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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 2:13 p.m., Thursday, July 10, 2008

Baseball: Former No. 1 pick Bullington claimed by Indians

Associated Press

CLEVELAND — Right-hander Bryan Bullington, the No. 1 pick in the 2002 amateur draft, was claimed on waivers today by the Cleveland Indians from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Pittsburgh had planned to reassign the 27-year-old Bullington to Triple-A Indianapolis if he cleared through waivers. He was 4-6 with a 5.52 ERA in 15 starts for Indianapolis this season.

Bullington was designated for assignment on June 27. He was recalled by the Pirates for two weeks earlier in the season, but never pitched.

Bullington was 0-3 with a 5.89 ERA in six games, including three starts, with Pittsburgh in 2005 and 2007. He missed the 2006 season for right shoulder surgery.

The former Ball State pitcher was drafted ahead of players such as B.J. Upton, Prince Fielder, Scott Kazmir, Nick Swisher and Cole Hamels, mostly because the Pirates felt they had a better chance of signing him.

The Indians also sent right-hander Dan Reichert and infielder-outfielder Ryan Mulhern to the Pirates for a player to be named.

Reichert was 1-3 with a 4.40 ERA in eight games since joining Triple-A Buffalo, where Mulhern had a .250 average with seven homers and 26 RBIs in 58 games.