Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Yankees vs. Indians - Focus: Ian Kennedy
Following Ian Kennedy since he entered the Yankees organization has been a hobby of mine. I watched his start today hoping to see just how much he’s progressed this Spring as we near opening day. Here are a few notes from the game:
First inning:
Kennedy went with all fastballs and change-ups to Sizemore and got him to sky one to shallow center. It would have been an out but Melky lost it in the sun and Sizemore reached third on the E8. Whether this rattled him or not is questionable since he then got Cabrera to ground out with some good movement on his fastball. He walked Hafner on 4 pitches, seeming like he wanted no part of “Pronk”.
His second worst pitch of the inning came on a 2-0 pitch to Pheralta that floated right over the heart of the plate resulting in a double. This was followed by his worst pitch of the inning: a belt-high fastball on 0-2 to Garko which was deposited over the left field wall.
Second inning:
Kennedy definitely picked up a few ticks on the gun in the second adding about 2 mph on his fastball. However, his curve was all over the place. He should have struck out Sizemore looking but didn’t get the call. Instead he ended up striking him out swinging on a great change on 3-2.
Third inning:
Kennedy continued to have trouble with Pheralta as he gave up a leadoff single to right to the Indians’ shortstop.
He induced a nice 5-4-3 DP to get two outs.
Fourth inning:
The highlight of this inning was a swinging strikeout of Hafner on a perfect 80 mph change that moved down and away.
Fifth inning:
After getting V-Mart to groundout, Kennedy K’ed Pheralta looking with a well-placed fastball at the knees. This would end the afternoon for Ian as he was pulled with two outs in the fifth after having thrown 92 pitches.
Closing notes:
After a great game against Toronto, Kennedy definitely struggled with his command early in the game against the Indian batters. He threw 92 pitches, 48 for strikes, and seemed to have trouble locating his 4-seamer. I believe he threw only one curve for a strike the entire afternoon. However, he had some excellent movement on his change and even managed to paint the corners with his fastball on some batters. Of some concern is the number of fly outs and line drives he gave up.
The YES gun never had Kennedy over 89 mph on any pitch. However, he did start throwing closer to 89 as the game progressed. In the first he was topping off at around 86 on his fastball. By the fourth he was never really below 88 on any of his fastballs. So I’d say he might not be totally rearing back and giving 100% on his 4-seamer just yet.
I’m not overly concerned with this start given his overall Spring Training performance. There was plenty to build off of with two excellent change-up strikeouts to Sizemore and Hafner. Kennedy will be living off his command so he does need to get that under control to succeed this season, particularly his 4-seam fastball.
Given that Kennedy’s money-pitch (change) looked great today, I’d say this was a very a promising start. He struggled early but got the game under control after the 4-run first. Right now, Kennedy is the Yankees #5 starter and is scheduled to pitch April 5th against the Devil Rays at Yankee Stadium.
Comments
it’s about time another a-rod story broke. I was getting concerned we are only up to 4 covers and its almost april.
I forgot how much baseball affects my mood until I woke up and saw manny’s stupid mug barely reaching 2nd base on a ball off the dead center field wall.
The A-Rod thing is astonishing. Canseco is such a jerk, but even for a JERK, this A-Rod thing is bad.
Dude, you have nothing worth saying about him! If you did, you’d obviously be using it! But you got NOTHING!
Brian old lad, calm down. Was A Rod old enough to drink an ale back in 98 ?
Cansucko is a bitter man, I would be too if I pissed away HOF talent to party with Madogga and wreck my body with PEDS.
Jonathan.. I love wee Ian too. I think he is going to have a very decent season.
Frog.. The only reason you have a few more fans than Mo is the Hot Dog suit.
He really is better than you. As a pitcher.
I think the radar gun was off. I’m watching the encore now and Farnsworth was throwing a few fastballs in the 86-88 range.
Thanks for the write-up on IPK.
If the radar gun was off, why was there any reading at all?
These young pitchers sure aren’t economical with their pitches. Pitch counts that high in four plus inings, Hughes the same. It’s gonna be a long season.
Yeah, I know, I know, thurm, I shouldn’t let the doofus get to me, but it is just so irritating to see this guy use the fact that he had dirt on A-Rod to sell his new book, and the book comes out, and it’s that he once introduced A-Rod to a guy at a party who sold steroids?!?Brian old lad, calm down. Was A Rod old enough to drink an ale back in 98 ?
Cansucko is a bitter man, I would be too if I pissed away HOF talent to party with Madogga and wreck my body with PEDS.
That’s it?!!?
Disgusting.
It’s gonna be a long season.
Don, you’re in mid-season form already. Nice.
Thanks SG! 
When one sees starting pitchers throwing 90+ pitches in spring training, over five or less innings, how is that a good sign?
Remember that Phil Huggies threw that way after his return from duo injuries, not economical that is. Combined with the innings limitations on these guys, how can the 2008 season appear to be anything but, long that is?
If they win 88 games it will be a very good season.
Don, judging pitch counts in Spring Training is foolish. Players are not trying to be economical half the time. Many players throw pitches they wouldn’t throw in certain situations just to test their arm as well as test the pitch.
Jonathan, if you really believe that, then you probably believe ticket prices are staying put for the new Yankee Stadium.
And Hughes had this trouble last season, not just spring training 2008.
All I’m saying is not to judge Spring Training pitch counts as definitive, ya Negative Nancy.
For those interested in some Jose Canseco hate—and who wouldn’t be?—there is a pretty good piece here:
http://deadspin.com/372409/chasing-jose-by-pat-jordan
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