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Show JANUARY 6, 1987 m Downs major league dream comes true .( ::: i 'I By KEITH DUNCAN VIEWMONT Dreams, even those unimaginable childhood ones, do come true once in a while. Centervilles Kelly Downs, Ask he'll agree. The former Viewmont Viking star says "a chance at the big leagues was always a permanent fixture in my thought pattern." "My older brother (Dave) made it to major league baseball when I was in the sixth grade and from that day forward I told myself going to be there too, 1 d ball came as the then Giants placed Greg Minton on their disabled list. Once his dream was fulfilled, injury-plague- right-hand- er right-hand- was er determined to make the most of it. With the Firebirds of the Pacific Coast League, Downs had posted an record with a 3 .42 earned run average in 18 appearances, all of them starts. With the Giants with a however, Downs went 2.75 earned run average and impressively went 0 in his final eight starts with a sparkingly 1.81 earned run average. Another impressive statistic reflective of Downs season was that in 10 of his 14 starts, he allowed two runs or less while he was in the game. Perhaps things could have been even better for Kelly had the Giants offense lended their support, scoring a dismal 24 runs while he was atop the mound. Downs 1986 success caught many by surprise, including San 8-- 5 4-- 4-- 4 20-ga- than the fact Craig had been a pitcher and knew how to handle throwers, it was Craigs positive influence on the team and his tremendous desire to instill a new attitude among the Giants. "There is no question Ive had some good teachers the past year, but Ive had good teachers since I was five years-ol- d. "The first one was my dad (Ralph Downs) and next came my brother, Dave. Lee Lalli was a was said Downs. The road to a dream like Downs' has certainly seen its fill of peaks and valleys over the years, but make no mistake about it, this is one fantasy that became as vivid as life itself. The dream came into full bloom this past July when the San Francisco Giants called up Downs from their Triple A team in Phoenix. Downs shot at major league base- this Francisco Manager Roger Craig. In an interview with Craig by phone, the Giants skipper said, "I really didnt think he was going to be that impressive. I was hoping to get a .500 performance from him, period. But this guy has the stuff to winner. He has one of be a those real good live arms that you like to see as a manager. 1 feel he can be a front-lin- e player. "Heading into spring training, Kelly will be one of our starting ...this guy has the stuff to be a winner. 20-ga- Kelly Downs, who realized a dream come true this past summer when the San Francisco Giants gave him a major league debut, is spending the time now with his h old daughter, Danielle. wife Shelley and their four-mont- me -- Giants pitchers. Downs called his being traded to the Giants organization in 1985, "a fortunate thing. In fact many fortunate things have happened in his life lately, including the birth of a daughter, Danielle. Shelley, Downs wife, gave birth to the couples first child three and months ago, the same week Downs was called up to pitch for the Giants. Coming to the Giants for me was like one big puzzle with all the pieces finally coming together. "Youve got to understand that there are a lot of Triple A pitchers that can pitch in the major leagues, but just arent given the opportunity to do so. Youve got to be lucky, maybe have someone like you, be in the right place at the right time and finally when you do get the shot, try to make something of it, said Downs. Kellys good fortune this past season was also aided by the simple addition of Craig, a pitcher himself during his big league days, as manager. But perhaps even more one-ha- lf balance. You dont have to throw hard to get them out, just something to take the sting out of their bats. Downs debut with the Giants came against Fernando Valenzuela and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Dod r Stadium, a day in which he said ne wasnt nervous until he came off the mound for the first time and as he walked toward the dugout, he glanced up and saw 45,000 people. I wasnt nervous until I saw all those people and it caused me to lose my concentration a bit, said Downs. But despite what Downs called nervousness, he still pitched well by most standards and eventually lost that game, "Oh, I stayed in the game alright, said Downs, But those first couple of games were not my best performance, I knew I could do better. Roger Craig great one too as was my high school coach, Wade Bender. There were several good coaches in the minor leagues too. But things just came together with Roger there this past summer. He helped give me that third and fourth pitch, the split finger fastball, which fit into my style which is the stuff. The new pitch and the way it was taught to me, turned my career around, it really did. And I cant say enough about people like Mike Krukow who would always go out of his way to help young guys like me, both on and off the field. It was a tremendous happening to listen to Mike in the dugout talk about different situations, a great learning experiKellys No. 1 fan, his wife, ence. Ill say it now, Mike is the wasnt in Los Angeles to see the best pitcher in the National League actual dream become reality, but right now at changing speeds. No ' she was listening intently on a radio one changes speed better than he. from her hospital bed in Scotsdale, Oh, there are a few guys in baseball Ariz. where Danielle had just been that can blow it by people, but i born. pitching for the most part is changShelley remembers the debut ing speeds and keeping hitters off day quite well, a day she says neither she or Kelly will ever off-spee- d The pressure had come just trying to make it to the big leagues. Kelly had finally done it. For the first time through all these years of minor league experience, Kelly finally got his chance and wasnt picked under someone else who had the experience or whose time had come. A 1979 graduate of Viewmont High School, Downs has seen plenty of ups and downs through his baseball career, including many incidents where another pitcher was selected ahead of him to fill a coveted spot in the majors. 2-- 1. : forget. . fastball this past Downs, a former Viewmont Viking star, picked up on the his around." career Roger Craig, spring and summer which event Downs says turned the San Francisco manager, helped teach the pitch to Downs and other Giant pitchers this past season. split-fing- ( It really wasnt a nervous time going through the first game, because the pressure was finally off. I missed the first inning because visitors had come and I was down at the nursery. When I came back to the room and found out Kelly had thrown six straight balls, I laughed to those around me and told them had I been there when he did that, I probably would have turned the radio off. But the former Viking stuck in there, even through some depressing times when he entertained thoughts about quitting baseball altogether. Shelley, a strong supporter, assisted positively through all the good and bad times. Downs enjoyed a fairly successful prep career which included a no-hitt- er against Bonneville. Perhaps his placement in minor league baseball could have been better had he not suffered through back problems his senior year. Downs was drafted out of high school into the Phillies organization and his first minor league stop was with a farm team in South Carolina. He eventually finished up with a Virginia team to end that first summer. He was invited to play winter ball with the Phillies after a good first summer. The following summer he was trying out at the Phillies major league camp and was given an opportunity to make the team, but ended up landing a spot with a Triple A team in Oklahoma City. From A to Triple A is a big jump and maybe because I was tired too, I suffered through a real difficult season and lost all my con-- .. fidence. Those were not good.',... ' times, said Downs. jj' were stated Those too, Shelley j '!.! trying times. The next two years were spent 'i with a Triple A team in Portland, 7.., , Downs showing he had major,, league stuff but never really getting !. the chance to move to the biggies. '.'.1! At the end of the 84 season,'?" Downs was traded to the Giants T? organization and of course that d starts the story of the in his career, the meeting of Craig ,'!!,! eventually, the addition of the'T'j fastball to his pitching, Ui line and of course his opportunity !?. to see his dream come alive. My biggest goal was to make it, to the big leagues, for at least just ;' one game. But Ive achieved that;' now and am now looking forward! ... to at least five good years in the" ?! majors, maybe ten if Im fortunate "T enough. To make that happen, Ive got?,.-ttake care of myself and stay??' healthy. The rest will take care of'!?, itself. ;;;j Downs likes being on the West , Coast and enjoys the new life he ? sees among those in the Giants? organization. His career appears to,?,,, have taken a swing for the better?!,',, along with a team that likes to think . theyve done the same thing. The two make a pretty good?1 turn-aroun- split-fing- er , pair. er Kelly always dreamed of - pitching in a major league ballpark someday, like here in Candlestick Park. But now that dream has been achieved Downs wants to remain with the big leagues as long as he can. ', ! |
