Kevin Malone (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Kevin Patrick Malone is a former baseball
General Manager for the Montreal Expos
and Los Angeles Dodgers
.
, where he played baseball. He was selected by the Cleveland Indians
in the 1980 draft and played as a second baseman in their minor league system for the Batavia Trojans and Auburn Americans. His playing career over by 1984, he found work as a scout in the California Angels
organization from 1985–1987, and then the Montreal Expos
in 1987.
He became a hitting instructor for the Jamestown Expos
of the New York-Penn League in 1988 and then became the east coast scouting supervisor for the Minnesota Twins
from 1988-1991.
, John Wetteland
, Ken Hill
and Marquis Grissom
. Malone resigned following the season.
After a few years as Assistant General Manager with the Baltimore Orioles
, Malone was hired as the GM of the Los Angeles Dodgers
on September 11, 1998. When he was hired, he described himself as the "new sheriff in town." He also nicknamed himself "Dodger Boy". Malone's tenure in Los Angeles, under the new News Corporation
owners led to several expensive high salaried stars being signed to huge contracts, including Kevin Brown, Shawn Green
and Gary Sheffield
.
In April 2001, he got into a verbal argument with a Padres
fan in San Diego, who was heckling Sheffield. He resigned a few days later according to the ESPN press release:
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
General Manager for the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
and Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
.
Early life
Malone attended the University of LouisvilleUniversity of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
, where he played baseball. He was selected by the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in the 1980 draft and played as a second baseman in their minor league system for the Batavia Trojans and Auburn Americans. His playing career over by 1984, he found work as a scout in the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
organization from 1985–1987, and then the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in 1987.
He became a hitting instructor for the Jamestown Expos
Jamestown Expos
The Jamestown Expos were a minor league baseball franchise of the Montreal Expos, located in Jamestown, New York. The team lasted from 1977 to 1993, although Jamestown was affiliated with Montreal in 1970 and 1971, at the time the team was called the Falcons...
of the New York-Penn League in 1988 and then became the east coast scouting supervisor for the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
from 1988-1991.
General Manager
Malone became the Expos Director of Scouting in 1991 and became the Expos General Manager in 1994. He was in charge of orchestrating the Expos "fire sale" in 1995 where they had four days to get rid of several expensive contracts to slash the payroll. He traded or released several star players from what had been a successful team the previous season. Departing were Larry WalkerLarry Walker
Larry Kenneth Robert Walker is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1989 through 2005, Walker played for the Montreal Expos , Colorado Rockies , and St. Louis Cardinals...
, John Wetteland
John Wetteland
John Karl Wetteland is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who specialized as a closer. During a 12-year career , he pitched for four different teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers.-Playing career:Wetteland was signed by the Dodgers as their second...
, Ken Hill
Ken Hill (baseball)
Kenneth Wade Hill is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 14-year career, he pitched from 1988-2001 for seven different teams. He pitched in the 1995 World Series as a member of the Cleveland Indians. He also appeared in the 1994 All-Star Game in Pittsburgh's Three Rivers...
and Marquis Grissom
Marquis Grissom
Marquis Deon Grissom is a former Major League Baseball player. He excelled in baseball at Lakeshore High School, under the tutelage of baseball coach Mike Juenger. He currently resides in College Park, Georgia...
. Malone resigned following the season.
After a few years as Assistant General Manager with the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, Malone was hired as the GM of the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
on September 11, 1998. When he was hired, he described himself as the "new sheriff in town." He also nicknamed himself "Dodger Boy". Malone's tenure in Los Angeles, under the new News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
owners led to several expensive high salaried stars being signed to huge contracts, including Kevin Brown, Shawn Green
Shawn Green
Shawn David Green is a former Major League Baseball player.Green was a 1st round draft pick and a two-time major league All-Star...
and Gary Sheffield
Gary Sheffield
Gary Antonian Sheffield , nicknamed "Sheff", is an American retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for eight major league ball clubs from 1988 to 2009, primarily as an outfielder.-Biography:...
.
In April 2001, he got into a verbal argument with a Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
fan in San Diego, who was heckling Sheffield. He resigned a few days later according to the ESPN press release: