:Tom Murphy (pitcher)

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Tom Murphy

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1945|12|30}}

|birth_place=Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=June 13

|debutyear=1968

|debutteam=California Angels

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=May 8

|finalyear=1979

|finalteam=Toronto Blue Jays

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=68–101

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=3.78

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=621

|stat4label=Saves

|stat4value=59

|teams=

California Angels ({{mlby|1968}}–{{mlby|1972}})
Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|1972}})
St. Louis Cardinals ({{mlby|1973}})
Milwaukee Brewers ({{mlby|1974}}–{{mlby|1976}})
Boston Red Sox ({{mlby|1976}}–{{mlby|1977}})
Toronto Blue Jays ({{mlby|1977}}–{{mlby|1979}})

}}

Thomas Andrew Murphy (born December 30, 1945) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher.

Early years

While pitching at Ohio University, the nineteen year old was originally drafted by the Houston Astros in the 18th round of the 1965 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign. A year later, the San Francisco Giants drafted Murphy in the fourth round of the secondary phase of the draft, but he again did not sign. Finally, when the California Angels selected him sixth overall in the January {{by|1967}} draft, he signed.

Murphy hit the ground running in his first assignment in professional baseball with the Midwest League Quad Cities Angels. In six games, he went 5-1 with a 2.34 earned run average to earn a quick promotion to double A. In eight games with the El Paso Sun Kings, Murphy maintained a 2.76 ERA to earn a second promotion to the triple A Pacific Coast League's Seattle Angels, where he would finish out the {{by|1967}} season.

California Angels

Following brief stints in El Paso and Seattle, Murphy was called up to the majors early in the {{by|1968}} season. After striking out seven in a no decision in his major league debut,{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS196806131.shtml|title=California Angels 4, Boston Red Sox 2|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=June 13, 1968}} Murphy earned a complete game victory over the New York Yankees in his second start. Murphy's own error in the third inning accounted for the Yankees' one unearned run.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CAL/CAL196806180.shtml|title=California Angels 3, New York Yankees 1|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=June 18, 1968}} He was a hard luck loser on July 28 against the Chicago White Sox. After a rough first inning in which he gave up two runs, Murphy settled in to pitch seven innings of one hit ball. The Angels, however, were only able to plate one run off Jack Fisher.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CAL/CAL196807280.shtml|title=Chicago White Sox 2, California Angels 1|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=July 28, 1968}} For the season, Murphy went 5-6 with a 2.17 ERA in fifteen starts.

Murphy was cursed with wildness in {{by|1969}}. He led the American League with sixteen wild pitches and 21 hit batsmen on his way to a 10-16 record and 4.21 ERA. He rebounded with a career year in {{by|1970}}. On May 7, he pitched his first career shutout over the Washington Senators.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CAL/CAL197005070.shtml|title=California Angels 8, Washington Senators 0|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=May 7, 1970}} He went 16-13 for the season,{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19700929&id=oicsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=H54FAAAAIBAJ&pg=961,4982512|last=Saladino|first=Tom|date=September 29, 1970|title=Garrett's Home Run Gets New York Even With Cubs|newspaper=TimesDaily}} the only season of his career in which he had a winning record. It was also his best season with the bat. He had a career bests .184 batting average and seven runs batted in. He also hit his only career home run off the Milwaukee Brewers' Lew Krausse Jr.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL197009210.shtml|title=California Angels 7, Milwaukee Brewers 6|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=September 21, 1970}}

The wheels came off for Murphy in {{by|1971}}. After winning his first start of the season,{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CAL/CAL197104070.shtml|title=California Angels 7, Kansas City Royals 3|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=April 7, 1971}} he dropped his next five decisions. He would also lose his final six decisions despite a relatively mild 3.31 ERA over that span. In Murphy's 36 starts, the Angels were shut out eight times, and scored just one run nine times, resulting in a 6-17 record.

Kansas City Royals

In {{by|1972}}, Murphy appeared in six games for the Angels, all in relief, when he was traded to the Kansas City Royals for Bob Oliver. He made three appearances out of the bullpen before he was moved into the starting rotation. He made his first start against his former franchise, and while he made a quality start (7 IP, 2 R), he came out on the losing end.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CAL/CAL197205270.shtml|title=California Angels 4, Kansas City Royals 2|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=May 27, 1972}} He was 3-1 with a high 5.81 ERA when an injury kept him off the field for all of July and August. When he returned, he pitched his only shutout of the season{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA197209081.shtml|title=Kansas City Royals 5, Minnesota Twins 0|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=September 8, 1972}} before being shifted back to the bullpen for the remainder of the season. He earned his first career save against the Angels on September 19.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CAL/CAL197209190.shtml|title=Kansas City Royals 7, California Angels 2|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=September 19, 1972}}

Despite the institution of the designated hitter in the American League in 1973, Murphy had two at bats on June 12, 1974 in an extra innings game between the Brewers and Royals. In the eleventh inning, he connected for a single to center off Marty Pattin.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA197406120.shtml|title=Kansas City Royals 4, Milwaukee Brewers 3|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=June 12, 1974}}

St. Louis Cardinals

Murphy began the {{by|1973}} season in triple A. After three games with the Omaha Royals, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Al Santorini. Murphy got off to a rough start with the Cardinals. On June 29, he was 0-3 despite a 2.37 ERA. A complete game loss to the Montreal Expos on August 2{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MON/MON197308020.shtml|title=Montreal Expos 2, St. Louis Cardinals 0|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=August 2, 1973}} followed by poor outings against the New York Mets{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN197308070.shtml|title=New York Mets 6, St. Louis Cardinals 5|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=August 7, 1973}} and Cincinnati Reds{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN197308120.shtml|title=Cincinnati Reds 7, St. Louis Cardinals 2|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=August 12, 1973}} led to him being moved to the bullpen toward the end of the season. He went 3-7 with a 3.76 ERA his only season in St. Louis. He was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for Bob Heise on December 8, 1973.[https://www.nytimes.com/1973/12/09/archives/marichal-sold-to-red-sox-angels-fail-to-woo-santo-again-cards.html "Cards, Brewers Beat Deadline," United Press International (UPI), Saturday, December 8, 1973.] Retrieved October 30, 2020

Milwaukee Brewers

For the {{by|1974}} season, Brewers manager Del Crandall and pitching coach Al Widmar converted Murphy into a full-time reliever. He soon evolved into Crandall's favorite arm out of the bullpen. He pitched two innings of no hit ball when he earned his first save of the season on April 26,{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN197404260.shtml|title=Milwaukee Brewers 4, Minnesota Twins 3|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=April 26, 1974}} giving him a total of twelve innings pitched with just one earned run. From July 8 through August 8, Murphy pitched twenty innings in which he gave up only seven hits and did not give up a run. He suffered his tenth loss of the season in a seventeen inning marathon with the Baltimore Orioles when Brewers third baseman Don Money misplayed a ground ball (no error was charged on the play).{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=799&dat=19740928&id=55dPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=W1IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=936,7406133|last=Madden|first=Bill|date=September 28, 1974|title=Orioles Win in 17th, Lead By 1|newspaper=The Bryan Times}} He won in extra innings against the Yankees on the second to last day of the season to close out the season with an even 10-10 record.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL197410010.shtml|title=Milwaukee Brewers 3, New York Yankees 2|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=October 1, 1974}} In what was unquestionably his best season as a reliever, he led the American League with 66 games closed, and was second in the AL with twenty saves. He led the Brewers with a 1.90 ERA, ten wins and 123 innings pitched in relief.

He matched his twenty save total in {{by|1975}}, however, with a 1-9 record, and an inflated 4.90 ERA. He was hit hard, and took a loss at the hands of the Yankees in his first appearance of the {{by|1976}} season,{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL197604100.shtml|title=New York Yankees 9, Milwaukee Brewers 7|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=April 10, 1976}} but settled down somewhat from there (18 IP, 11 ER) when he and pitcher turned outfielder Bobby Darwin were traded to the Boston Red Sox for 1975 World Series hero Bernie Carbo at the June trade deadline.

Boston Red Sox

Shortly after Murphy joined the Bosox, Reggie Cleveland was converted back into a starter, and Murphy and Jim Willoughby shared the brunt of the relief duties. Murphy pitched poorly in his first two games with the Red Sox. In his first game against the Oakland Athletics, he entered in the ninth inning with no outs and a runner on second. He gave up a single to the first batter he faced (Sal Bando) and hit Gene Tenace with a pitch to load the bases. Exceptional defense from the Sox infield prevented any runs from scoring.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS197606080.shtml|title=Oakland A's 6, Boston Red Sox 5|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=June 8, 1976}}

He wasn't so lucky in his next appearance. Murphy entered in the eighth with a runner on second and two outs. Tenace hit what should have been an inning ending ground ball to third, however, a throwing error by third baseman Steve Dillard allowed the runner to score and kept the inning alive. After an intentional walk to Billy Williams, doubles by Phil Garner and Tim Hosley scored three unearned runs to give Oakland an 8-5 lead and make Murphy the pitcher of record on the losing end without giving up an earned run. A walk to Bill North knocked Murphy out of the game without recording an out.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS197606100.shtml|title=Oakland A's 8, Boston Red Sox 5|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=June 10, 1976}}

From there, he rebounded with wins in his next two decisions. He ended up going 4-5 with a 3.44 ERA his first season in Boston. His eight saves and 81 innings out of the bullpen were second only to Willoughby.

Boston suffered an embarrassing 19-9 loss to the Cleveland Indians in the second game of the {{by|1977}} season. Murphy pitched 1.1 innings, and surrendered three runs.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS197704100.shtml|title=Cleveland Indians 19, Boston Red Sox 9|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=April 10, 1977}} A week later, he suffered his first loss of the season to the Indians.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE197704172.shtml|title=Cleveland Indians 10, Boston Red Sox 5|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=April 17, 1977}} A horrible month of May (10.61 ERA) got him relegated to "mop up duty" until he was placed on waivers midway through the season. On July 27, he was claimed by the expansion Toronto Blue Jays.

Toronto Blue Jays

Going from a pennant contender to a last place club seemed to do Murphy some good. He earned his first save of the season in his second game in a Jays uniform.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR197707310.shtml|title=Toronto Blue Jays 4, Milwaukee Brewers 1|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=July 31, 1977}} Two weeks later, he got his first win of the season against the Royals.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR197708140.shtml|title=Toronto Blue Jays 6, Kansas City Royals 3|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=August 14, 1977}} He made his first start in over four years on September 11, and held the Yankees to one run in six innings for his second win.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA197709112.shtml|title=Toronto Blue Jays 6, New York Yankees 4|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=September 11, 1977}} All told, he went 2-1 with two saves and a 3.63 ERA for Toronto.

Murphy began the {{by|1978}} season as the Jays' closer,{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1873&dat=19780629&id=tZMuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=T54FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1343,5615851|title=Phils' Five Run Seventh Enough to Trim Expos|newspaper=The Daytona Beach News-Journal|date=June 29, 1978}} earning six saves through the month of June. Once Víctor Cruz joined the club in mid June, Murphy shifted into more of a long reliever role. He led Blue Jays relievers with 94 innings pitched and was second to Cruz with seven saves and six wins.

He made ten appearances with the Jays in {{by|1979}}, going 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA, before he was released on May 12.