Pirates Manager Don Kelly Leaves Himself Open to Second-Guessing

Pirates Manager Don Kelly Leaves Himself Open to Second-Guessing

PITTSBURGH -- There was little reason to challenge Pittsburgh Pirates managers during the first six years of this decade.

The Pirates’ lack of talent handicapped Derek Shelton and continued to do so last season, when he was fired, and bench coach Don Kelly was promoted to skipper. As former Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon told me many years ago, “You can’t win the Kentucky Derby with a mule.”

However, things are different this season. The Pirates are off to a 10-7 start and tied for the National League Central lead with the Cincinnati Reds, even after losing to the Washington Nationals 5-4 on Tuesday night at PNC Park.

With more at stake now, Kelly is open to second-guessing.

Kelly’s decision on Tuesday was easily questioned. Trailing 5-4 in the seventh with bases loaded and one out, hot-hitting second baseman Brandon Lowe was due up.

Kelly decided to go with the platoon advantage against Nationals left-hander Cionel Perez and had rookie right-handed-hitting Nick Yorke pinch hit for the lefty-swinging Lowe.

Yorke grounded into an inning-ending double play, with second baseman Nasim Nunez fielding the ball behind the bag, stepping on second, and throwing to first. Pittsburgh lost by a run.

Several factors made the move questionable, like Lowe’s solo home run off left-handed opener PJ Poulin in the first inning. That came after Lowe became the first Pirates player since RBIs were official in 1920 to drive in five runs in consecutive games.

Tuesday’s homer made Lowe only the third Pirate with four homers and 11 RBIs in a three-game stretch. Only Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner (1947, 1949) and Jose Castillo (2006) have done it before.

However, Kelly did not second-guess his move during his post-game press conference.

“It was strategic, liked Yorke right there as far as contact ability,” Kelly said. “If that ball goes five feet one way or the other, he hit it 102 (mph) right up the middle, right at the second baseman.”

Still, despite those reasons, it seemed the best play was to go with the hot hand in Lowe. Kelly acknowledged that it crossed his mind, but he still felt Yorke was the better option.

"It’s a tough decision; I always make it about the guy," Kelly said. "As a team, we’ve talked—it’ll take 26 guys. Lowe homered earlier off a lefty. I liked the matchup with Yorke to put the ball in play, and he did—he smoked it, but unfortunately right at the second baseman."

Lowe did not complain about the decision. In fact, he said he agreed with it.

“I've been around for a little while, understand the game a little bit,” Lowe said. “I'm able to kind of take a step back and realize everyone in here's a pretty dang good baseball player. They wouldn't be here, and they're not making a move because one, they don't think you can get a job done. They're making a move because it puts everybody in a better position.

“It was a good call. Just happened to not work out that one time.”

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