By BRENDAN MCGAIR

Sports writer

PAWTUCKET – If the stars and planets were properly aligned, then come next Tuesday Bobby Kielty would sprint out of the home dugout at Fenway Park, his ears ringing with a hero’s cheer on his way to picking up his World Series ring.

By BRENDAN McGAIR
Sports writer
After all, it was Kielty’s pinch-hit solo home run that provided the winning margin and propelled the Red Sox to complete a sweep of the Rockies. Memorable blasts like automatically etch your name into Boston baseball lore.
No doubt Kielty will soon get the chance to slip on and admire his shiny piece of hardware. The uncertainty and what undoubtedly remains watching surrounds the next time Kielty slips on a major league uniform.
For the foreseeable future, Kielty is with the Pawtucket Red Sox. The switch-hitting outfielder was penciled in the starting lineup for last evening’s opener at McCoy Stadium, batting sixth and playing right.
Not that he planned on starting the season in Triple-A, but Kielty knew there was a strong possibility he might not be breaking spring training with the parent club. “This wasn’t unexpected,” said Kielty following batting practice. “I was batting in the low .200s when [Kielty joined the Sox last August], then I get an at-bat in the World Series; it happens both ways.”
In six months Kielty has transformed from World Series contributor to minor leaguer. Not every player would be comfortable if thrust into said situation, but what Kielty appreciated – and perhaps was a factor in him remaining in the Red Sox organization – was the forwardness manager Terry Francona and GM Theo Epstein showed him.
In short, Kielty was never in the dark or left in limbo regarding his future with the club and appreciated the courtesy.
“Terry and Theo have been real good with me. They told me things that could be going on in the future and communicated quite a bit regarding what to expect,” said Kielty.
Kielty spent last weekend in Southern California seeing what the market was for a reserve outfielder with a career batting average of .254 and 53 home runs. When it became apparent there were zero MLB openings, Kielty settled on staying put.
“I did at some point [consider latching on with another organization], but if there was the possibility of a big league job,” said Kielty. “If anybody offered me a minor league job, I wasn’t going to take it.
“I thought about my current situation and believed [remaining with Boston] was best.”
A non-roster invitee, Kielty ended up being a victim of the number’s game. It’s no secret the Red Sox are trying to move Coco Crisp, but it’s tough to trade a player when he’s sidelined for the bulk of the exhibition slate with a nagging groin injury.
As a result, Crisp is trying to drive up his value while Kielty waits patiently in Pawtucket. Kielty mentioned Boston wouldn’t stand in his way should the opportunity to hook on with another club presented itself.
“It’s just a matter of time before something happens,” said Kielty. “If I come down [to Pawtucket], anything can happen.”
Expect Ron Johnson to pencil Kielty’s name into the lineup daily. “He’s our right fielder,” said the PawSox manager. “He has a lot of value to the major league team and I’m excited to have him. He knows the situation in Boston, but he’s ready to go.
When Kielty signed with the Red Sox last season, he immediately jumped in with the PawSox on the road. He never did log an appearance at McCoy, for he was called up to Boston the same day Pawtucket was slated to begin a homestand.
“I forgot that he never got here,” said Johnson. “He joined us on the road and ended up going to Boston from Ottawa.”
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EXTRA BASES: Lowell manager Gary DiSarcina was out and about during batting practice. … Last night marked the earliest date the PawSox have played at McCoy and it equals the earliest start to their season. …The series with Indianapolis continues with two familiar faces with MLB experience taking the hill for the locals. David Pauley gets the nod tonight with Devern Hansack starting Saturday. … International League president Randy Mobley was on hand for the pregame festivities.