Nationals axe Kelley after glove throw
The Washington Nationals designated Shawn Kelley for assignment Wednesday morning, hours after the reliever’s ninth-inning outburst in a blowout win over the New York Mets.
Washington manager Dave Martinez said Wednesday that the decision was made because Kelley’s behaviour Tuesday night had been “disrespectful to the organization.”
Designating a player for assignment means a team has 10 days to release him, trade him or send him to the minors.
On what had otherwise been an encouraging night for the Nationals, Kelley melted down. Asked to pitch the ninth inning with the Nats leading 25-1, Kelley allowed three runs on four hits, one of which was a two-run homer by Austin Jackson.
After that pitch, Kelley slammed his glove to the ground and glared into the dugout. Even amateur interpreters might surmise that Kelley was not pleased to be pitching in that situation at all. Martinez had called on Kelley for the ninth inning after Wander Suero needed 29 pitches to complete the eighth.
“When (Wander) Suero’s pitch count got up, I said, ‘I’ve probably got the ninth.’ I figured I was the freshest reliever and I was going to throw the ninth,” Kelley said Tuesday night.
“Like I said, for me, I’m not justifying it. I should not have thrown my glove and acted like a baby out there. But at the same time, I’m acting like it’s one to one for me. I’m giving it everything I’ve got.”
Kelley recorded the final three outs, nonetheless, and the Nationals won, 25-4.
Just before the home run he allowed to Jackson, Kelley got into a heated conversation with second base umpire Tripp Gibson
III. He had also had a back and forth with home plate umpire Adrian Johnson.
“(Johnson) told me to slow down. I was a) just trying to keep it going, and b) I’ve used the quick pitch sometimes. He told me to slow down one time, and the other guy behind me (at second base) told me I had to come set or it’s a balk,” Kelley said. “... Then the home plate umpire was telling me to hurry up. I was like, ‘But you told me to slow down.’ It was kind of frustrating. That’s all that was about.”
That glare into the dugout, however, casts unavoidable doubt about the true source of that frustration. After the game, veteran Nationals pitchers Ryan Madson and Max Scherzer approached Kelley for a hushed conversation that did not get heated and ended with pats on the back.
Martinez said Tuesday that he thought Kelley was just frustrated with the umpires.
“I think the homer, and the whole thing with trying to pitch fast and the umpire telling him to stop,” Martinez said. “He was arguing. I gather that’s what it was.”