Thursday, October 07, 1999
REDS NOTEBOOK
Reds claim lefty from San Diego
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Immediately resuming the perpetual task of restocking their pitching staff, the Reds claimed left-hander Heath Murray off waivers Wednesday from the San Diego Padres.
Murray, 26, will have an opportunity to claim a role in the starting rotation or long relief.
The Troy, Ohio, native divided the season between the Padres and their Triple-A Las Vegas affiliate, compiling an 0-4 record with a 5.76 ERA for San Diego and 5-4, 4.26 in the minors.
One of Murray's best 1999 performances came against the Reds on May 22, when he allowed three runs and nine hits in 6ö innings. His worst mistake that night was allowing a two-run homer to Reds starter Pete Harnisch.
Murray, San Diego's third-round selection from the University of Michigan in the 1994 amateur draft, also pitched for the Padres in 1997. He built a 1-6 lifetime record with the Padres, for whom he started and relieved. He pitched exclusively as a starter in the minors.
RELIEF ACES: Recognized as the majors' best bullpen for much of the season, the Reds gained another distinction by earning the Rolaids team title.
Cincinnati finished with 143 points, one more than the defending world champion New York Yankees. The Rolaids formula assigns three points for a save, two points for a victory and minus-two for a loss or blown save.
Reds relievers led the majors with a 3.34 ERA and a .225 opponents' batting average.
NEW MAN: The Reds named Jorge Oquendo as their director of international scouting.
Oquendo served as the Yankees' scouting coordinator in Latin America in 1995-98 and helped the team acquire top pitchers such as Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez and Hideki Irabu.
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