Dale Albert Murray (born February 2, 1950) is an American former
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
.
Career
Montreal Expos
He was drafted by the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...
out of
Blinn College in
Brenham, Texas
Brenham ( ) is a city in east-central Texas, United States, and the county seat of Washington County, with a population of 17,369 according to the 2020 U.S. census.
Brenham is also known for its annual German heritage festival that takes pl ...
, in the eighteenth round of the
1970 Major League Baseball Draft, and developed into one of the top
relief pitchers in the
National League in the mid 70s.
Murray was used primarily in relief in Montreal's farm system. After going 11–5 with a 2.42
earned run average and eight
saves in for the
Eastern League's
Quebec Carnavals, the Expos experimented with Murray as a
starter. His record fell to 8–13 with a 4.26 ERA in for triple A Peninsula, and the idea was abandoned.
He made his major league debut in against the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
, pitching three innings, and giving up one
earned run. Though he started the season with the
Memphis Blues of the
International League
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major ...
, he emerged as the top pitcher in Montreal's
bullpen by the end of the season, earning ten saves in the month of September while giving up just one earned run in 33
innings pitched
In baseball, the statistic innings pitched (IP) is the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of Batter (baseball), batters and baserunners that have been put out while the pitcher is on the Baseball field#Pitcher's mou ...
. For the season, he was 1–1 with a 1.03 ERA.
The Montreal Expos won just 75 games to finish fifth in the
National League East
The National League East is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. Along with the American League Central, it is one of two divisions to have every member win at least one World Series title.
After having internal, informal divisions for ...
in . Murray led the team with fifteen
wins, and had ten saves, giving him a hand in one-third of the team's victories. He made a
National League leading 81 relief appearances for the Expos in . Following the season, Murray and
Woodie Fryman were dealt to the
World Series Champion Cincinnati Reds in exchange for
Tony Pérez and
Will McEnaney.
Cincinnati Reds
was a typical season for Cincinnati's offense.
George Foster had an MVP season, leading the major leagues with 52
home runs and 149
runs batted in
A run batted in or runs batted in (RBI) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if th ...
. Perennial
All-Star Johnny Bench also drove in over 100
runs, while
Joe Morgan scored over 100 runs.
Pete Rose batted over .300, as did Pérez's replacement at
first base,
Dan Driessen.
Unfortunately, the wheels fell off the "
Big Red Machine's" pitching staff. The Reds ended the season with a 4.21 team ERA – third highest in the NL. The Los Angeles Dodgers, meanwhile, had a league leading 3.22 staff ERA to take the division by ten games over the Reds. Murray finished with a 7–2 record and 4.94 ERA his first season in Cincinnati. With the starting rotation depleted, he made his one and only career start on July 28 against the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
. He pitched a little over an
inning, giving up six earned runs. A month into the season, he was dealt to the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
for
Ken Henderson.
New York Mets
Murray was tagged for five earned runs against the
Philadelphia Phillies to take the loss in his first game as a Met. From there, Murray turned things around, going 8–4 with a 3.20 ERA the rest of the way for the last place club. In August , Murray's contract was sold to the Montreal Expos. Despite not finishing the season in New York, he led the Mets' bullpen with 58 appearances.
Return to Montreal
The Expos were in a tight division race with the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
when they purchased Murray's contract from the Mets just before the 1979 post-season roster deadline. Murray pitched well upon his return to Montreal, going 1–2 with a 2.70 ERA, however, the lone home run he gave up was an
extra innings shot by
Willie Stargell, which gave the Pirates a two-game lead in the division that they maintained for the rest of the season.
Murray split the season between the Expos and their triple A farm team, the
Denver Bears. On August 28, roughly a year after purchasing his contract, the Expos released Murray with a 0–1 record and 6.14 ERA at the major league level.
Toronto Blue Jays
In January , Murray signed a minor league contract with an invitation to
Spring training
Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...
with the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...
. He began the season in triple A, but after tearing up the
International League
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major ...
with a 1.85 ERA and sixteen saves for the
Syracuse Chiefs, he earned a
September call-up to the big league club. He was just as effective with the Jays, going 1–0 with a 1.17 ERA.
Murray went 8–7 with a 3.16 ERA and a team leading eleven saves for the Blue Jays in . His eleven saves were also his highest season total since 1976. Following the season, he was dealt to the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
with
Tom Dodd for
Dave Collins,
Fred McGriff and
Mike Morgan.
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the Baseball scorekeep ...
Graig Nettles was also supposed to be included in the deal, but when the Jays refused to give him a hefty bonus, the Yankees included cash in the deal to compensate.
New York Yankees
Murray went 3–6 with a 4.58 ERA in his first two seasons as a Yankee. After giving up three earned runs with just two innings pitched in April , the Yanks released him. He signed with the
Texas Rangers shortly afterwards, but made just one appearance with the club. After finishing out the season with their AAA affiliate, the
Oklahoma City 89ers, Murray retired.
Career stats
Murray made only 79 plate appearances in his career, and had a career .077
batting average. His only career RBI came as a member of the Expos on September 1, 1975. His two out
single drove in the deciding run in the Expos' 6–5 victory over
Gene Garber and the Philadelphia Phillies.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murray, Dale
1950 births
Living people
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Baseball players from DeWitt County, Texas
Blinn Buccaneers baseball players
Blinn College alumni
Cincinnati Reds players
Columbus Clippers players
Denver Bears players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Memphis Blues players
Montreal Expos players
New York Mets players
New York Yankees players
Oklahoma City 89ers players
Peninsula Whips players
Sportspeople from Cuero, Texas
Québec Carnavals players
Syracuse Chiefs players
Texas Rangers players
Tigres de Aragua players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Toronto Blue Jays players
Watertown Expos players
West Palm Beach Expos players
20th-century American sportsmen