TRAVERSE CITY -- Jeanne Fedorinchik used to pitch to her grandson when he was a young boy -- then head for safety.
"I'd throw the pitch and then run as fast as I could to get behind a tree," Jeanne Fedorinchik said, laughing.
That swing has taken Fedorinchik's grandson, David Murphy, to the top. The strapping 6-foot-4, 205-pound Murphy is the starting center fielder for the Texas Rangers.
Murphy, 25, is hitting .292 with one home run and six RBIs for the Rangers, who start a three-game road trip in Detroit today.
Fedorinchik, and several members of her family, will be making the trip from Traverse City to Comerica Park to watch the series.
"He called me at 8 a.m. the other day," Fedorinchik said. "He's quite excited about seeing us."
Murphy is the son of Fedorinchik's daughter, Sharon.
Fedorinchik, who starts her day by reading the sports pages to find out how Murphy did, said watching her grandson has been "a thrill."
"He was scouted when he was eight," she said.
Murphy was a No. 1 draft pick of the Boston Red Sox in 2003. He was dealt to Texas on July 31, 2007, as part of the Eric Gagne trade. For Murphy, the trade allowed him to return to his home state. Born in Houston, Murphy was an All-American at Baylor.
The trip to Detroit has meant extra time in the kitchen this week for Fedorinchik.
"He (Murphy) doesn't drink or smoke," Fedorinchik said. "But he loves his sweets.
"I've got a big jar of chocolate chip cookies for him."
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