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Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Player to watch: Ian Kennedy

Posted by Derek Carty at 9:26pm

Ian Kennedy is a name I haven't heard in a while, but that's what might make him an interesting sleeper in 2010. It's way too early to tell what the Yankees will do, especially if they don't win the World Series, but Kennedy makes for an interesting guy to keep an eye on — especially given his 1.59 ERA at Triple-A.

Kennedy's minor league numbers have always been good, though some have questioned his stuff, and he's been given little time in the majors to prove himself (or provide us with a sample adequate to condemn the playability of his stuff at the MLB level). This season at Triple-A, he posted a 9.93 K/9 and 2.78 BB/9 following a 2008 with 9.4 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9. Combined, that's over 90 innings with very good rates — not a huge sample, but encouraging.

What caught my eye today, however, was his PITCHf/x data in the Arizona Fall League. His 91 MPH fastball was 2 MPH faster than it was in his 2007/2008 major league stint, his change-up looked solid, and his curveball looked quite good. It showed a very pronounced 12-to-6 break with over 10 inches of vertical drop. In his brief time in the majors, it was more slurvy with less vertical movement and more horizontal movement. Granted, it's one game and we have no idea what kind of adjustments these cameras might need, but it's worth noting. Keep an eye on Kennedy throughout the course of the AFL and again at your AL-only draft table in 2010.



Derek Carty is a 22-year old fantasy baseball analyst residing in New Jersey. In addition to writing for THTF, his work has appeared at Rotoworld (NBC), Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports, and Heater Magazine. In his two years competing in expert leagues, he has won 2 titles with 4 four top three finishes, including a LABR NL title in 2009, making him the youngest person to ever win a major expert league title. Derek is a proud graduate of the MLB Scouting Bureau's Scout Development Program and is a firm believer in the importance of combining stats and scouting. He welcomes questions via e-mail.

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