300 hitters this season.
'It hasn't bothered me at all,' Mulliniks, 28, said of the platooning. 'When I was traded over here, I had just spent two years at Kansas City as a utility player.
'Over here, I play 125-130 games a year so there was no transition at all. I just welcomed the opportunity to play.'
He hit .244 that first season, rose to .275 in 1983 and last season set a club record with a .324 mark. Mulliniks took a .306 average into Monday night's game with Milwaukee.
The excellent fielder also had a career-high 55 RBI and has been Toronto manager Bob Cox's No. 3 hitter, with center fielder Lloyd Moseby switching to No. 2, the past couple of months.
His development hasn't led Mulliniks to clamor for more playing time. He's from the 'if it works, don't fix it' school.
'If I was playing every day, I'd be getting in maybe 150 games,' he said. 'So really I'm only short 20-30 games and maybe 150 at-bats. Things have worked out very well.
'I never figured on setting any records or going into the Hall of Fame anyway. My goal when I started out was only to play major-league baseball.
'You never know how good you're going to be,' Mulliniks added. 'As I got older, I decided that whatever opportunity presented itself, I was going to take advantage of. Do the best I could.'
Mulliniks has high praise for Toronto's approach of patience, one that has molded the Blue Jays into AL East leaders.
'Patience and giving people the opportunity to play has really paid off,' he said.
Especially in the case of Rance Mulliniks.
