Athletes - Rob Murphy

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	Athletes - Rob Murphy

Robert Albert (Rob) Murphy (born May 26, 1960 in Miami, Florida) is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1985 through 1995, Murphy played for the Cincinnati Reds (1985-88), Boston Red Sox (1989-90), Seattle Mariners (1991), Houston Astros (1992), St. Louis Cardinals (1993-94), New York Yankees (1994), Los Angeles Dodgers (1995) and Florida Marlins (1995). He batted and threw left handed.

In a 11-season career, Murphy compiled a 32-38 record with 30 saves and a 3.64 ERA in 597 games.

During his career, Murphy was a valuable set-up man and left handed specialist. He attended the University of Florida and was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the secondary phase of January 1981 amateur draft, debuting with Cincinnati in the 1985 midseason.

A hard fastball thrower, Murphy posted a minuscule 0.72 ERA in 34 relief appearances in 1986. He had a 6-0 record allowing only 26 hits in 50.1 innings. In 1987, he followed with another superb year as the busiest left handed reliever in major league history. His 87 relief appearances were most ever by a LH, as he pitched 100.2 innings and struck out 99 batters. Used as a setup man for closer John Franco, Murphy collected seven saves for Cincinnati during four seasons. After led the National League with 76 games pitched in 1988, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox.

In 1989, Murphy collected career-highs nine saves and 105.0 innings pitched behind closer Lee Smith in the Boston bullpen.

But Murphy’s heavy workload soon took its toll. He moved to the Seattle Mariners after ending the 1990 season 0-6 with a 6.32 ERA, and pitched 57 games for his new team.

Pitching for the Houston Astros in 1991, Murphy sets what is believed to be a major league record by appearing in his 121st straight game without a win. Before him, reliever Tom Henke had pitched in 120 consecutive winless games between 1986 and 1988.

Murphy also pitched for the Cardinals, Yankees, Dodgers and Marlins, retiring at the end of the 1995 season.

A horse racing and thoroughbred training expert, Murphy has devised his own method for handicapping.

Fact

By the time the veteran hurler hung up his spikes, his mother had named eight of her horses after the franchises Murphy played for: Cincy Dancer; King of Beantown; Mariner Hawk; Houston Honey; Calling Card; Ninedaznpinstripes; Djones (after Dale Jones, a Dodgers scout); and Molly Kelly -- after sweet Molly Malone, who sold cockles, mussels (but no Marlins). - Shepard C. Long/James G. Robinson, at Baseball Library .

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