Adam Conley

Adam Conley
Conley with the Miami Marlins
Pitcher
Born: (1990-05-24) May 24, 1990 (age 34)
Redmond, Washington, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
MLB debut
June 10, 2015, for the Miami Marlins
Last MLB appearance
September 22, 2021, for the Tampa Bay Rays
MLB statistics
Win–loss record25–30
Earned run average4.71
Strikeouts374
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Adam Michael Conley (born May 24, 1990) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami Marlins from 2015 to 2019 and the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021.

Career

Miami Marlins

Conley was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 32nd round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft out of Olympia High School in Olympia, Washington. He did not sign with the organization, and instead attended Washington State University, choosing to major in Criminal Justice. He did not graduate.[1] In 2011, as a junior, he went 6–7 with a 3.50 ERA in 16 starts.[2] He was then drafted by the Florida Marlins in the second round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft.[3][4][5]

Conley made his professional debut for the Gulf Coast Marlins that year. He started the 2012 season with the Greensboro Grasshoppers and was promoted to the Jupiter Hammerheads during the season.[6] He was then demoted to the AA Jacksonville Suns, for whom he played the 2013 season with.[7] He started 2014 in Triple-A for the New Orleans Zephyrs.[citation needed]

Conley made his major league debut on June 10, 2015.[citation needed]

On April 29, 2016, Conley was pulled while pitching a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers on the road with two outs in the eighth inning. The bullpen would go on to blow the no-hitter and the shutout in the ninth inning.[8]

On July 3, 2016, Conley started the Fort Bragg Game, the first time an MLB game was played at an active military base. He pitched the bottom half of the first six innings, allowing no runs scored, and was the winning pitcher.[citation needed] On August 14, 2016, he was placed on the disabled list.[citation needed]

Conley was initially a promising starter in the Marlins’ rotation shortly after his major league debut during the 2015–16 season. Conley then ran into some struggles which proved to be career-damaging, such as several injuries, inconsistent and erratic play, and overall worsening statistics, amongst other issues. He then was moved to relief pitching, with some minor success in 2018. However, his play significantly worsened (6.53 ERA in 60 2/3 innings) over the 2019 season.[9]

On August 30, 2020, Conley was designated for reassignment by the Marlins without making even a single appearance during the 2020 season.[10] He was subsequently outrighted by the Marlins to Triple-A on September 6. Due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this effectively ended Conley's season without him ever having thrown a single pitch.[11][12] On September 28, the Marlins released him from the organization, and he subsequently became a free agent.

Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles

On December 12, 2020, Conley signed with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball for the 2021 season.[13]

On May 3, 2021, Adam's wife, Kendall Mays Conley, made a statement on behalf of the family of his release from the Rakuten Golden Eagles due to Japan's border closures because of rising cases of COVID-19. At the time, only foreign professional athletes were allowed entrance into the country, but not their immediate family members. Conley was instructed by the organization to report to Japan for Spring Training alone, with his wife and children to follow once border restrictions lifted. Conley refused to relocate to Japan or report for Spring Training without his family for any period of time. His refusal to relocate without his family, coupled with Conley's and the organization's failure to reach a compromise, subsequently led to the Golden Eagles' cancellation of the contract, and the full release of Conley from their organization.[14]

Tampa Bay Rays

On May 10, 2021, Conley signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, and was assigned to the Triple-A Durham Bulls.[15] Conley logged a 4.35 ERA in 37 appearances for Durham. On August 14, 2021, the Rays selected Conley's contract.[16] Conley would make 17 appearances out of the bullpen for Tampa Bay, posting a 2.29 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 19.2 innings pitched. On November 7, 2021, Conley was designated for assignment by the Rays after René Pinto was added to the 40-man roster.[17] On November 10, Conley was released from the Rays organization.[18][19]

On November 21, 2021, Conley's impending retirement was alluded to by his spouse.[20] On March 11, 2022, Conley officially announced his retirement from professional baseball.[21]

He now works as a private "baseball instructor".[22]

Personal life

Conley was born to his mother, Katy, and father, Larry, on May 24, 1990.[23] He has an older brother, Jeremy.[24] He attended Washington State University, majoring in Criminal Justice, but did not graduate.[25] Conley met and proposed to college girlfriend Kendall Mays, a blogger,[26][27] after a very brief courtship. In Mays' own words, she says she had only known him a "short time" before they became engaged on April 4, 2011.[28] They were married on September 10, 2011, in Olympia, Washington.[29] The couple have three daughters.[30][31][32] They also are parents to an adopted[33] nephew, who was born June 22, 2013.[34] They homeschool their children,[35] are advocates of home birth and midwifery, and are against vaccination.[36][37]

Adam is an outspoken follower of the Baptist Christian faith,[38] and he and his wife are supporters of the United States Republican Party.[39][40] He enjoys hunting for sport,[41][42] shooting,[43] and fishing.[44] He is also an amateur pastor,[45] and participates in bible study groups.[46]

References

  1. ^ "Adam Conley - Baseball".
  2. ^ "Former Cougar Adam Conley makes Marlins roster". March 30, 2016.
  3. ^ MEG WOCHNICK; Staff writer (June 8, 2011). "Marlins, friends call Conley". Theolympian.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ The Miami Herald (June 7, 2011). "Marlins' 2nd Round Pick Has Some Fight To Him". Miamiherald.typepad.com. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
  5. ^ "WSU's Conley drafted by Florida Marlins". Kitsapsun.com. January 4, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
  6. ^ "Cougar Adam Conley gets promotion and debut win". Washingtonstate.scout.com. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
  7. ^ Wochnick, Meg. "Olympia graduate impresses". Theolympian.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
  8. ^ "No-hitter lost in 9th, Marlins hang on vs. Brewers". mlb.com. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  9. ^ "Rays Sign Adam Conley to Minors Contract". May 10, 2021.
  10. ^ "Deadline Day DFAs: Phillies, White Sox, Cubs, Marlins". August 31, 2020.
  11. ^ "Marlins Outright Adam Conley". September 8, 2020.
  12. ^ "Know Better Love: Day 3,282". September 6, 2020.
  13. ^ "Rakuten Golden Eagles to Sign Adam Conley". December 12, 2020.
  14. ^ "Know Better Love: Day 3,520". May 3, 2021.
  15. ^ "Rays Sign Adam Conley to Minors Contract". May 10, 2021.
  16. ^ "Rays Designate Evan Phillips for Assignment, Select Adam Conley". August 14, 2021.
  17. ^ "Rays' Adam Conley: Designated for assignment". November 7, 2021.
  18. ^ "Rays' Adam Conley: Designated for assignment". November 7, 2021.
  19. ^ "Adam Conley: Hits open market". November 12, 2021.
  20. ^ "Know Better Love: Day 3,926". November 21, 2021.
  21. ^ "Adam Conley: Announces retirement". March 11, 2022.
  22. ^ "Know Better Love: Day 4,145". July 12, 2022.
  23. ^ "Adam Conley - Baseball".
  24. ^ "Adam Conley - Baseball".
  25. ^ "Adam Conley - Baseball".
  26. ^ https://a-life-in-flight.blogspot.com [user-generated source]
  27. ^ https://a-life-in-flight-365.blogspot.com/ [user-generated source]
  28. ^ "Know Better Love: Day One Hundred and Thirty-Eight". January 26, 2012.
  29. ^ "About the Conleys". Know Better Love. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  30. ^ "Know Better Love: Amelia's Birth-Day". May 22, 2015.
  31. ^ "Day Two Thousand and Twenty-Five". Know Better Love. March 30, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  32. ^ "Know Better Love: Day 2,410". February 5, 2019.
  33. ^ "Know Better Love: Day 2,240". November 2017.
  34. ^ "Know Better Love: Day Six Hundred and Fifty". June 23, 2013.
  35. ^ "Know Better Love".
  36. ^ "Know Better Love".
  37. ^ "Know Better Love".
  38. ^ "Being a Blessing to Others - Adam Conley - Florida Marlins". September 25, 2015.
  39. ^ "Know Better Love: Day One Thousand One Hundred and Fifty". November 5, 2014.
  40. ^ "Know Better Love: Day Eighteen Hundred and Seventy-One". October 27, 2016.
  41. ^ "Know Better Love: Day. 3,168". May 15, 2020.
  42. ^ "Know Better Love: Day 3,378". December 12, 2020.
  43. ^ "Know Better Love: Day 3,378". December 12, 2020.
  44. ^ "Know Better Love: Day 3,284". September 8, 2020.
  45. ^ "Know Better Love".
  46. ^ "Know Better Love: Day Two Hundred". March 28, 2012.