Astros 6 – Yankees 4
TAMPA — When Roberto Kelly found out he didn’t fit in the semi-rebuilding plans of the Rangers, the veteran outfielder knew there was only one place for him.
He was familiar with the neighborhood, understood the often volatile atmosphere that threatens but never really suf-
focates and most of all, believed if he was ever going to leave the game with a World Series ring, The Bronx was the place to be.
“I had other offers,” said Kelly, who signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees in late January, six weeks after the Bombers dealt spare outfielder Chad Curtis to the Rangers for two pitching prospects. “But I am not 25 years old anymore. I want to try and get a ring and what better chance do you get than with the Yankees?”
There was a time when Kelly, now 35, was going to be the Next Great Yankee. He hit .302 in 1989. It never worked out and he was dealt to the Reds for Paul O’Neill following the 1992 season. Even though Kelly’s numbers were on the decline, many people in baseball scratched their heads over then-GM Gene Michael trading him for O’Neill, a good, but not great player in the National League.
Of course, it turned out to be one of the best Yankee deals ever. O’Neill developed into a run-producing No. 3 hitter, winning a batting title in 1994 and being one of the driving forces that has carried the Yankees to three World Series titles in the last four years.
And Kelly? After less than two years with the Reds, he moved to the Braves. The next season he played with the Expos and Dodgers. From there it was the Twins, Mariners and Rangers for the past two years. Kelly helped Texas get to the postseason, where it lost six straight ALDS games to the Yankees.
So, after being almost everywhere, Kelly is back where he started his professional career in 1982. Five years later, he was in the big leagues.
The past two seasons Kelly has had a first-hand look at the post-season powerhouse the Yankees have become. And, of course, there have been times when a sense of disappointment washed over the former Yankee.
“As a player, you would love to be there,” Kelly said of watching his former team run roughshod over the rest of baseball. “You say, ‘What if?’ It would have been nice to be part of it.”
Proving things do come full circle, baseball people are wondering how Kelly landed in Pinstripes for the bargain price of $800,000? After all, he can still chase balls down in the outfield and steal a base. He also proved he can hit left-handed pitching by batting .358 against them last season. For his career, Kelly is a .314 hitter versus lefties. That’s a pretty good fifth outfielder.
And better than Curtis, who did more than people gave him credit for. Still, the Yankees upgraded the position, got two pitchers back and saved more than $1 million in the process.
Kelly has been around a number of teams loaded with stars. Ken Griffey Jr. in Seattle, Juan Gonzalez in Texas, Mike Piazza in LA and Greg Maddux in Atlanta. As he looks around the Yankees’ clubhouse he sees talent, too. But they act a little different.
“You look at all these star players but if you talk to them and watch the way they carry themselves, it’s different,” Kelly said. “That’s why they win as many games as they do.”
Kelly hopes the winning continues. While he isn’t counting anything until they tell him to get on the bus leaving for the regular season, Kelly would have to get hurt not to make the team.
“He does a lot of the same things Chad did for us,” Joe Torre said. “And he has always hit left-handers.”
Where Kelly fits into the picture is cloudy at the moment. He will be Bernie Williams’ backup in center. If Torre goes with Shane Spencer as the full-time DH, it’s likely Kelly will split left field with Ricky Ledee.
That will all come later. For now, Kelly is using the final two weeks of spring training to avoid injury and hone a swing.
“You have to work on the things that will help you in the season,” Kelly said. “It’s nice to get a hit now and then but you have to work on things.”
And one of those things is getting a ring.
