Kennedy’s Company
Via Ed Price –
Ian Kennedy’s line Friday night: two-plus innings, five runs, nine hits. For the season, Kennedy has an 8.17 ERA and .399 opponents’ on-base percentage.
Since winning his big-league debut last Sept. 1 against Tampa Bay, Kennedy has gone 11 starts without a win — the longest drought for a Yankees rookie pitcher since the franchise moved to New York in 1903.
His 5.84 career ERA is seventh-worst for anyone to make at least 10 starts for the Yankees, after Randy Keisler (7.19), Kei Igawa (6.66), Jeff Johnson (6.52), Terry Mulholland (6.49), Sidney Ponson (6.39) and Wade Taylor (6.27).
But, that’s ERA…straight up. How about ERA compared to the league average…for Yankees with at least 10 starts? Via the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia:
PITCHER DIFF ERA LGE IP GS Randy Keisler -2.63 7.19 4.56 61.1 11 Jeff Johnson -2.41 6.47 4.06 182.1 33 Wade Taylor -2.17 6.27 4.10 116.1 22 Kei Igawa -2.16 6.66 4.50 71.2 13 Sidney Ponson -2.06 6.39 4.33 56.1 10 Jimmy Jones -1.88 5.79 3.90 98.0 13 Ian Kennedy -1.81 6.14 4.33 58.2 12 Terry Mulholland -1.68 6.49 4.81 120.2 19 Cuddles Marshall -1.45 5.22 3.77 131.0 13 Cliff Markle -1.39 4.60 3.20 92.0 12 Walt Terrell -1.31 5.20 3.89 83.0 13 Andy Hawkins -1.30 5.21 3.91 378.2 63 Ed Whitson -1.23 5.38 4.16 195.2 34 Dave Eiland -1.18 5.23 4.05 160.0 28 Rich Dotson -1.18 5.13 3.96 222.2 38 Tim Leary -1.14 5.12 3.98 425.2 64 Long Tom Hughes -1.10 3.70 2.60 136.1 18 Matt Keough -1.10 5.17 4.08 55.2 12 Bob Wiesler -1.09 4.99 3.90 92.0 15 Phil Hughes -1.07 5.51 4.45 94.2 19
Kennedy still stinks. But, note that Kennedy, Igawa, Ponson and Hughes all made the top 20 “worst” cut. Sad, huh?
The sadder thing is that there’s no one really outstanding on that list that everyone can point to and say, “Ah, there’s hope!”
On a side note, “Cuddles” Marshall? Sounds like a sweet guy…