Jakub Janda interviewed shortstop Dennis Kelly of the German Baseball-Bundesliga club Mannheim Tornados for Mister-Baseball.
Dennis Kelly: „We started the season 0-31…“
- 26 years old
- American player
- played in Sweden, Australia, France, Germany
Jakub Janda: Please describe your career since you started playing baseball to the present.
Dennis Kelly: I started tee-ball at 4 years old and played travel ball as a youngster. During that time my brother and I probably put in 6 hours a day on the backyard wiffle ball field. I played high school ball at Jesuit in Dallas, and then went to play for the Austin College Kangaroos, a small Division III school in Sherman, TX. Since then, I’ve gotten to play in Sweden, Australia, France, and now in Germany.
JJ: How were you preparing for this season during winter? Did you change anything from previous offseasons?
DK: This past offseason was much needed for me. I played in Australia the previous winter, so I was ready for a couple months to get back into the weight room and have some time with family and friends.
I am very fortunate with my offseason setup. I work in an indoor sports facility in Dallas, TX called the Sportsplex at Valley View. There I get to give lessons, camps, and clinics. On top of that, it gives me a place to train during the cold and rainy months.
JJ: What do you consider your career highlight?
DK: There have been some unbelievable times in the course of my baseball journey. One that I still can’t believe is from my college career. As a freshman, our squad went 2-37…Started the season 0-31. We were ‘The bad news ‘Roos.’ A handful of guys from my year stuck with the team all four years instead of making a quick transfer out and we made the playoffs our senior year…The year following my graduation they went on to win a conference championship.
JJ: What has baseball taken from you and what has the game given to you?
DK: There’s nothing I would rather do on a given day than to be out on the field. So, I feel that I’ve given time to baseball rather than having anything taken from me. The game has given me some of the best friends in the world and has given me more opportunities in life than I could have ever imagined.
JJ: How do you like your own performance this season?
DK: I liked my performance this season but I’m definitely not satisfied with it. I replay every game and at-bat in my head and think about how I should have taken an at-bat differently, or played a ball in the field more aggressively. So, I like that I performed well and have goals to work toward next season.
JJ: What do you think about your club in this season? Have you fulfilled expectations?
DK: I felt that the club performed extremely well this season. We were quite a different team from last year’s squad after losing a handful of star players. Our core group of vets played well all season and our young kids did a great job trying to fill big shoes. Our German starter, Shorty Franke, had a phenomenal year and carried us quite a bit. So, I firmly believe that we fulfilled and even surpassed many expectations.
JJ: How many times in your career have you thought about quitting baseball?
DK: I’ve had a thousand instances where I was so frustrated and angry that I’ve questioned myself. I’ve never truly thought about quitting, however…Just dusted off the cleats, maybe cussed at the umpire under my breath, and went after it again.
JJ: Do you have any special practice or game routine?
DK: Nothing special from week to week. I like to zone in during batting practice and carry it all the way through the doubleheader.
JJ: Where do you see your own key for succeeding on the European level?
DK: I feel that I prepare pretty well during the offseason and have a ton of time during the week to be ready each weekend. In Mannheim we have a great gym setup, so I can get into the weight room all week. So, staying in good shape and just going out and playing hard have been key for me.
JJ: Any funny story connected with baseball?
DK: When I was 7 years old, Kirby Puckett was giving an interview on ESPN. About halfway through the show they opened up the phone lines to callers for questions, so I ran to the phone and dialed relentlessly for the next 30 minutes to talk to Kirby. So, the show ended and I was pretty livid that I didn’t get through. Hell, I called at least 100 times.
About five minutes after the show my mom handed me the phone and said, “Kirby wants to talk to you.” He asked me all about my baseball season and I went on telling him how awesome he was during the World Series. I was pumped outta my mind and raised hell all over the house after the conversation. About a week later, I found out it was my uncle, Chris.
JJ: If you could advise young players reading this interview, what would you address them?
DK: Decide what to be, and go be it.
JJ: Your future plans on the field?
DK: I plan to play as long as I can. When I can’t play, I would like to coach.
Thank you.
Jakub Janda
Jandis(at)volny.cz
Photos: Gregor Eisenhuth, www.eisenhuth-photographie.de
