Will D-backs trade Kennedy?
Kennedy knows it’s a business, but righty doesn’t want to leave
Trade rumors surround D-Backs starter Ian Kennedy on the eve of today’s deadline. The struggling pitcher gives up six hits and three runs, including a homer, vs. the Tampa Bay Rays for a 5-2 loss. Kennedy has not won since June 1.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — When he walked into the visitors’ clubhouse here around 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday, the first thing right-hander Ian Kennedy heard from a teammate was a comment about his apparent availability on the trade market.
This, Kennedy said later, was not the way he wanted to start the work day, particularly on a day he was the scheduled pitcher. He said he did his best to block out the rumors, but he did not look sharp in a 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, and he admitted later the trade talk was “hard to ignore.”
“It’s not something you want to think about before when you go out there to pitch,” Kennedy said.
He wound up turning in the sort of outing that has him available in the first place. He struggled with his command early, leaving pitches up and over the plate, and for much of the evening it seemed he had to work hard — or be fortunate — for every out he recorded.
Just two years ago, Kennedy was a Cy Young contender and viewed as one of the better young pitchers in baseball. But with the Diamondbacks in the hunt in the National League West — and with each of Kennedy’s starts fraught with unpredictability — the club appears to view him, at best, as the odd man
out. At worst, addition by subtraction.
Over the past month, the Diamondbacks have been connected to nearly every big-name starting pitcher on the trade market, and all the while General Manager Kevin Towers has insisted he isn’t likely to unload any of his better prospects prior to today’s nonwaiver trade deadline.
On Tuesday, there were reports that they were serious suitors for right-hander Jake Peavy. But that idea died when the Chicago White Sox reportedly agreed to send Peavy to the Boston Red Sox in a three-way deal that also involved the Detroit Tigers. The Diamondbacks were reluctant to pay the asking price in talent as well as assume the roughly $19.5 million still owed to Peavy through next season.
Reports continued to surface late Tuesday evening of the Diamondbacks’ interest in Houston Astros right-hander Bud Norris, who has a 3.93 ERA in 21starts this season and a 4.33 ERA in parts of five major-league seasons.
It’s unclear how the Diamondbacks would make room in their rotation for another starter, even if they trade Kennedy, given that they have right-hander Trevor Ca- hill working his way back from the disabled list.
The Diamondbacks apparently are not looking to dump the struggling Kennedy for nothing. According to sources with other clubs, the Diamondbacks are asking for pitching prospects — though not necessarily top prospects — in return.
As for Kennedy, the Los Angeles Angels, San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs all have reportedly shown interest in acquiring him. All three have front offices that are either run by or include executives who were with the Diamondbacks when they acquired Kennedy from the New York Yankees in 2009.
Kennedy said he didn’t like the idea of a trade.
“I moved to Arizona,” he said. “I love playing there with the Diamondbacks. People are great. But I also know this is a business and it’s out of my control. We’ll see what happens, I guess.”
He said he managed to avoid looking at the trade rumors prior to the game.
“I knew it would only be a distraction,” he said. “I have enough troubles as it is just going out there. I didn’t really look.”
But he said he planned to look — or ask reporters — as soon as his interview was over, and he figured he might be following the developments closely in the hours leading up to today’s 1 p.m. deadline.