Tim Conroy – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Most baseball fans dream about making it to the major leagues, but hardly anyone accomplishes what Tim Conroy did in June 1978. At just 18 years old, Tim Conroy debuted with the Oakland Athletics, becoming one of the youngest players ever to reach the majors—barely a month after his high school graduation.

He grew up in Pennsylvania, a lefty pitcher who skipped college ball and went from his high school prom to throwing in front of 40,000 fans. That’s not the usual path, to say the least.

Conroy’s pro career lasted almost a decade. He played for the Oakland Athletics and then the St. Louis Cardinals before hanging it up in 1987.

His journey had its highs and lows, which seems pretty standard for pitchers who leap straight from high school to the big leagues.

This unusual leap from high school to the majors makes Conroy’s story stand out. It gives fans a look at what young players go through when they’re thrown into pro baseball, and what it takes to stick around for nearly ten years, especially in the late ‘70s and ‘80s.

Early Life and Amateur Career

Tim Conroy’s trip to Major League Baseball started in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. He became one of the region’s most dominant high school pitchers, and his talent at Gateway High School led to a first-round draft pick that changed everything for him.

Childhood in Monroeville

Timothy James Conroy was born April 3, 1960, in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. He grew up in this Pittsburgh suburb, and baseball quickly became his main focus.

His athletic ability was obvious early on. His brother Mike helped him develop his skills and stay focused on being the best player he could be.

Coaches and teammates noticed Tim’s natural talent. While other young players put in the work, Conroy just seemed to have a knack for pitching that set him apart.

Still, he didn’t just coast on talent. He spent hours working on his pitching motion and delivery, showing the work ethic that would define his approach to the game.

Gateway High School Achievements

Conroy’s high school career at Gateway was just wild. He made the varsity team as a freshman in 1975, which almost never happens.

His sophomore year in 1976 really kicked things off. Against Penn Hall Academy, he broke the single-game strikeout record with 19 strikeouts. He also set a two-game combined record with 36 total strikeouts.

That season, he struck out 75 batters in only 35 innings. His fastball hit 95 mph, which is pretty crazy for a 15-year-old.

His junior year in 1977 brought even more. On May 3, 1977, he tossed his first no-hitter against Turtle Creek, striking out 22 batters in seven innings. He even had to strike out a fourth batter in the last inning because his catcher dropped a third strike.

Just ten days later, he threw his second no-hitter against St. Anselm, racking up 17 strikeouts. That gave him 39 strikeouts over two games, breaking his own record.

During his senior year in 1978, he pitched his third no-hitter, again against St. Anselm. He shattered the single-season strikeout record with 90 strikeouts in 40 innings.

Career Stats at Gateway High School:

• Team Record: 74 wins, 11 losses in four years
• Personal Record: 22 wins, 2 losses
• No-Hitters: 3
• All-Star Selections: 3 (W.P.I.A.L. Section All-Star Team)

Selection in the Amateur Draft

On June 7, 1978, less than a week after graduating, the Oakland Athletics picked Conroy in the first round of the amateur draft. He went as the 20th overall pick in the 1978 MLB June Amateur Draft.

That was a huge deal for a high school pitcher from Monroeville. First-round picks usually go to players with top-level talent and pro potential.

Oakland’s owner Charlie Finley made a bold move, promoting Conroy straight to the majors as a publicity stunt. Along with Mike Morgan, another first-rounder, Conroy skipped the minors completely.

Roughly ten days after the draft, Conroy made his big league debut in Kansas City against the Royals, pitching in front of a crowd of 40,000. Going from high school graduation to the majors that quickly? That almost never happens.

That draft pick closed the door on his high school career and opened the next chapter in Major League Baseball.

Major League Debut and Oakland Athletics Years

Tim Conroy made the leap from high school to the majors in 1978, skipping the minors. His five years with Oakland brought some bright spots and plenty of growing pains as he tried to find his place as a pro pitcher.

Immediate Entry to MLB

The Oakland Athletics grabbed Tim Conroy in the first round of the 1978 draft, just a week after he finished up at Gateway High. He had just wrapped up a 22-2 record for the Gators.

Oakland did something almost unheard of, putting Conroy straight into the majors with no minor league experience. On June 23, 1978, at 18, he debuted against the Kansas City Royals, facing 40,000 fans.

That first game didn’t go smoothly. Conroy pitched 4.2 innings, gave up 3 hits, walked 9, and ended up with a 7.71 ERA. He even faced George Brett, which must have been a shock for a teenager.

After that appearance, the Athletics sent him down so he could develop before coming back to the majors in 1982.

Performance Highlights with Oakland Athletics

Conroy’s best year with the Oakland Athletics came in 1983. He went 7-10 with a 3.94 ERA, appeared in 39 games (starting 18), and pitched 162.1 innings with 112 strikeouts.

That season, he threw three complete games and had one shutout, showing he could go deep into games. It was his highest innings total and strikeout count for Oakland.

From 1978-1985, Conroy’s stats with the A’s showed a 10-19 record and a 4.37 ERA in 100 games. He struck out 206 batters in 310.2 innings.

His last year with Oakland in 1985 saw limited action—just 16 games—before the Cardinals picked him up the next season.

St. Louis Cardinals and Later MLB Career

The 1985 trade to St. Louis changed the direction of Tim Conroy’s career. His time with the Cardinals would be his final seasons in the majors, leading up to his retirement in 1987.

Trade to St. Louis Cardinals

In 1985, the Oakland Athletics traded Conroy and catcher Mike Heath to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals sent pitcher Joaquin Andujar to Oakland for them.

This trade gave Conroy a fresh start. He’d spent nearly his entire MLB career with the A’s since 1978.

The Cardinals needed pitching depth, so Conroy joined a competitive team ready for a playoff push.

He adapted to the National League style and spent his last two major league seasons wearing the Cardinals uniform.

Pitching Performance and Key Statistics

Conroy pitched for St. Louis in 1986 and 1987. His numbers reflected the ups and downs he faced throughout his MLB run.

Career Stats:

• Win-Loss Record: 18-32
• Total Strikeouts: 307
• Games Played: 136

The 1987 season stood out for the Cardinals. They won the National League Championship, so Conroy got to experience postseason baseball.

While pitching for St. Louis, Conroy got to play at Three Rivers Stadium against the Pittsburgh Pirates, right in front of friends and family from his hometown.

After the 1987 season, Conroy’s MLB career ended. He moved into scouting, working for the Cardinals and later other teams in player development.

Final Professional Season and Retirement in 1987

Tim Conroy’s last year in the majors came with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1987, closing out a career that started nearly a decade earlier. After leaving MLB, he played in the minors with the Pittsburgh Pirates before deciding to retire.

End of MLB Career

Conroy’s 1987 season with the St. Louis Cardinals was his final shot at sticking as a big league pitcher. He’d joined the Cardinals in 1986 after most of his career with Oakland.

His last MLB game came on June 16, 1987. By then, he’d racked up a career record of 18 wins and 32 losses over 136 games with the A’s and Cardinals.

He left the majors with a career ERA of 4.69. Consistency had always been a struggle, even with all the promise he’d shown as a first-round pick.

Minor League Play with the Pittsburgh Pirates

After the Cardinals let him go, Conroy signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates to keep his career going in the minors. It was a last-ditch effort to get back to the big leagues.

The Pirates gave him a shot to work on his skills and maybe earn another call-up. But his time in their farm system didn’t lead to a return to MLB.

He tried to fix the control problems that had dogged him throughout his career. Despite his efforts, the Pirates never brought him back up.

Decision to Retire and Legacy

After his stint in the Pirates’ minor league system, Conroy decided to retire from pro baseball. His career stretched from 1978 to 1987, with some big gaps between his debut and his return to regular big league action.

Conroy holds the distinction of being the first player born in the 1960s to play in a major league game, debuting on June 23, 1978. Oakland’s owner Charlie Finley made that happen as a publicity move.

His career totals—307 strikeouts and 18 wins—show both his potential and the tough road he faced in reaching it. Going from hot prospect to journeyman pitcher pretty much summed up his experience.

Career Statistics and Notable Achievements

Tim Conroy finished with an 18-32 record, a 4.69 ERA, and 307 strikeouts across seven MLB seasons. He played in both the American and National Leagues, seeing different results in each.

Pitching Record and Strikeouts

Conroy’s career added up to modest numbers over 135 games from 1978 to 1987. He started 71 games, finished five complete games, and had one shutout.

He piled up 307 strikeouts and walked 284 batters. That 1.08 strikeout-to-walk ratio really highlights the control issues he struggled with.

He pitched a total of 466.2 innings, giving up 438 hits and 279 runs. His 4.69 ERA was below league average for most of his career.

His win-loss record of 18-32 worked out to a .360 winning percentage. Both the Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals used him as a starter and reliever at different points.

Performance in the American and National Leagues

Conroy’s time in the two major leagues couldn’t have been more different. With the Oakland Athletics in the American League, he went 10-19 and held a 4.37 ERA over five seasons.

He racked up 206 strikeouts in 310.2 innings. The Athletics mostly made him a starter, though he’d occasionally step in as a spot reliever from 1978 through 1985.

The St. Louis Cardinals picked up Conroy for his last two MLB seasons in 1986 and 1987. Things didn’t go so well for him in the National League, where he put up an 8-13 record and a 5.31 ERA.

During his time with the Cardinals, he struck out 101 batters over 156 innings. They kept him in the starting rotation, but honestly, his effectiveness just wasn’t there anymore.

Comparisons with Contemporaries

When you stack up Conroy’s numbers against other MLB pitchers from the 1980s, he ends up near the bottom. His 4.69 career ERA sits well above the league average from his era.

Most top pitchers back then managed to keep their ERAs under 4.00. Conroy just never found the consistency or control that those guys had.

His career WAR of -2.5 says a lot—replacement-level players could’ve brought more value. That stat really shows how much he struggled to stay at a major league level.

Even as a first-round draft pick, Conroy didn’t become the frontline starter the Athletics hoped for when they grabbed him 20th overall in 1978.

Life After Professional Baseball

After retiring, Tim Conroy didn’t leave the game behind. He moved into scouting and spent more than twenty years working for several big league organizations.

Coaching and Scouting Roles

Once his playing days ended in 1987, Conroy stayed connected to baseball through coaching and then scouting. He coached for a couple of years, but scouting turned out to be his real niche.

His own experience, getting drafted straight to the majors, gave him a different perspective on evaluating talent. He really understood how tough it can be for young players and what it takes to make it.

Conroy focused on scouting players with real mental toughness. He’d struggled with confidence himself, so he looked for self-assured guys who wouldn’t fold after a bad day. He especially wanted players who could shake off setbacks.

“I was looking for that guy,” Conroy said about his scouting style. “I wanted that self-confident guy that wouldn’t be deterred by any type of failure. Because this game is all about failure.”

Involvement with Major League Organizations

Conroy scouted for three different major league teams after his playing days ended. He kicked off his scouting career with the Atlanta Braves and later headed to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Most recently, he took on a role with the Kansas City Royals. He joined them after Dayton Moore, a former Atlanta executive, stepped in as the team’s general manager.

Moore actually brought Conroy to Kansas City, pulling him into his trusted network of baseball professionals. That kind of loyalty in baseball circles? It’s not something you see every day.

Conroy’s work as a scout kept him involved in the amateur draft process. That meant a lot to him, especially since he knew what it was like to get drafted straight out of high school and jump right into the majors back in 1978.

His years on the road, watching games and evaluating players, really showed how much his playing career shaped him for life after the field. The things he learned as a player helped him spot talent and guide young prospects along the way.