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The Red Ledger

The online student news source of Lovejoy High School

The Red Ledger

The online student news source of Lovejoy High School

The Red Ledger

Q&A with former Rangers’ pitcher and student’s father

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Many students know Andie Malloy, she’s a senior and a volleyball player in addition to an art student.  Her athletic ability must run in the family. The Red Ledger recently sat down with her father, Bob, a former Texas Ranger. Although he was down with a cold, Mr Malloy made some time to talk about his experience with the Rangers, his overall baseball career and more.

 

RL: So, Mr. Malloy, you were a Texas Ranger, could you tell us a little bit about that?

 

Malloy:  Well, I was drafted by the Rangers back in 1985 and I actually had an unfortunate event happen my senior year in college where I broke my leg. I was in a full-length leg cast for about 8 months and the Rangers actually still drafted me. Instead of being drafted up high I ended up being drafted in the 21st round, I think. I was injured when I was drafted and I actually moved down to Texas after graduating at the University of Virginia, and I worked out at the Arlington Stadium. At the end of the year I was invited to go to the Instructional (Minor) League,  which was in Florida for about a month and a half. At the end of that I was able to pitch one inning and then I came back to Texas to wait for Spring Training.  When Spring Training rolled around I still had a brace on and a protector for my leg. It was my lower leg- my landing leg is what got broken by a line drive in college. I went to Spring Training and worked out with the AA team and I was going to start with them, but instead I went to the South Atlantic League and went to Gastonia, North Carolina. I started there and did pretty well, and I actually got called up from there.

 

How well did you do?

 

Well, I think I was 6-0. My first team I had Sammy Sosa in right field and Juan Gonzalez in left field. My roommate was Dean Palmer.  In the games, they just seemed to play well when I pitched. So, I did well and I think because I actually worked out at Arlington Stadium and got to know the coaches, I think they felt comfortable that if they brought me up, even for low-A ball, that I would be able to handle it. So I got called up to the Big Leagues from the South Atlantic League. So, I was there for about a month and got 2 starts in; one against Detroit and the other one against the Chicago White Sox. I ended up going back down to the Minor Leagues to play AA and finished the year there. Even though I played for the Rangers, it wasn’t a whole lot more than a couple cups of coffee, but it was a great experience.

 

What did you learn from your baseball experience?

 

I learned a lot of stuff. You learn not to take things for granted even though it’s a game. You would love to play it for a long period of time and you’ve gotta really take care of yourself. You know, looking back, there’s certain things I would have changed, do a little bit different; not throw as much as I did, learned about, you know, the importance of making strong friendships and several of the guys I played with I’m good friends with today.

 

You were on a team with Sammy Sosa and Dean Palmer.  Are you still in contact with any of them?

 

No, even though I played with those guys for parts of two years they kind of moved onward and upward, and I lost contact with them. But if we were to see each other today it’d be a fun time. But for the most part, most of the guys I’m talking about are the guys I spent time with in the Minor Leagues. I got to meet some pretty good people, their whole families, spouses, and kids.

 

What are you doing now for a living?

 

I am in pharmaceutical sales. I’ve been doing that ever since I got out of baseball. I played with the Rangers organization for three years and then I went to the (Montreal) Expos and played with them for 3 years. So after six years of playing I went into sales.

 

What advice do you have for any burgeoning baseball players?

 

It’s a journey- it’s great to succeed and win but there will be inevitably times where you don’t do as well as you’d like to do. But the important thing is to take a balance and just not get too high or too low. And don’t give up- for me it was being in the right place at the right time. They could have easily brought somebody up from AAA, but nobody was playing as well. I would really, really stress to just doing your best at all times.

 

How long had you been playing baseball until you were drafted into the Rangers?

 

I started when I was 7 years old, so we’re talking senior year in college… Probably 14 years or so.

 

That’s a good number.

 

Yeah, I’ve played every year since I’ve started.

 

Now I have to ask you: Who are you rooting for to win the World Series?

 

Aww, you have to ask that question?

 

Yeah, I have too.

 

I’m a Rangers fan still- I still follow them closely. I hope the Rangers will be able to do well tonight.

 

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About the Contributor
Adam Schasel, Staff Reporter
As clever as he is strong, as charming as he is quick, and as smart as he is intelligent, Adam Schasel was born in a hospital somewhere but immediately regretted being so mainstream. Accordingly, he spent the next 14 years of his life being raised by courage wolves and honey badgers until it was time to enroll in Lovejoy High School, at which he is currently a senior. This is Adam’s second year writing for The Red Ledger, and he still hopes to attain that coveted columnist position so he can shove his radical views down your throat. His passion for the political process is paralleled only by his love of Brian K Vaughan’s Saga and Nickelodeon’s The Legend of Korra (He ships Borra, in case you were wondering) and his penchant for playing both Pokémon cards and poker.  When he is not engaged in these activities Adam likes to catch up on current events, particularly from sources such as The Economist, Ezra Klein’s Wonkblog, NPR and Bob Loblaw’s Law Blog. Please don’t ever talk to him about prom dresses.

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