By Mike Takeuchi
(Photo by Yankees Team Doctor Chris Ahmad)
On the Anaheim Stadium field. while stretching between the serious Jorge Posada and locked-in Alex Rodriguez, Mick Kelleher bore the expression of an 18-year-old rookie who couldn't believe his good fortune.
The funny thing is, even after 36 years in the Major Leagues as a player and coach, maybe he hasn't. And that's partly why many local baseball fans were hoping that the universally recognized nice guy will finish first, even if he is part of the Evil Empire known as the New York Yankees
Kelleher, a Santa Ynez resident, is the Yankees' first base coach and infield instructor. After 11 years as a player, and 25 as a coach, it will be his first trip to the Fall Classic.
Despite not yet reaching the pinnacle of his sport, the energetic 62-year-old has enjoyed a bounty of honors — from the respect of his peers, to an endearing nickname that will forever be immortalized in Chicago Cubs lore. He is also a widely respected infield coach, whose pupils have included future Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter.
Just prior to Game Four of the ALCS, and shortly after being given a warm welcome from Angels coach Ron Roenicke, he leaned on the railing of the visitors' dugout and shook his head in wonder.
"I don't know how to explain it," Kelleher said. "I've been very fortunate to have a career in the game I love. I love the lifestyle, the travel, and mostly the people."
Gary Woods, also a former big leaguer, said there was nothing to wonder about. They met during the early 1970's when Kelleher moved to Santa Barbara with his wife Renee, and soon became workout partners and close friends.
"There is not a finer person in Major League baseball," Woods said. "That, and the fact that he is simply the best infield coach in the game, have given him a life that he loves and deserves.
"As a player, he may not have been blessed with the most talent, but I can't think of a player that gave any more of themselves."
Kelleher broke in with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1972, then played for the Houston Astros, the Chicago Cubs, the Detroit Tigers and, finally, with the Angels, with whom he retired in 1972.
While lacking power (.213 career average, zero home runs), he more than made up for it with fielding (.975 percentage) and toughness.
Woods, who also played for the Cubs, pointed to one memorable fight on Aug. 7, 1977 when his friend took on the toughest player in the game — and won. In an already brawl-filled game with San Diego, the Padres Dave "King Kong" Kingman was plunked by Chicago pitcher Steve Renko. Angered from the play, Kingman took out Kelleher hard at second base during a double-play attempt. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound Kingman barreled straight into the 5-9, 170-pound Kelleher — who proceeded to jump on King Kong's back and pummel him.
"He looked like a little monkey on King Kong's back," Woods said with a laugh. "But damned if he didn't get the best of Kingman."
Kelleher also laughed when asked about the story.
"I may have won the fight on the field, but after he got the best of it because I had five bruised ribs, a wrenched neck, and a severe charley horse on my left leg, and we were both suspended," Kelleher said. "The funny thing is, Kingman signed with the Cubs the next year and it was bygones."
The fight earned Kelleher the nickname "King Kong Killer," along with t-shirts in his honor, and the eternal adoration of longtime Cubs fans. This approach and toughness also earned him a job when his career ended. Jack McKeon, who would later win a World Series with the Florida Marlins in 2004, told Kelleher to call him when he was done playing.
"When you're a player you only think about playing as long as you possibly can," Kelleher said. "You literally have to take it one day at a time and I was fortunate to have played for 15 years. When I was done playing in '83, I called him and got a job as instructor with the Padres."
Sprinkled among stints with the Padres, the Cubs, and the Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom he also coached first base, he worked with a young Jeter while serving as the Yankees roving fielding instructor from 1996 to 2002, and was the first base coach with the Tigers from 2003-2005. In 2006 he returned to the Yankees as an instructor and was named first base coach last year after Tony Pena was promoted to bench coach.
It reunited Kelleher with Jeter.
"Even when he was young, we knew Jeter was a player — heck he had 200 hits in his first full season," Kelleher said. "I didn't have to tell him much then, and I definitely don't have to say much now. But I'm here if he, anyone needs me. I keep an eye on them, but everyone has their own style of work.
"It's hard for players to see what they are doing wrong. That's what coaches are here for, helping the players adjust immediately. That's what it's all about."
After his season ends, Kelleher will move back here to a place he settled with Renee and raised their now adult daughter, Britanny, while making such close friends as Bill Pintard, manager of the Santa Barbara Foresters. Pintard, who also serves as a scout for the Angels, named his daughter Kelby, which is Kelleher's nickname.
He was able to spend time with Kelleher in Anaheim during the recent series, while others such as Woods and Joe Howell have been trading yucks by phone.
The Santa Barbara High baseball team is also looking forward to some quality time with Kelleher.
"It's flattering that he will come out and bother to work with us before leaving for spring training to work with Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez," Dons coach Fred Warrecker said. "Over the last 10 years, he has taught us many things, the latest being Break on the Ball or B.O.B. — in which everyone is moving prior to the play.
"If it's good enough for the Yankees, it's good enough for Santa Barbara High, so we do it every day."
That same enthusiasm was evident last Tuesday, as Kelleher bounded from stretching, to infield practice, to pitching batting practice. As he was on the field, Howell extolled his friend by phone.
"Outside of the field, you wouldn't have any idea that Kelby was a ballplayer," Howell said. "In fact, one time he broke his nose playing basketball and he couldn't convince the lady that his insurance was the Major League Baseball Players Association because she didn't believe that he was a player. But that didn't stop him from playing with a bunch of lawyers as our ringer."
"Anybody that knows him has seen that same pure heart that had him last so long in the Major Leagues, is reflected by anyone who knows him. When my son Ben wanted to have a baseball themed birthday party, Kelby not only came dressed in his Padres uniform, but he made me wear one of his uniforms too.
"Even though the pants were high waters and came up to my calves, I outweighed him by some 50 pounds, and had no baseball skills whatsoever, he almost convinced me that I pulled it off. That's Kelby."
e-mail: irontak@yahoo.com
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