Pirates Notebook: Infielder Kelly trying to catch on as catcher
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MILWAUKEE -- You could hear this from the public address announcer at a ballpark near you someday: "Now catching for the Pirates -- Don Kelly."
What?
Yep, Don Kelly. The same Don Kelly who's a utility infielder and utility outfielder.
His formal training as emergency catcher began yesterday.
Kelly donned full catching gear and wore his personal catcher's mitt, which just arrived yesterday, and caught pitches with third base coach Jeff Cox swinging and missing on purpose.
"You feel more like a real catcher with [a batter] waving a bat in your face," Kelly said.
Adding "catcher" to Kelly's resume began several days ago.
The thinking is if Ronny Paulino and Ryan Doumit both are in a game -- which has happened -- and Doumit goes out for a defensive replacement and Paulino takes a foul tip off his thumb ...
"What are you going to do?" manager Jim Tracy said.
Well, now there will be Kelly.
The Pirates asked Kelly if he'd ever caught and he told them he hadn't.
"We said, 'Well, let's start practicing a little bit,' " Tracy said.
Tracy and his staff had noticed that Kelly looked OK as a catcher while warming up pitchers between innings.
"Then you ask yourself, 'With consistent [repetitions], can it become good enough that you could put him back there in emergency situations?' " Tracy said.
Kelly also will begin catching bullpen sessions today when Ian Snell throws between starts.
Kelly conceded he hedged a bit when asked if he had ever caught.
"I caught when I was 13 years old in Pony League," he said. "We were just messing around and they told us we could play any position we wanted for one inning. I got behind the dish."
McLeary's long road back
Marty McLeary's routine Thursday was more than a tad disrupted.
McLeary, a right-handed reliever who was called up from Indianapolis to take injured John Wasdin's spot on the active roster, awoke at 6 a.m. in Pawtucket, R.I. He grabbed a noon flight out of Providence, had a flight delay in Detroit and didn't walk into the Pirates' clubhouse here until less than 21/2 hours before game time.
That was way late for a baseball lifer like McLeary, who likes to get to the clubhouse four or five hours before game time.
"I like to get here and get my ducks in a row and be ready for the game," he said.
McLeary began his professional career in 1997 and toiled seven full seasons in the minor leagues before making his major-league debut with San Diego in 2004. It took him two more years to get his first big-league win -- with the Pirates last September.
At age 32, McLeary thinks there will be more wins to notch.
"The Lord's given me the talent to throw a baseball," he said. "I think people should use their talents to the best of their abilities. The game's going to dictate when I can't do this anymore.
"If I'm 38 or 39 years old and can't get anybody out, OK. It will be time to retire. But at age 32? No chance."
Duffy recharges
Chris Duffy went 0 for 5 Thursday night and was in the dugout when last night's game began. Nate McLouth started in center field in Duffy's stead.
However, Duffy was not being benched.
"Just an opportunity to get Nate out there and give 'Duff' a day to recharge his battery," Tracy said. "I think it's important periodically to do that."
Tanner ready for release
Former Pirates manager Chuck Tanner thinks he might be released from Jameson Hospital in New Castle today.
Tanner, 77, was admitted last Tuesday and has had a colostomy and tracheotomy performed. He was scheduled for more tests yesterday.
"I'm OK," Tanner said. "[Thursday] was a good day."
Tanner, a special assignment scout for the surging Cleveland Indians, laughed about the note attached to flowers sent by Detroit Tiger manager Jim Leyland and his wife, Katie: "Hey, Chuck, quit giving Cleveland good reports."
Tanner is even keeping up with his scouting duties.
He noted that former Union High School pitcher Matt DeSalvo has been called up by the New York Yankees.
"Good control," Tanner said. "Throws 91, 92 [miles per hour]."
INDIANAPOLIS (16-10) lost at Pawtucket, 5-4, in 11 innings. LHP Sean Burnett (3-2, 3.86) allowed two runs and three hits in five innings. He struck out six, walked six and threw 45 of 92 pitches for strikes. RHP Josh Sharpless (2.08) allowed a run, a walk and three hits in 1 1/3 innings of relief. RHP Dan Kolb (0.00) pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings. RF Michael Ryan (.194) went 2 for 4 with an RBI.
ALTOONA (12-12) beat Akron, 3-2. RHP Wardell Starling (1-2, 5.92) allowed one run and three hits in seven innings. 1B Steve Pearce (.286) went 1 for 4 with two RBIs. 3B Neil Walker (.287) went 1 for 4. CF Andrew McCutchen (.169) went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.
LYNCHBURG (11-12) beat Myrtle Beach, 6-0. LHP Kyle Bloom (2-2, 4.10) pitched five shutout innings and allowed four hits. He struck out eight and walked three. RHP Pat Bresnehan (4.66) pitched two perfect innings of relief.
HICKORY (11-15) lost to Greensboro, 9-2. RHP Eric Krebs (1-2, 5.40) allowed three runs in three innings. LF Wanell Macia (.324) went 2 for 4 with an RBI.
First Published May 4, 2007 11:38 pm
