Reds’ Ferguson Joins Padres

The Padres hired Jim Ferguson, formerly of the Cincinnati Reds, as their media relations director Monday, replacing Mike Swanson.

They also announced that Andy Strasberg has been promoted to vice president/public relations. Strasberg, who has been director of marketing the past seven years, will be in charge of media relations, public relations and community relations, and will continue to oversee the advertising department and the administering of licensing logos.

The Padres have yet to make the announcement, but they also have fired Larry Duensing, assistant trainer, from their major league staff. He now will be the trainer at their triple-A Las Vegas club.

Todd Hutcheson, who had been the Las Vegas trainer, will replace Duensing on the major league staff as assistant trainer. The Padres have yet to hire a head trainer, and are in the process of interviewing candidates.

Ferguson, 58, had been with the Reds since 1972, and vice president/publicity since 1984. He won the prestigious Robert O. Fishel Award for career excellence in baseball public relations in 1985. He previously had been a sportswriter for 17 years at the Dayton Daily News.

Ferguson’s departure leaves the Reds with only two front-office employees who have not departed or been fired since Marge Schott purchased the team July 8, 1985. The two remaining employees are Chief Bender, special player consultant, and Gordon Coleman, director of speakers bureau.