Jason Mackey: It's OK to root for new Pirates manager Don Kelly, 'the most regular person alive'

PITTSBURGH — Neil Walker was driving to PNC Park on Sunday morning when the excitement in his voice became even more obvious, the former Pirates second baseman and current broadcaster sounding like he was on his third or fourth cup of coffee.

"He's had other opportunities," Walker said, talking about new Pirates skipper Don Kelly. "But he wanted to be here — for his family and the Pirates. He just cares so much about the city and the organization."

A Mt. Lebanon and Point Park product, Kelly's story is an awesome one, the hometown boy and fan of those Barry Bonds- and Andy Van Slyke-led clubs from the early 1990s now managing the Pirates, the former MLB utility man filling the shoes of one of his idols, Jim Leyland, who used to own one of the must-hit houses for Kelly and his buddies every Halloween.

(No, Leyland didn't hand out candy cigarettes.)

It also comes amid one of the more frustrating stretches in recent Pirates history, when the team has underachieved, fans are ticked at the direction of the organization, and what's happening above Kelly doesn't make a lot of sense. I get it.

But don't take it out on Kelly, who has waited a long time for this opportunity and deserves your support.

After all, it's not Kelly who has drafted poorly, failed to obtain players internationally, made lousy trades or repeatedly whiffed on offseason acquisitions. He's certainly not controlling the payroll.

All Kelly has done is work tirelessly to connect with players, support them and earn their respect while on a larger scale grinding the same way he handled his own on-field career: going from scout to first-base coach to bench coach to manager over the past eight years.

He's done it the right way, no shortcuts, while treating everyone with respect and by being unfailingly nice. I'm serious. The next scout, team official, player, coach or anyone I talk to who has a negative word to say about Kelly will be the first.

"I know one thing, my dad absolutely loved him," said Bruce Tanner, Chuck Tanner's son who's a scout for the Tigers and knows Kelly well. "He loved the way he played the game.

"Honestly, he and Sean Casey are cut from the same cloth. They're two of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. That's what really endears you to people in Pittsburgh."

I've gotten to know both well. It's a great comparison. I'd also put Kelly's brother-in-law (Walker) in that conversation as guys who've painted Pittsburgh-area baseball in a positive light, and they're obviously not alone.

But I think sometimes we overlook Kelly because he's always just busy grinding, putting in crazy hours, the personification of the blue-collar work ethic we adore.

"Dude is the most regular person alive," said KDKA-AM Pittsburgh host Colin Dunlap, who has known Kelly for 20-plus years.

The Pirates have a bunch of on-field needs, obviously. More offense. Better lineup construction and continuity. Improved fundamentals. Accountability. Applying feel and common sense to analytics.

What I like, though, are the off-field traits Kelly brings. Things like his level of care, his humility, the regular guy-ness, the fact that Leyland adored him and so much more.

Who knows if this works out, but I can't help but root for Kelly to improve his situation and that of his family because of this opportunity.

How can you not?

Here's another fact about Kelly most people don't know and something that speaks to Dunlap's point: The guy has been a part-owner of the Jimmy John's in Wexford (near North Way Community Christian Church) for the past decade or so.

Not only that, before his bench-coach (and now managerial) duties consumed more of his time, he would fill in whenever they were short-staffed — baking bread, assembling sandwiches or delivering orders.

Yes, seriously.

"That's just Donny, man," Walker said, laughing. "There are no frills. He loves doing stuff like that.

"In the winter months, there where many occasions where he would be in there making bread in the mornings or ensuring things are being operated correctly. How great is that?"

Pretty great. The Pirates' new manager is part-owner of a local Jimmy John's. A completely regular guy.

"That might end up being a national story," said Walker, who said he's actually delivered sandwiches for Kelly and his sister Carrie before when orders backed up. "He might get mad at me, but I don't care. I wanna see his business do well. Let's push people to Jimmy John's in Wexford."

Again, Kelly deserves all of it, the uptick in business, the managerial job, the attention and hopefully a few wins.

He grinded as a player, from Point Park to the pros, onto active rosters as a utility guy, occasionally down to the minors, then inevitably back, never complaining, never doing anything other than working his tail off and treating those around him with kindness and decency.

It took Kelly to the postseason and World Series as a player, then again on the coaching side with the Astros in 2019. Different organizations, different jobs, Kelly has remained the same person, one of us and the best of us.

That's why the Pirates now and forever should be viewed on parallel tracks.

Be mad about ownership, the front office, a failed regime, whatever. Fair game. But don't take it out on Kelly (or his players).

He's earned this and deserves your support.

"Here, I know what I can say to explain how people around baseball feel about Donny," Walker started. "Anybody who has a sister will get this. Whether it's within your friend group or just people you know, you always think, 'I don't want these guys to date my sister.'

"I can unequivocally say, Donnie was on the very, very, very short list of people I have no qualms dating, marrying or having children with my sister. He's just a really good person, and he deserves this opportunity."

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