Joe Kelly came off the IL last night, and while he didn’t get into the game, you better believe his presence was felt. Just an hour away from Joe Kelly Chaquetas Bobblehead Night in Rancho Cucamonga, our favorite relief pitcher was back stimulating the Los Angeles economy, doing whatever this is:
What is Joe Kelly doing here? Why does he look a little defiant? My guess is it’s an in-game jumbotron promotion. As a Joe Kelly expert, that is my opinion, and I’m unaware of any Joe Kelly opinion of mine which has been proven wrong before.
I’m also pretty sure he ate the bowl. You don’t give a guy a bowl like that if you’re not going to let him eat it, and we know well by now that Joe Kelly isn’t one of those loser professional athletes who gets all restrictive about his diet.
What I don’t know, and where I think the crux of this story lies, is whether Joe Kelly kept the novelty helmet. I don’t think he did? I think he’s maybe over that stage of his career? Back in St. Louis, that novelty helmet would have popped up in either a prank or a viral moment on whatever preceded Bally Sports Midwest. Today, I think Joe Kelly just wants to do his job with the Dodgers (which is half pitching and half promoting whatever that bowl is) and parent his children. A work/life balance king.
I hope he kept the helmet.
I hope he wears it in the bullpen tonight.
