Jay Thomas Kelly is the former
managerIn baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the
Minnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
baseball team from to . Currently, he serves as a Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Twins.
Kelly grew up in
Sayreville, New JerseySayreville is a borough located on the Raritan River, near Raritan Bay in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 42,704....
and attended St. Mary's High School in nearby
South AmboySouth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, on the Raritan Bay. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 7,913.South Amboy, and Perth Amboy across the Raritan River, are collectively referred to as The Amboys...
.
Playing career
Kelly was drafted by the
Seattle PilotsThe Seattle Pilots were an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington for one season, . The Pilots played home games at Sick's Stadium and were a member of the West Division of Major League Baseball's American League...
in the 8th round of the
1968 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1968 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The Los Angeles Dodgers laid the groundwork for their championship clubs of the 1970s with an outstanding draft...
. After three unspectacular years in the Pilots/
Milwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
organization, he was given his unconditional release on 6 April 1971. On 28 April 1971, Kelly was signed as a minor league free agent by the Twins and sent to the AA
Charlotte HornetsThe Charlotte Hornets was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The club was originally founded in 1901, and lasted in some form until 1973, capturing 11 league titles during its history...
in the
South Atlantic LeagueThe South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
. From 1972 through 1975, Kelly would spend most of his playing time at AAA Tacoma Twins in the
Pacific Coast LeagueThe Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
, splitting time between firstbase and the corner outfield positions. After starting the 1975 season again in Tacoma, Kelly was called up to the big club and would make his major league debut on 11 May 1975. Kelly would play in 49 games with the Twins over the 1975 season while seeing playing time at firstbase and the outfield. Prior to the start of the 1976 season, Kelly was purchased from the Twins by the
Baltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
and assigned to
Rochester Red WingsThe Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
: he would not return to the Major Leagues. In 1977, he returned to the Twins organization and AAA Tacoma - this time as a player-manager. In 1978, Kelly played for the Twins new AAA-affiliate, the Toledo Mudhens, spending his last year as a full-time player.
Managerial career
Following the 1978 season, Kelly was sent down to manage the Twins A-affiliate, the
Visalia OaksThe Visalia Rawhide are a minor league baseball team in Visalia, California, U.S. They are a Class A - Advanced team of the Arizona Diamondbacks operating in the California League and have recently agreed to renew their affiliation through 2012....
in the
California LeagueThe California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
, staying there through the 1980 season. After taking a year off, Kelly was named the manager of the Twins AA-affiliate, the Orlando Twins, for the 1982 season. In 1983, Kelly was added to manager
Billy Gardner'sWilliam Frederick Gardner is an American former Major League Baseball player, coach and manager. Gardner was a scrappy light-hitting second baseman who batted and threw right-handed. Gardner played for the New York Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees,...
big league coaching staff where he would remain until being named Twins manager during the 1986 season. Kelly was the 11th manager of the team and his tenure as manager was the longest in team history. Under his tenure, the Twins won two
World SeriesThe World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
crowns in the span of five years (
1987The 1987 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins versus the St. Louis Cardinals.Minnesota was victorious in a World Series that was the first in which the home team won every game...
and
1991The 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....
); however, from to a long sequence of retirements and injuries (including to superstars
Kent HrbekFrequently injured , Hrbek retired after the players strike in 1994, citing his nagging injury problems and desire to spend more time with his wife and daughter at their home in Bloomington, MN...
and
Kirby PuckettKirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
) hurt the team badly, and Kelly spent the remainder of his managerial career rebuilding the Twins.
In , management cleared out the team of all of its players earning over 1 million dollars (except for pitcher
Brad RadkeBrad William Radke is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played his entire 12 season career with the Minnesota Twins. Radke won 148 career games and was one of the most consistent pitchers in the Twins organization during the late 90's...
) and rebuilt from the ground up; the team went 70-92 and in fourth place in the AL Central, 19 games behind the
Cleveland Indians-Offseason:*November 12, 1997: Paul Assenmacher was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.*December 1, 1997: Matt Williams was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Travis Fryman, Tom Martin, and cash....
and five games ahead of the
Detroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. A run of eight consecutive losing seasons ended in 2001, when the Twins led the division for much of the year before fading, finishing at 85–77, second to
Cleveland-Offseason:* December 28, 2000: Fausto Carmona was signed by the Indians as an amateur free agent.* January 9, 2001: Juan González was signed as a free agent by the Indians.-Regular season:...
. He then resigned at age 51, citing
burnoutBurnout is a psychological term for the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest. Research indicates general practitioners have the highest proportion of burnout cases; according to a recent Dutch study in Psychological Reports, no less than 40% of these experienced high levels of...
, and the threat of contraction. Kelly was succeeded as manager of the Twins by
Ron GardenhireRonald Clyde "Gardy" Gardenhire is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and current manager of the Minnesota Twins.He is six feet tall and weighed 175 pounds during most of his baseball career....
, and his rebuilding efforts paid off the year after he retired from the Twins, with a threepeat of divisional championships in 2002, 2003, and 2004.
1987 World Series
A year after taking over the reins of the Twins from Ray Miller, Kelly took the team that he had helped build through his role as one of the top people in the Twins'
minor leagueMinor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
organization and led it to a World Series championship. Though the '87 Twins were criticized for being the top team in a
weak divisionThe American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the...
(amassing only a .525 record in regular season play, which was the worst winning percentage for an eventual World Champion until surpassed by the
St. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals 2006 season was the team's 125th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 115th season in the National League. The season started out with a bang, as the team raced out to a 31-16 record by late May...
in 2006), they easily handled the
Detroit TigersThe 1987 Detroit Tigers season saw the Tigers make a startling late-season comeback to win the American League Eastern Division. The Tigers finished with a record of 98 wins and 64 losses, two games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays...
in five games, losing only Game 3 of the
American League Championship Series-Game 1:Wednesday, October 7, 1987 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, MinnesotaThe 1987 AL playoffs opened at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, with the Tigers throwing Doyle Alexander against the Twins' Frank Viola. In the bottom of the second, the Twins opened the scoring when third...
to a heartbreaking 8th-inning two-run home run.
The
World SeriesThe 1987 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins versus the St. Louis Cardinals.Minnesota was victorious in a World Series that was the first in which the home team won every game...
was a well-fought contest between the Twins and the
National LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
champion
St. Louis CardinalsThe 1987 St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 106th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 96th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 95-67 during the season and finished first in the National League East Division for the third and last time before moving to the NL Central in 1994....
, each team winning all of its home games. Games 1, 2, 4 and 6 were decidedly lopsided contests (10–1 Twins, 8–4 Twins, 7–2 Cards, 11–5 Twins), with Games 3, 5 and 7 being much closer contests, each being decided by only two runs (3–1 Cards, 4–2 Cards and 4–2 Twins).
After a 63-year drought, Tom Kelly's leadership helped propel the Twins to their second World Championship (the first coming in
1924In the 1924 World Series, the Washington Senators beat the New York Giants in seven games. The Giants became the first team to play in four consecutive World Series, winning in 1921–1922 and losing in 1923–1924. Their long-time manager, John McGraw, made his ninth and final World Series appearance...
as the
Washington SenatorsThe Washington Senators won 92 games, lost 62, and finished in first place in the American League. Fueled by the excitement of winning their first AL pennant, the Senators won the World Series in dramatic fashion, a 12-inning game 7 victory.-Regular season:...
).
1991 World Series
After finishing the 1990 season in last place, the Twins dominated the AL West in 1991, finishing 8 games ahead of the second-place
Chicago White SoxThe 1991 Chicago White Sox season was the White Sox's 93rd season. They finished with a record 87-75, good enough for 2nd place in the American League West, 8 games behind of the 1st place Minnesota Twins, as the club opened the new Comiskey Park on April 18....
with a record of 95–67. In the
AL Championship-Game 1:Tuesday, October 8, 1991 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, MinnesotaGame 1 saw a surprise starter for Toronto as Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston chose knuckleballer Tom Candiotti to face the Twins over his new young gun Juan Guzmán and his left-handed ace Jimmy Key. Twins...
, the Twins easily defeated the
Toronto Blue JaysThe 1991 Toronto Blue Jays season involved the Blue Jays finishing 1st in the American League East with a record of 91 wins and 71 losses. The team's paid attendance of 4,001,527 led the American League, as the Jays became the first team in MLB history ever to draw four million fans in a season...
in 5 games, winning the right to face the
Atlanta BravesIn 1991, the Atlanta Braves became the first team in the National League to go from last place one year to first place the next. This feat was also accomplished by the 1991 Minnesota Twins...
in the
World SeriesThe 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....
. Marked by a series of close contests filled with dramatic plays and extra-innings, the 1991 World Series would later be ranked as the greatest World Series ever.
Following two closely contested victories at home, the Twins traveled to Atlanta where they suffered three straight defeats. Tom Kelly, prior to the Series' move to Atlanta, infamously suggested that managing without the designated hitter was "right up there with rocket science". Although he was being facetious, the grueling Game 3 proved Kelly prescient as a series of double switches and substitutions emptied the Twins' bench and both teams' bullpens. Kelly was forced to pinch hit
Rick AguileraRichard Warren Aguilera is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 16-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-2000 for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs....
in the top of the twelfth and was prepared to send outfielder
Dan GladdenClinton Daniel "Dan" Gladden III is an American former Major League Baseball player and current radio broadcaster.-Baseball career:Gladden is a graduate of Westmont High School in Campbell, California...
to the mound if necessary; however, the Braves won in the bottom of the twelfth when
David JusticeDavid Christopher Justice is a former outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , and Oakland Athletics .-Early life:David was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Robert and Nettie Justice...
narrowly beat a throw to the plate. After a similarly close Game 4 and a dominating 14–5 Braves victory in Game 5, the Twins had to win the final two games at home.
Game 6 featured two climactic plays by Kirby Puckett who, in the top of the 3rd, made a sensational leaping catch against the center field
acrylic glassPoly is a transparent thermoplastic, often used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is sometimes called acrylic glass. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate...
to prevent a Braves' run. The Twins won 4-3 in the bottom of the 11th when Puckett blasted a home run off
Charlie LeibrandtCharles Louis "Charlie" Leibrandt, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1979 to 1993 for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers. Leibrandt was a productive pitcher throughout his 14 year career, and a member of the 1985 World Series...
. Game 7 proved to be one of the greatest games in baseball history, as the game remained scoreless for 9 innings and included a number of decisive and memorable plays. Twins starter
Jack MorrisJohn Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...
argued repeatedly with Kelly to allow him to stay in the game and pitched 10 scoreless innings before the Twins won in the bottom of the 10th, giving Minnesota its second World Series victory in five years.
Managerial record
| Team | |Regular Season | MIN The 1987 Minnesota Twins won the World Series for the first time since moving from Washington in 1961, marking the second time that the franchise had won the World Series...
|
|
162 |
85 |
77 |
.525 |
1st - AL West |
8 |
4 |
.667 |
Won ALCS -Game 1:Wednesday, October 7, 1987 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, MinnesotaThe 1987 AL playoffs opened at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, with the Tigers throwing Doyle Alexander against the Twins' Frank Viola. In the bottom of the second, the Twins opened the scoring when third...
vs. DetroitThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
Won World SeriesThe 1987 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins versus the St. Louis Cardinals.Minnesota was victorious in a World Series that was the first in which the home team won every game...
vs. St. LouisThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
|
| MIN |
|
162 |
91 |
71 |
.562 |
2nd - AL West |
| MIN |
1989 -Major League Baseball:*World Series: Minnesota Twins over Atlanta Braves ; Jack Morris, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Kirby Puckett*National League Championship Series MVP: Steve Avery...
|
162 |
80 |
82 |
.494 |
5th - AL West |
| MIN The 1990 Minnesota Twins, three years after their World Series title in 1987, fell to the bottom of the AL West once again. However, the season was not completely bad, as there were some bright spots: Pitchers Rick Aguilera and Scott Erickson...
|
|
162 |
74 |
88 |
.457 |
7th - AL West |
| MIN The Minnesota Twins won the World Series, the second time the Twins had won the World Series since moving to Minnesota in .The Twins finished 95-67, first in the AL West.2,293,842 fans attended Twins games, the eighth highest total in the American League....
|
|
162 |
95 |
67 |
.586 |
1st - AL West |
8 |
4 |
.667 |
Won ALCS -Game 1:Tuesday, October 8, 1991 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, MinnesotaGame 1 saw a surprise starter for Toronto as Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston chose knuckleballer Tom Candiotti to face the Twins over his new young gun Juan Guzmán and his left-handed ace Jimmy Key. Twins...
vs. TorontoThe Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
Won World SeriesThe 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....
vs. AtlantaThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
|
| MIN Coming off a World Series victory, the 1992 Minnesota Twins continued the team's winning spree. The team finished in second place to Oakland Athletics and did not make it to the postseason. This would be the team's last winning season until 2001...
|
|
162 |
90 |
72 |
.556 |
2nd - AL West |
| MIN The 1993 Minnesota Twins underperformed in their last year in the old American League West Division, finishing with a 71-91 record, leaving the team tied for fifth place with the California Angels. There were bright spots for Manager Tom Kelly. This included Kirby Puckett winning the All-Star MVP...
|
|
162 |
71 |
91 |
.438 |
6th - AL West |
| MIN The 1994 Minnesota Twins played in an abbreviated, strike-shortened season. The strike overshadowed the season’s accomplishments. These included Scott Erickson’s no-hitter on April 27, Chuck Knoblauch’s 85-game errorless streak and league-leading 45 doubles, Kirby Puckett’s 2,000th hit, and Kent...
|
|
113 |
53 |
60 |
.469 |
4th - AL Central |
| MIN Although the 1995 Minnesota Twins were separated from a world championship by only four years, it seemed like eons. Because of the 1994 Major League Baseball strike, the season got off to a late start. However, it did not end soon enough, as the team finished with a 56-88 record and in last place...
|
|
144 |
56 |
88 |
.389 |
5th - AL Central |
| MIN Prior to the spring training, the 1996 Minnesota Twins were projected to be a contending team. The team's chances significantly worsened on March 28, 1996. Kirby Puckett, the team's franchise player, had been tattooing the Grapefruit League for a .360 average, but that morning woke up without...
|
|
162 |
78 |
84 |
.481 |
4th - AL Central |
| MIN The 1997 Minnesota Twins will not be remembered as the strongest team the Twins ever fielded. Manager Tom Kelly's team consisted of a few solid players, but mainly past-their-prime veterans and never-to-be-established prospects. One of the few bright spots was pitcher Brad Radke’s breakout season...
|
|
162 |
68 |
94 |
.420 |
4th - AL Central |
| MIN Like many Twins teams of its half-decade, the 1998 Minnesota Twins neither impressed nor contended. The team finished with a 70-92 record, with subpar batting and pitching. The season was not without its bright spots, as individual players had solid seasons and Hall of Fame designated hitter Paul...
|
|
162 |
70 |
92 |
.432 |
4th - AL Central |
| MIN The 1999 Minnesota Twins began their season on a positive note, with Brad Radke getting the win in a 6-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Unfortunately for the Twins, the team finished the season in last place...
|
|
162 |
63 |
97 |
.394 |
5th - AL Central |
| MIN The 2000 Minnesota Twins were the last Twins team with a losing record in eight consecutive years of losing teams. The team finished with a 69-93 record, with weak hitting but slightly better pitching...
|
|
162 |
69 |
93 |
.426 |
5th - AL Central |
| MIN The 2001 Minnesota Twins marked the beginning of the Twins’ ascendancy in the American League Central Division. After finishing the 2000 season last in the division with a disappointing 69-93 record, the 2001 team rebounded to finish 85-77, good enough for second place in the division. The...
|
|
162 |
85 |
77 |
.525 |
2nd - AL Central |
| Total |
2,386 |
1,140 |
1,244 |
.478 |
|
16 |
8 |
.667 |
|
External links