Struggling right-hander Ian Kennedy will get a chance for a fresh start with the San Diego Padres, thanks to a general manager who's familiar with his work. The Padres acquired Kennedy just before Wednesday's trade deadline for left-handed reliever Joe Thatcher, a minor leaguer and a draft pick. Kennedy, 21-4 two seasons ago, is 3-8 with a 5.23 ERA in 21 starts and hasn't won a game in two months. He's expected to start Sunday at Petco Park against the New York Yankees, the team that took him in the first round of the June 2006 draft. "He's the first guy I have ever traded for twice," said Padres general manager Josh Byrnes, who was in the same job with Arizona when he obtained Kennedy in a three-way deal with the Yankees and Detroit Tigers on Dec. 8, 2009. "He's not too different than the first time -- a first-round pick, a pedigree guy. In Arizona he won a lot of games and pitched a lot of innings and we got to know him well as a pitcher there. Source: ESPN
From toast-of-the-town a couple of years ago to the get-him-out-of town guy. His ERA for the first inning alone is 8.34 and it wore on the players that they were always playing from large deficits after the first.
Weird to see San Diego trading for him considering they are about 10 games out from first. I guess they made this move for next season. His ERA should go down playing at Petco field.
