Via the Syracuse Post-Standard:

Which means [Ian] Kennedy, a 23-year-old right-hander, has to work extra hard to keep his focus on matters like Tuesday night’s game against the Syracuse Chiefs at Alliance Bank Stadium and not on his immediate future with the Bronx Bombers.

“I really don’t watch any ESPN,” Kennedy said. “I think you learn that as you play the game. You don’t want to watch any more baseball.”

Kennedy began the 2008 season on New York’s Opening Day roster. He and fellow phenom Philip Hughes were penciled in as the Yankees’ pitching future and present.

Things didn’t go as planned. Kennedy struggled. In nine games early this season, he went 0-3 with a 7.41 ERA.

“Being with the Yankees is like a dream come true,” Kennedy said. “It was nice to start there. It would’ve been a lot better to start and do well. I’m just trying to make my way back, but also trying to keep my mind right and trying to stay in this moment in time. If I end up playing for them this year and helping in the playoffs, that’s great and that’s my goal.”

If Kennedy keeps pitching as he did Tuesday, he should reach that goal. If, that is, he keeps his attention on the here and now and not the goal of returning to New York.

“I think you get in trouble when you start thinking about that stuff,” Kennedy said. “You really can’t control it. All I can really do is try to do well here and try my best to try to get better every day. As soon as I start thinking outside and thinking about the big-league team that’s when I start getting my wheels turning.”

…I really don’t watch any ESPN. I think you learn that as you play the game. You don’t want to watch any more baseball…

…I’m just trying to make my way back, but also trying to keep my mind right and trying to stay in this moment in time…

…As soon as I start thinking outside and thinking about the big-league team that’s when I start getting my wheels turning…

Sounds like the kind of stuff that Randy Keisler would have said back in August of 2001…