Elliott: Kelly calls it - Francis whiffs Morneau, Morneau goes deep
Former North Delta Blue Jays LHP Jeff Francis (North Delta, BC), shown here when he had his uniform number No. 16 retired by the University of British Columbia, will be inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ont., this summer.
Kelly called it, Francis whiffs Morneau, Morneau goes deep
Originally published May 18, 2008
BY BOB ELLIOTT
Canadian Baseball Network
Mike Kelly is looking forward to a Sunday afternoon game in Denver.
Then again ...
It will be a day of mixed emotions as the former coach watches two of his all-time faves face each other from 60 feet, six inches.
Kelly, a former coach of the North Delta Blue Jays of the British Columbia Premier League, is in Denver to watch a little ball.
So, what will happen when Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau faces lefty Jeff Francis of the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field? No one knows, yet. And, which of his former North Delta players will Kelly root for?
North Delta Blue Jays grad Justin Morneau (New Westminster, B.C.)
“I’m hoping Jeff strikes out Justin once and I’m hoping Justin homers once,” Kelly said diplomatically.
How many coaches in North America are watching two of their former players square off this afternoon? You might be able to count them on one hand. Now, how many coaches are watching their former American League MVP face a 17-game winner?
We’re guessing just one.
Kelly is a large, gregarious sort. You usually can hear him before you see him, even if he’s in a back room. He used to be the guy who could wear the A&W bear suit -- before he lost so much weight.
UBC coach Terry McKaig’s most famous alum LHP Jeff Francis
He was the guy who went to the mound after the North Delta team was riding an ump in Seattle.
“Well, are you going to make a change?” demanded the ump approaching the mound. “Yeah, you see the guy with the seeing-eye dog walking behind the right field fence? I want them behind the plate and you behind the right-field fence.”
Y’er gone!
Francis and Morneau are as different as day and night. Francis is the studious, John Olerud type.
Morneau is a fun-loving, open-the-top-button, swing-from-the-heels, player who would have fit in during the 1980s alongside the likes of Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.).
Kelly gets along with both.
When he sees Francis, Kelly does a high-pitched Pee Wee Herman laugh. Francis then does one back.
Francis married his wife, Allison, in London. Later, they had a reception for their friends on the West Coast in North Delta, B.C. The event was at the same time as a baseball coaches convention. As the organizer, Kelly had a suite and gave the key to the newlyweds.
“You couldn’t find two guys more different, Justin is outgoing, Jeff is quiet,” Kelly said from Denver where he arrived counting the days to Sunday.
“I can make them laugh,” Kelly said. “That’s how we got along when they played for (coach) Ari Mellios and I.”
Former netminder Morneau talks with Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky (Brantford, Ont.)
Morneau loves wrestling, so Kelly’s opening line is always: “I’m going to dummy you.”
“A few years ago in Minneapolis we’re walking up the stairs and Justin says (in a wrasslin’ announcer’s voice): ‘Let’s go, right here! Tonight! Metrodome Thunder!’
“I said: ‘I’m not going to beat you up before a game. The Twins may need you.’”
In February, before leaving for Florida, the main diamond at Moody Park, in New Westminster, B.C., was renamed Justin Morneau Field.
Coach Bob Burkmar of North Delta and the 1998 Jays will be inducted into the Delta Sports Hall of Fame in June.
Burkmar has spent 26 years coaching, fundraising and running the concession stands. That 1998 team could play a bit, going 84-17 under Mellios, Kelly and Burkmar with a couple of stud Grade 11 students.
Morneau hit 40 homers, batting .512 with 120 RBIs. Wow! Francis was 18-1 (19-0 in 1999). He probably had an earned run average ... but we couldn’t find it.
Delta has also produced James “No-Hit” Paxton (Ladner, BC) and Jimmy Van Ostrand (Vancouver, B.C.), who played eight seasons in the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals systems, and now is a mental skills coach with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Former North Delta coach Mike Kelly promoting a BC Minor high performance development team gathering. He was presented a lifetime membership attending the American Baseball Coaches Association for the 35th year in Chicago in January.
“I’ll buy Justin lunch this weekend,” said Kelly. “It’s a tradition that started his first year at Fort Myers, Fla. “Man, he could wolf food down back then.”
It’s the same whether he visits Cleveland or Seattle or Toronto. “I tell people, he’s got an $80-million deal and I still have to buy him lunch.”
Kelly stepped down from coaching this year. But since the pair made the majors, he always told his players that Morneau never beat him in a home-run derby and Francis never struck him out.
“Needless to say, I’ve never ever faced Jeff or never tried to hit homers against Justin ... but the kids didn’t know that.”
Morneau and Francis know how lucky they were to have a coach like Kelly.
Justin Morneau, front row, left. Jeff Francis, front row, second from right.
(From baseball-reference)
Top of the 1st, Twins Batting facing the Rockies
With two out Justin Morneau swings at a 2-2 pitch from Jeff Francis, Strikeout Swinging.
Top of the 3rd, Twins Batting, Tied 0-0, Rockies
With two and Delmon Young on third, Morneau hits first pitch back to Francis on a comebacker for the third out.
Top of the 6th, Twins Batting, losing 1-0 to the Rockies
Delmon young double to right and one out later, Morneau hit a 3-2 pitch from Francis on a fly ball to deep right centre, giving the Twins a 2-1 lead.
Attendance: 40,326
At: Coors Field
Game Duration: 2:59
Final score: Rockies 6, Twins 2