Saturday, June 9, 2018

Joe 'Jim Buchanan' Kelly, The Yankee-Slayer, Turns Thirty-Years-Old Today

The man who will never have to buy a beer in Boston again—Joseph Kelly, Jr.—turns 30 years-old today. His pummeling of Yankee punk-youngster Tyler Austin will live in the hearts of Red Sox Nation for generations. Until that moment, fans were generally mixed on Kelly. Even his free-spirited 'Jim Buchanan' faux-reporter schtick didn't fully endear him to the fan base. He was clearly talented, but seemed to deliver inconsistent performances on the mound. But the April 11th brawl made all things right. Kelly came to the Red Sox in a bizarre trade that sent John Lackey (and minor-leaguer Corey Littrell) to the Redbirds. We also got Allen Craig—who was considered the more valued chip in the deal. But, it's been Kelly who has shined. Wearing Carmine Hose the past five years, Kelly is 25-9—with a too-high ERA (4.21). But this year, he has shown his value as a late-inning bridge to Craig Kimbrel—firing 100-MPH fastballs by opponents with a renewed passion. Happy birthday Joe/Jim!