It’s official.
The 2019 Joe Kelly Season is over.
And it ended brutally for our hero.
After a dominant ninth inning in which he struck two out and induced a lazy fly to keep the score tied, Kelly was called upon to pitch the tenth.
He allowed what turned out to be the game-winning grand slam.
But if you’re reading this, you already know that. You’re not here to learn about the events that transpired. You’re here to think about what’s next. And as The Internet™’s leading Joe Kelly blogger, it’s my duty to talk about that. Here are those thoughts:
- There’s no need to make excuses. Joe Kelly didn’t make any, and we won’t either. Relievers good enough to command high-leverage outings deal with both the triumphs and the failures. Losses happen, and it doesn’t mean Joe Kelly isn’t amazing in every way. He’s owning it, and as his fans, so must we. Our guy didn’t dominate the way we love to see him dominate.
- Not as an excuse, but as an analysis, it’s worth remembering that Kelly was likely fatigued or something similar entering the playoffs. He hadn’t thrown two full innings since June 19th. It was a lot to ask of him to go out and face Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto, arguably the toughest two-hitter combination in the MLB. And while we crave those opportunities for our guy, his velocity was down. As he mentioned himself, his command wasn’t fully there. This isn’t to blame Dave Roberts—when you have a hero, you use him as such—but it helps make sense of what happened. At the most crucial juncture of the season, Joe Kelly’s body may have failed him.
- To some degree, this was my fault. Had I made the Joe Kelly Playoff Anthem hype enough, the Nationals would have been too intimidated to play the Dodgers at all. Rest assured, Joe Kelly Playoff Anthem II will be stronger than the first, and will likely lead in with a montage of the grand slam accompanied by sorrowful organ music, which will then change into one of the most energy-inducing three minutes of sound the universe has ever witnessed.
- It’s not too early to start talking about Joe Kelly as the 2020 Comeback Player of the Year.
- I’m still curious what would have happened had Kelly been substituted in such a way that he could have hit in the ninth. Might have taken care of business then and there.
- It’s not too early to start talking about Joe Kelly as the 2020 NL Cy Young favorite.
- That ninth inning was electric. We will always have that.
- It’s not too early to start talking about Joe Kelly as the 2020 NL MVP.
- Joe Kelly’s 2019, rough beginning and ending included, was one of the best seasons of his career. All his statistics are trending in the right direction. Fully healthy, 2020 should be a good year, and I, for one, can’t wait.
Overall, we, Joe Kelly nation, are hurting right now. And we likely aren’t hurting as much as he is, which makes it even worse. Hopefully he knows how loved he is. Hopefully he knows he’s still the greatest. And hopefully this morning, as he awoke, he was filled with resolve. Because 2020 is only months away.
Remember, friends:
