I don't want to say anything bad about the team, but I'm definitely unhappy about this. Kelly was selected by the Rays in the second round of the 1997 draft and split time between baseball and college football for three seasons. Kelly came to major-league spring training last month but was reassigned to Orlando on March 7. Although he has talked in the past about the possible excitement of playing for his hometown team, he said Wednesday he would not mind going elsewhere. If I get picked up on waivers or traded somewhere, that's fine.
Nobody ever stays in one place.
I never thought I'd spend the rest of my career with Tampa Bay. I'd love for that to happen, but I never expected it. Kelly's guaranteed contract forbids him from playing football for another three years, but he left open the possibility of a return. By the time he is contractually free to play football, his college eligibility would have expired. That option is always going to be there.