Andrew Bailey, BA ’02

Andrew’s dream was always to become a major league baseball player. As a South Jersey native, he grew up watching the Phillies on TV, and he tried to attend games as often as he could. He earned a scholarship to play baseball at Wagner College, but at that point, the dream of playing professionally was not realistic.

 

After graduating from Wagner College with a BA in Business Administration, Andrew was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the sixth round of the 2006 MLB draft. After spending a couple of seasons in the minor leagues, he received the 2009 American League Rookie of the Year Award and the 2010 American League All-Star Award. After being traded to the Boston Red Sox, he was a member of the 2013 World Series Championship Boston Red Sox team. After injuries started to come one after another, he ended his career as a right-handed reliever after playing seven major league seasons with five different teams: the Oakland A’s, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Currently, he is the bullpen coach for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

 

In addition to his professional baseball career, Andrew has worked with the Strike 3 Foundation and the Miracle League of Southeastern Connecticut. Over the course of his career, he has also worked with a variety of hospitals and community programs.

Andrew was inspired by his Haddon Heights Baseball League coach, Mike DeCastro, and his Paul VI coach, Tony Mitchell. He learned a lot from both of them and says that they helped him to understand the game. In particular, Andrew notes that Tony Mitchell not only helped him to become the baseball player he wanted to be but also taught him many important lessons about teamwork and what it took to play at the next level.

 

Over the years, Andrew has learned a lot about himself and what hard work really means. After fighting through various injuries, he was pushed mentally and physically during the course of his 12-year professional baseball career. In particular, he learned what a good teammate is and what the team’s duty to the community means. Andrew believes that it is the players’ duty to help and serve in the communities where they live and work.

 

Andrew and his wife, Amanda, have two children, Theodora, 7, and Matthew, 4. Andrew’s cousins Erica Romand ’03 and Stephen Romand ’08 are also PVI alumni.         

 

Andrew wants to remind Paul VI students that whatever you want to become or accomplish, you need to put your head down and attack those dreams. Along the way there will be good days and bad days, ups and downs, and many sacrifices. However, at the end of the road, with perseverance, the achievement of those hopes and dreams will be worth it.