Roberto Kelly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roberto Kelly |
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Kelly with the San Francisco Giants
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| Sultanes de Monterrey – No. 39 | |||
| Outfielder / Manager | |||
| Born: October 1, 1964 Panama City, Panama |
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| debut | |||
| July 29, 1987, for the New York Yankees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| April 18, 2000, for the New York Yankees | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .290 | ||
| Home runs | 124 | ||
| Runs batted in | 585 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Roberto Conrado Kelly was born on October 1, 1964, in Panama City, Panama. He is a professional baseball manager and a former outfielder. He is currently the manager for the Sultanes de Monterrey team in the Mexican League.
Roberto Kelly started his baseball journey when the New York Yankees signed him in 1982. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for many teams. These included the Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers. In Panama, fans knew him as La Sombra, which means The Shadow in Spanish. After his playing career, he became a coach. He even helped the San Francisco Giants win three World Series championships!
Contents
Roberto Kelly's Baseball Journey
Playing for the New York Yankees (1987–1992)
Roberto Kelly made his first appearance in Major League Baseball with the New York Yankees in 1987. He quickly showed his skills on the field. In 1989, he broke up a perfect game by Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb. This happened with a two-out double in the ninth inning. His great play earned him a spot on the American League All-Star team in 1992.
Playing for Other Teams (1993–2000)
After the 1992 season, the Yankees traded Kelly to the Cincinnati Reds. There, he continued to shine. He was chosen for the National League All-Star team in 1993.
Kelly played for several other teams during his career. He joined the Atlanta Braves in 1994. In 1995, he played for the Montreal Expos and then the Los Angeles Dodgers. He later signed with the Minnesota Twins for the 1996 season. He also played for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers. He returned to the New York Yankees for a short time in 2000 before ending his playing career.
Career Highlights as a Player
Roberto Kelly played in 1,337 games over 14 seasons. He had a batting average of .290. This means he got a hit almost three out of every ten times he batted. He hit 124 Home runs and had 585 runs batted in (RBI). He also stole 235 bases, showing his speed. As an outfielder, he was very good at catching the ball. His fielding percentage was .985, which is excellent.
Kelly was part of four teams that made it to the playoffs. He helped the Dodgers win their division in 1995. He also helped the Mariners win their division in 1997. The Rangers won their division in both 1998 and 1999 with Kelly on the team.
Coaching Career
After his playing days, Roberto Kelly became a successful coach. On November 16, 2007, the San Francisco Giants hired him. He became their first base coach and hitting instructor. As a coach, he was known for encouraging aggressive baserunning. He wanted his players to be fast and smart on the bases. He even told the Giants' pitchers not to use being a pitcher as an excuse for poor baserunning.
Kelly helped the Giants win three World Series championships. These wins happened in 2010, 2012, and 2014. These were big achievements for the team.
In January 2018, Roberto Kelly became the new manager for the Sultanes de Monterrey in the Mexican League. He continues to lead the team today.
Roberto Kelly's Family Life
Roberto Kelly is married to Blanca Gonzalez Kelly. They have a large family. They have seven sons: Roberto Jr., Roberto Bryan, Xavier, Ryan, Johaun, Jacques, and Jadrien. They also have three daughters: Charlene, Rhianna, and Bianca.
See also
In Spanish: Roberto Kelly (beisbolista) para niños
