Matt Maloney (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Matthew M. "Matt" Maloney (born January 16, 1984 in Sandusky
, Ohio
) is an American Major League Baseball
pitcher
for the Minnesota Twins
.
Maloney played college baseball at the University of Mississippi
, and was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies
in the 3rd round (97th overall) of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft
.
, where he pitched eight games and went 2-1 with a 3.89 ERA.
, and was the South Atlantic League
's Most Outstanding Pitcher for the season. He was named a mid-season and post-season All-Star and was named a Low Class A All-Star by Baseball America
. Maloney started 27 games for the BlueClaws and led the league in most categories, including wins (16 with 9 losses), ERA (2.03), complete games (2), shutouts (1), innings (168.2), and strikeouts (180). He had three 10-strikeout games and was named Phillies' Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
. He started 21 games for the double-A Phillies and was named a mid- and post-season All-Star for the Eastern League after posting a 9-7 record with a 3.94 ERA. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds
on July 30 for starter Kyle Lohse
.
, where he started four games and went 2-2 with a 2.57 ERA. After the conclusion of the double-A season he was promoted to triple-A Louisville
. He started three games for the Bats and was 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA. His 2007 totals for all three teams was 13-10 with 3.64 ERA in 170.2 innings (28 starts).
(7/18 to 8/7), and made one rehab start for the Gulf Coast League Reds. He finished the season 11-5 with a 4.50 ERA in 25 starts. He tied Rico Beltran for second-most strikeouts in a season by a Bats pitcher with 132. Following the season, he was added to the Reds 40-man roster.
He played winter ball in the Venezuelan Winter League for Magallanes
. He pitched six games and was 1-4 with a 3.42 ERA.
. He allowed six hits and two runs while striking out four. He was in line for the win but the bullpen blew the one run lead and the Reds eventually won 4-3 in 11 innings. He finished his first stint in the big leagues with an 0-2 record and a 6.11 ERA in three starts.
He was sent back down to Louisville on June 20 and started 12 more games, posting a 5-6 record and a 4.04 ERA. He was promoted again, and started against the Los Angeles Dodgers
. He was sent back down, this time to double-A Carolina
between the games of a August 30 double header
, and pitched one game of relief (5.2 innings), getting the win. He was promoted with roster expansion in September to finish the year with the Reds. Although bothered by a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand, he pitched much better in his third stint, going 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA.
As a batter over the season, Maloney enjoyed success. He hit .316 for Louisville with a homer and two RBI, and hit the homer off of future Pirates
big-leaguer Daniel McCutchen
. He also became the first Reds pitcher to get a hit in his first Major League plate appearance since Scott Randal in 2003.
For Louisville/Carolina he was 9-9 with a 3.00 ERA and 130 strikeouts. He was 2-4 for the Reds with a 4.87 ERA and 28 K's (his first being Ryan Dempster
in his debut). Baseball America rated his control best in the organization following the season. He was the only left-hander to start for the Reds in 2009 and only the second in a 236 game stretch.
For the Reds, he went 2-2 with a 3.05 ERA in seven games (two starts). He struck out 13 in 20.2 innings.
Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
) is an American Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
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...
.
Maloney played college baseball at the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
, and was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in the 3rd round (97th overall) of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft
2005 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams...
.
Philadelphia Phillies Organization
Maloney started his career in 2005 with the short-season class-A Batavia MuckdogsBatavia Muckdogs
The Batavia Muckdogs are a minor league baseball team based in Batavia, a city in Genesee County, New York, United States. The Muckdogs are the current Short-Season A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals...
, where he pitched eight games and went 2-1 with a 3.89 ERA.
2006
He spent all of 2006 with the Lakewood BlueClawsLakewood BlueClaws
The Lakewood BlueClaws are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the South Atlantic League, a Class Single-A baseball league. The team plays their home games at FirstEnergy Park located in Lakewood Township, New Jersey...
, and was the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
's Most Outstanding Pitcher for the season. He was named a mid-season and post-season All-Star and was named a Low Class A All-Star by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
. Maloney started 27 games for the BlueClaws and led the league in most categories, including wins (16 with 9 losses), ERA (2.03), complete games (2), shutouts (1), innings (168.2), and strikeouts (180). He had three 10-strikeout games and was named Phillies' Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
2007
Maloney started the 2007 season in double-A ReadingReading Phillies
The Reading Phillies are a minor league baseball team based in Reading, Pennsylvania, playing in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League. Since the 1967 season, they have been the AA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies....
. He started 21 games for the double-A Phillies and was named a mid- and post-season All-Star for the Eastern League after posting a 9-7 record with a 3.94 ERA. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
on July 30 for starter Kyle Lohse
Kyle Lohse
Kyle Matthew Lohse is a right-handed starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. Originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in , Lohse was traded to the Minnesota Twins in in a deal involving Rick Aguilera. Lohse made his MLB debut with the Twins on June 22, .Lohse is a member of the Nomlaki...
.
2007
He started his Reds' tenure in double-A ChattanoogaChattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
, where he started four games and went 2-2 with a 2.57 ERA. After the conclusion of the double-A season he was promoted to triple-A Louisville
Louisville Bats
The Louisville Bats, which play in Louisville, Kentucky, are the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team, formerly known as the Louisville RiverBats, plays in the International League...
. He started three games for the Bats and was 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA. His 2007 totals for all three teams was 13-10 with 3.64 ERA in 170.2 innings (28 starts).
2008
Maloney played the 2008 season at Louisville. He threw two complete games on the season and missed a no-hitter by two outs during the season. He spent nearly a month on the DL with a strained right oblique muscleOblique muscle of auricle
For the abdominal oblique muscle, see Abdominal external oblique muscle.The oblique muscle of auricle, on the cranial surface, consists of a few fibers extending from the upper and back part of the concha to the convexity immediately above it....
(7/18 to 8/7), and made one rehab start for the Gulf Coast League Reds. He finished the season 11-5 with a 4.50 ERA in 25 starts. He tied Rico Beltran for second-most strikeouts in a season by a Bats pitcher with 132. Following the season, he was added to the Reds 40-man roster.
He played winter ball in the Venezuelan Winter League for Magallanes
Navegantes del Magallanes
The Navegantes del Magallanes are a baseball team in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. Based in Valencia, the Navegantes have won ten LVBP championships and two Caribbean World Series.-Pitchers:...
. He pitched six games and was 1-4 with a 3.42 ERA.
2009
He started the season at Louisville again and started 10 games for the Bats with a 4-3 record and a 2.00 ERA. On June 6 he was recalled by the Reds to start against the Chicago CubsChicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. He allowed six hits and two runs while striking out four. He was in line for the win but the bullpen blew the one run lead and the Reds eventually won 4-3 in 11 innings. He finished his first stint in the big leagues with an 0-2 record and a 6.11 ERA in three starts.
He was sent back down to Louisville on June 20 and started 12 more games, posting a 5-6 record and a 4.04 ERA. He was promoted again, and started against 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...
. He was sent back down, this time to double-A Carolina
Carolina Mudcats
The Carolina Mudcats are a minor league baseball team based in the eastern suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the Carolina League, are the Single-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians major-league club beginning in 2012.-History:...
between the games of a August 30 double header
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
, and pitched one game of relief (5.2 innings), getting the win. He was promoted with roster expansion in September to finish the year with the Reds. Although bothered by a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand, he pitched much better in his third stint, going 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA.
As a batter over the season, Maloney enjoyed success. He hit .316 for Louisville with a homer and two RBI, and hit the homer off of future Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
big-leaguer Daniel McCutchen
Daniel McCutchen
Daniel Thomas McCutchen is a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He is of no relation to fellow Pirates player Andrew McCutchen.-Early life:...
. He also became the first Reds pitcher to get a hit in his first Major League plate appearance since Scott Randal in 2003.
For Louisville/Carolina he was 9-9 with a 3.00 ERA and 130 strikeouts. He was 2-4 for the Reds with a 4.87 ERA and 28 K's (his first being Ryan Dempster
Ryan Dempster
Ryan Scott Dempster is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. Dempster bats and throws right-handed. He has been both a starter and a reliever in his career.-Professional career:...
in his debut). Baseball America rated his control best in the organization following the season. He was the only left-hander to start for the Reds in 2009 and only the second in a 236 game stretch.
2010
He was 10-7 with a 3.34 ERA in 24 games (23 starts) for Louisville. He struck out 104 in 134.2 innings.For the Reds, he went 2-2 with a 3.05 ERA in seven games (two starts). He struck out 13 in 20.2 innings.
Personal Life
Maloney married his long time girlfriend Kalee in November 2009. They reside in Louisville, Kentucky during the off-season.External links
- http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=476011 - Matt Maloney Stats, Bio on MLB.com
- http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=476011 - Matt Maloney Stats, Bio on MiLB.com