Suspended Red Sox pitcher Joe Kelly finds creative way to spend time with team

It’s never easy on a ballplayer when he gets suspended during the season. It’s especially harder if that player is a starting pitcher.

You already know you’re only going to see action once every few days, so you make up the time by building up relationships in the clubhouse. Your teammates become your family. Your stadium becomes your home. Your routine becomes everything else. So you can imagine the disappointment that comes with being told you’re not allowed around your own team for a number of days.

That’s even the case for guys like Red Sox pitcher Joe Kelly, who was suspended for six games after brawling with the New York Yankees.

Kelly officially started his suspension on Thursday night and by Sunday had already found a nice little loophole in the rulebook. No one said he couldn’t buy a ticket to Fenway Park and watch his teammates from the stands, after all.

Now that is some love for the game.

It makes you wonder how many fans truly recognized him as they were walking around the ballpark. It’d also give him a chance to heckle some players without any immediate consequences. He might even be one of the few fans who could taunt an opposing player about being a bum and actually have the talent to back it up.

The only thing questionable here is the seat selection. You almost wish he’d taken up a spot right behind home plate. Let Kelly see if he can get inside the heads of the players from up close like any other fan. Really push the envelope of what’s allowed.

As for what took place on the field, Boston defeated Tampa Bay, 4-3, to continue its absurd start to the season. The Red Sox are now 20-7 and owners of the best record in baseball. With a team that hot, it’s no wonder Kelly wanted to spend his day off at the ballpark.

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Blake Schuster is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at blakeschuster@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Schustee