BRENDAN DONNELLY REMEMBERS THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE AND GROOVING ONE TO 'THE LARGE HUMAN'

Brendan Donnelly’s time in the Atlantic League was one of those “cups of coffee” baseball people always talk about when a player has been with a team for a very short time. He pitched all of three innings spread over three games early in 1999 with the Nashua (NH) Pride, yet that period in his life turned out to be important.

“I did not have a job,” Donnelly recalled in Pittsburgh’s major league clubhouse in Bradenton, FL. He had been released by Cincinnati at the end of spring training after his second stint in Triple-A (Indianapolis) to finish the previous season.

So Donnelly faced all of 11 Atlantic League hitters and Tampa Bay purchased his contract May 15. The 38-year-old right-hander has had his ups and downs in the 11 years since Nashua, moving from one organization to another and surviving some injuries, but there has never been another season without being in a major league organization, and most of the time since 2002 he has had a major league bullpen job. The travels have taken him to what now is the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Boston, Cleveland, Florida to finish 2009, and now to the Pirates.

It seems to be a little known fact the hurler with the herky-jerky delivery has a 29-9 major league record for well over 300 mound appearances.

So, what does Donnelly have to say about the Independent leagues?

“It is a good thing because a lot of good players do not have any other option,” he said, shortly before warming up to face the Red Sox in a Grapefruit League game. “You can’t get seen sitting on the couch.”

Donnelly, who also pitched in the independent Frontier League (Ohio Valley) in 1994, needed to be seen back in 1999. It paid off.

DONNELLY AND ‘THE LARGE HUMAN’

It may not be looked on favorably when it happens, but Brendan Donnelly remembers one specific moment during his brief Atlantic League career. He already knew Tampa Bay wanted him when he threw his last inning for Nashua in Atlantic City. So when it came time to face the Surf’s Juan (The Large Human) Thomas he let the big guy know what he was throwing.

Thomas, perhaps the most powerful hitter around in those days, obliged by depositing the delivery well over the centerfield fence. “Wow” Donnelly still remembers of his reaction to that home run 11 years later.

The record book shows that was the only hit and run Donnelly gave up in the Atlantic League.

NOW HITTING LEADOFF, JACQUE JONES

Only months after patrolling the outfield for the Newark Bears, Jacque Jones is continuing to make his bid to get back to the majors for the first time since 2008 and to Minnesota, where he spent seven seasons.

The lefty hit in the leadoff position against Florida Wednesday, and did not disappoint with his first spring home run, a single and two runs batted in in only three times at bat, leading the Twins to a 4-1 victory. Jones is now hitting .321 (9-for-28) although it was the first time he had scored or driven in a run in 11 games.