PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It could be as simple as Little League as to how the Pirates improve upon their season. What new manager Don Kelly said about taking over a team 12-26 on the season?
It’s not like Kelly has been removed from it. The Mt. Lebanon native was Derek Shelton’s bench coach and now it’s about convincing the players there is a different way with him in charge. He went about it in his first talk to the team by challenging them.
“How do we show up every day?” Kelly said Friday. “How do we show up with that enthusiasm like we did when we were in Little League, high school and bring that enthusiasm out onto the field and show up every day to get better and show up every day to help the team win a ball game? That’s something that I’m looking forward to from these guys, is seeing every single day that intent to get better, the intent to win and playing with that enthusiasm every single day.”
Kelly believed there was some good reciprocal energy when they met before the series opener against Atlanta. Much like he is dealing with, Kelly said the players have to handle their emotions of losing Shelton. While he didn’t say this, they also likely have to deal with their role in Shelton losing his job.
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Disappointing would be an understatement about 2025 to date, disaster is more accurate with the start of the Pirates season. Many games this year PNC Park would barely have 10,000 fans and occasionally those in the stands who yell their displeasure. Kelly is trying to bring back some positive energy and attitude along with a commitment to each other and playing the game the right way,
“We know the game is not perfect, we’re never going to be perfect in everything that we do, but holding each other accountable to that and finding a way to compete every single day with that relentlessness to chase down winning,” Kelly said. “I think when we show up that way, we show up to get better every single day, show up for each other and take that enthusiasm and energy out there and let the chips fall.”
“We’ve got a much better team than we’ve shown so far.”
He’s got to be able to lead by example and not afraid to have uncomfortable talks with players. He shared the example of the infamous blow up between his mentor, Hall of Famer Jim Leyland and MLB home run king Barry Bonds in spring training over 30 years ago. Kelly said he will hold this team accountable and make sure they do things the right way.
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For now, all of it is talk. But Kelly believes his passion for the game and this team will translate. That the players will know he’s all-in and they will follow. He’s leaning on Andrew McCutchen and the veterans in that room who have had success to help pull the rope.
Will a different voice turn the Pirates season around? As Paul Skenes said Friday ‘we’ll see’.