Hometown Pirate?
BRADENTON, Fla. — Don Kelly is trying to come home again — permanently.
The 27-year-old middle infielder and Butler native joined the Pittsburgh Pirates this spring as a nonroster invitee and is trying to make the club as a reserve.
"It's always been my dream to play for the Pirates,"Kelly said. "I know I have a shot."
Kelly was born in Butler in 1980. Both of his parents, Tom Kelly and Evie Matonak Kelly, also are Butler natives who moved Mt. Lebanon when Don was 3.
"We still have a lot of family in Butler,"Kelly said. "The Matonak family, the Rekich family, they're all related to us. We visit up that way during holidays."
After graduating from Mt. Lebanon, Kelly played three years for Point Park College, playing his home games at Pullman Park, and left the Pioneers as their all-time leading hitter with a .413 career batting average.
He was American Mideast Conference Player of the Year as a junior, batting .450 with 45 runs scored, nine doubles, two triples, two homers. 45 RBIand 39 stolen bases in 45 games.
Drafted in the eighth round by the Detroit Tigers in 2001, Kelly left Point Park a year early. He has yet to be on a major league roster for a regular season game.
"I've come so close,"he said. "A couple of times, I thought I'd be a September call-up and it didn't happen. Last year, I was one of the last guys cut in spring training with Detroit."
Kelly opted to leave the Detroit organization as a minor league free agent after last season. While his agent talked to other teams, he never came close to signing with any club but the Pirates.
He is competing with veterans Mike Edwards and Jose Hernandez for a reserve infield spot. What happens with the Jose Bautista-Jose Castillo battle for a starting berth could affect him as well.
"You don't really sign as a nonroster player based on opportunity because you never know who else a team is going to bring in,"Kelly said. "This is a chance for me to come home."
Kelly got married recently and the couple bought a home in Wexford. Even if he doesn't make the Pirates' 25-man roster out of spring training, Kelly doesn't plan on leaving the organization.
"I'd go to Class AAA,"he said. "I'd be an injury away from being called up. I've been an injury away before."
Kelly is making a strong bid to make the Pirates, however. He had eight hits in his first 27 at- bats for a .296 average in Grapefruit League play, collecting three RBI.
Kelly has seen action at third base, shortstop and second base. He was a third baseman and shortstop in college.
In six minor league seasons, Kelly has a .286 career batting average with 13 home runs and 77 stolen bases. He has demonstrated a selective eye at the plate, collecting 259 walks compared to 218 strikeouts.
The 6-foot-4 Kelly stole a career-high 18 bases despite hitting just .228 in 237 at-bats with Class AAAToledo last season.
"(The Pirates are) giving me a good look. It definitely weighs in my favor that I can play a number of positions," he said. "I don't think I have to show them anything in one particular area of the game.
"Just play hard, work hard, get after it. Things will work out."
