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For SS Kelsey, trade home a dream come true
PORTLAND, ME -- The Maine Guides announced the day before Opening Day 2019 that they acquired SS Brendan Kelsey from Windy City in exchange for a 2020 second round draft pick.
When reached for comment, Kelsey, a native of Bangor, Maine, said:
"Yeah, it's a dream come true. I grew up watching a lot of these guys. Voodoo [Davila]. Suarez. Hernandez. Twinkle Toes [Alvarez]. I don't know how many guys in this league get to play with their childhood heroes. This is really special. [He laughed.] Now I'm just going to try not to let them down."
The 27 year old Kelsey grew up just 130 miles from Old Port.
He said about growing up in Maine, "Yeah, I know how crazy everyone here is about the Guides. My friends and I used to watch all the games and when we were in high school and could drive, we'd head down to watch games in Old Port whenever we could.
"So many of us love baseball here, you know, but not that many get to play at this level, so I'm really excited to come home and represent all the baseball-loving kids in Maine who want to live their dream and play here."
Asked about his favorite memories of watching the Guides when he was younger, Kelsey said, "It's hard to beat the 2006 Cup. I remember [Raulo] Gutierrez coming back from injury and not pitching for like two months to throw Game Four and get the win."
"I pitched when I was younger and he's the reason I've been wearing number 32 up to this point. But it's retired here for him, of course, so I'll have to wear something else. [He paused.] Maybe I'll see if they're okay with me wearing number 2 to honor [former Guides infielder] Enrique Zurita, who was someone I tried to pattern my game after when I moved to play infield full-time."
Kelsey joins a veteran Guides club coming off a Brewmaster's Cup, their second in the last 13 seasons.
With several of the long-time leaders in their late 30s or early 40s, and playing on one-year contracts, it's understood this year may be their last run together.
Any new addition needs to understand the importance of what the team hopes to achieve this year -- a chance to further cement their legacy together -- even coming off a championship season.
Who better to grasp this fact than a kid from Maine, getting to live his dream and play with his heroes?
PORTLAND, ME -- The Maine Guides announced the day before Opening Day 2019 that they acquired SS Brendan Kelsey from Windy City in exchange for a 2020 second round draft pick.
When reached for comment, Kelsey, a native of Bangor, Maine, said:
"Yeah, it's a dream come true. I grew up watching a lot of these guys. Voodoo [Davila]. Suarez. Hernandez. Twinkle Toes [Alvarez]. I don't know how many guys in this league get to play with their childhood heroes. This is really special. [He laughed.] Now I'm just going to try not to let them down."
The 27 year old Kelsey grew up just 130 miles from Old Port.
He said about growing up in Maine, "Yeah, I know how crazy everyone here is about the Guides. My friends and I used to watch all the games and when we were in high school and could drive, we'd head down to watch games in Old Port whenever we could.
"So many of us love baseball here, you know, but not that many get to play at this level, so I'm really excited to come home and represent all the baseball-loving kids in Maine who want to live their dream and play here."
Asked about his favorite memories of watching the Guides when he was younger, Kelsey said, "It's hard to beat the 2006 Cup. I remember [Raulo] Gutierrez coming back from injury and not pitching for like two months to throw Game Four and get the win."
"I pitched when I was younger and he's the reason I've been wearing number 32 up to this point. But it's retired here for him, of course, so I'll have to wear something else. [He paused.] Maybe I'll see if they're okay with me wearing number 2 to honor [former Guides infielder] Enrique Zurita, who was someone I tried to pattern my game after when I moved to play infield full-time."
Kelsey joins a veteran Guides club coming off a Brewmaster's Cup, their second in the last 13 seasons.
With several of the long-time leaders in their late 30s or early 40s, and playing on one-year contracts, it's understood this year may be their last run together.
Any new addition needs to understand the importance of what the team hopes to achieve this year -- a chance to further cement their legacy together -- even coming off a championship season.
Who better to grasp this fact than a kid from Maine, getting to live his dream and play with his heroes?
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