He made his MLB debut on August 21, 1999, for the Cardinals against the New York Mets at second base. He was hitless in four at-bats in that game.[3] His first MLB hit was a three RBI double to left field on August 22 off of Orel Hershiser of the Mets. His first MLB home run came on August 31 against Brian Meadows of the Florida Marlins. He appeared in 33 games for the Cardinals in 1999 hitting .255 with 1 home run and 16 RBIs. [4] In the 2000 offseason, the Cardinals signed former All-Star Fernando Viña to start at second base, making Kennedy, who hadn't separated himself from his infield counterparts, expendable.
Kennedy matched a team record with eight RBI in 16–10 win over the Blue Jays on April 18, 2000.[6]
Kennedy would finish his rookie season, batting .266/.300/.403 with 9 home runs and 72 RBIs. He received a single vote in AL Rookie of the Year voting, tying him for sixth place with Steve Cox, Mark Redman and Barry Zito.[7]
In the 2001 season, Kennedy hit .270/.318/.372 with 6 home runs and 40 RBIs. Kennedy was the team's starting second baseman, but showed only marginal improvement following a strong rookie campaign.
The 2002 season was Kennedy's breakthrough year, as it established him as a fixture in the Angels infield. During the regular season, he hit .312/.345/.449 with 7 home runs and 52 RBIs, as the Angels earned a wild card berth, their first playoff appearance in 16 years.
The 2003 season was a season of ups and downs for Kennedy, he hit a career-high 13 home runs, and his walk rate increased over 5% (3.7% in 2002 to 8.8% in 2003), but his average dropped to .269 and he struggled to repeat his 2002 success as the Angels failed to make the postseason and defend their World Series title. Despite this, on December 19, 2003, Kennedy agreed to a 3-year, $8.85 million contract that would keep him in Anaheim through the 2006 season.[9]
Kennedy's 2004 campaign was eerily similar to his 2003 one, he hit .278 with 10 home runs and 48 RBIs. Despite his inconsistent play, the Angels were in contention for a playoff spot down the stretch. On September 20, during a game against the Seattle Mariners, Kennedy suffered a torn ACL & MCL in his right knee while attempting to field a single up the middle from Ichiro Suzuki,[10] which caused him to miss the remainder of the season, including the Angels final playoff push and eventual playoff run.
The 2005 season was somewhat of a resurgence for Kennedy, as he hit exactly .300, but only hit 2 home runs and had just 37 RBIs, both of which were career-lows since he became an everyday player. The Angels once again won the AL West to qualify for the postseason, were they faced the New York Yankees in ALDS. Despite a overall subpar series, where he hit just .235 over the 5 games, Kennedy came up clutch in the decisive Game 5, hitting a triple off of future Hall of FamerMike Mussina in the second inning, driving in two runs to give the Angels a 3–2 lead that they would never relinquish. In 2005 ALCS, Kennedy hit .286 for the series, but had just 4 hits and 1 RBI, as the Angels lost to the Chicago White Sox in 5 games.
Kennedy's 2006 campaign was one filled with many question marks, as statistically he was closer to his numbers in his 2003 & 2004 seasons than his peaks in 2002 & 2005, as he hit .273 with 4 home runs and 55 RBIs. With his offensive performance declining, and being an impending free agent at the conclusion of the season, as well as top prospect Howie Kendrick rising through the minors, it was rumoured that the Angels would look to trade Kennedy at the trade deadline, most notably for Shea Hillenbrand.[11] While the rumors never came to fruition, Kennedy was forced to share the starting second base position, playing in a platoon with the rookie Kendrick for the remainder of the season.
The national spotlight shone briefly on Kennedy on August 16, 2006, when he took part in a bench-clearing brawl in the ninth inning of a game between the Texas Rangers and the Angels. [citation needed] Tensions between the two division rivals were already high, as two Rangers starting pitchers — Adam Eaton and Vicente Padilla — had been ejected in previous games that month for throwing at Angels batters. Also, two Angels hurlers (Kevin Gregg and Brendan Donnelly) had already been thrown out of the game for hitting batters, and manager Mike Scioscia and bench coach Ron Roenicke had been ejected as well. Rangers pitcher Scott Feldmanhit Kennedy in the buttocks with a fastball with only one out remaining in the game, and his team up 9–3.[12] Kennedy charged the mound, triggering a fight.[13] As Kennedy charged him, Feldman stood on the mound and threw down his glove, and when Kennedy reached him, Feldman then hit Kennedy in the armpit with a punch.[13] Kennedy was suspended for four games for his actions.
At the end of the 2006 season, Kennedy became a free agent and with Kendrick set to take over the starting spot at second base, Kennedy was informed by general managerBill Stoneman that he would not be retained.[14]
In seven seasons with the Angels, Kennedy hit .280 in 992 games, with 51 home runs and 353 RBI.
Return to St. Louis
Adam Kennedy with Cardinals in 2008.
On November 28, 2006, he signed a 3-year, $10 million contract with his former team, the St. Louis Cardinals.[15]
On August 11, 2007, Kennedy was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a torn medial meniscus in his right knee, an injury that would sideline him for the remainder of the season.[16] He appeared in 87 games prior to the injury, and hit only .219, the lowest average of his career.
In 2008, he played in 115 games and hit .280 with just 2 home runs and 36 RBIs. Following the season, Kennedy requested a trade, stating that his desired role as a starter was not being fulfilled as the Cardinals acquired Felipe López to play second base down the stretch.[17]
On February 9, 2009, 6 months after his trade request, Kennedy was released by the team with a year remaining on his contract.[18]
Tampa Bay Rays
On February 17, 2009, Kennedy signed a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.[19] The Rays assigned him to the AAA Durham Bulls, his first minor league action since 2005. With the Bulls, he hit .280 in 23 games.[citation needed]
Oakland Athletics
On May 8, 2009, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics for Joe Dillon and was assigned to Triple-A Sacramento.[20] His contract was purchased the next day. He appeared in 129 games for the Athletics, mostly at third base and second base, batting .289 with 11 home runs.[21]
Washington Nationals
On February 12, 2010, Kennedy signed with the Washington Nationals on 1-year, $1.75 million contract.[22] He played in 135 games for the Nationals, hitting .249. He mostly played second base, but also appeared in 51 games at first base, the first time he had seen any regular time at that position in his career.
Seattle Mariners
Kennedy with the Mariners in 2011
On January 10, 2011, he signed a minor-league deal with the Seattle Mariners.[23] Kennedy, however, made the team out of spring training, and served as a utility infielder, seeing action at first base, second base and third base during the year while hitting .234 in 114 games. Midway through the season, he replaced former Angels teammate Chone Figgins as the starting third baseman. He elected free agency on October 30.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On December 1, 2011, Kennedy signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.[24] In 86 games with the Dodgers, mostly as a pinch hitter (with occasional starts at second and third), Kennedy hit .262. A strained right groin put him on the disabled list and ended his season early, on September 11.[25]
Post playing career
After his playing career ended, Kennedy opened a baseball academy.[26]
Ronald Ray Fairly was an American professional baseball player and television sports presenter. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman and right fielder from 1958 to 1978, most prominently as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers where, he was an two-time All-Star player and was a member of three World Series winning teams.
Troy Edward Glaus is an American former professional baseball third baseman and first baseman. Glaus played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Anaheim Angels (1998–2004), Arizona Diamondbacks (2005), Toronto Blue Jays (2006–2007), St. Louis Cardinals (2008–2009), and the Atlanta Braves (2010). Glaus lettered in baseball while attending UCLA. He won a bronze medal in baseball at the 1996 Summer Olympics as a member of the U.S. national baseball team. Glaus was a four-time All-Star and won World Series MVP honors in 2002.
Eric Peter Karros is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1992 and won a Silver Slugger Award in 1995. Karros currently works as a sportscaster, covering the Dodgers on Spectrum SportsNet LA.
Mark William Ellis is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the Oakland Athletics, and also appeared for the Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals. Ellis posted a career .991 fielding percentage, the fifth-best all-time for a second baseman in MLB history at the time of his retirement.
Desmond DeChone Figgins, nicknamed "Figgy", is an American former professional baseball third baseman and outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Seattle Mariners, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Figgins was a utility player, playing all positions except catcher, pitcher, and first base.
Jerry Wayne Hairston Jr. is an American former professional baseball infielder and outfielder. He played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He played every position except pitcher and catcher during his baseball career. He is the grandson of former major leaguer Sam Hairston, the son of former major leaguer Jerry Hairston Sr., and the brother of Scott Hairston. He helped the Yankees win the 2009 World Series, beating the Philadelphia Phillies, giving him his only World Series title.
Jared Michael "Skip" Schumaker is an American former professional baseball player, former coach and current manager of the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was an outfielder and second baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cincinnati Reds. He previously served as a bench coach for the Cardinals and San Diego Padres.
Pablo José Ozuna is a Dominican former professional baseball utility player. During his major league career, he played for the Florida Marlins, the Colorado Rockies (2003), the Chicago White Sox (2005–2008), and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2008). He is the cousin of current Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna.
Mariano Duncan Nalasco is a Dominican former second baseman and shortstop who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball during his 12-year career. He was the infield coach and first base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers under managers Grady Little and Joe Torre. Duncan was a MLB All-Star in 1994 and won two World Series championships as a player.
Howard Joseph Kendrick III is an American former professional baseball infielder and current special assistant to the General Manager for the Philadelphia Phillies. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim selected Kendrick in the tenth round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2006. He has played in MLB for the Angels from 2006 to 2014, Los Angeles Dodgers from 2015 to 2016, the Phillies in 2017 and the Washington Nationals from 2017 to 2020, being a key part of their 2019 World Series run. In 2011, he appeared in the MLB All-Star Game. While primarily a second baseman throughout his career, he has also played first base and left field.
James Anthony Loney is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, and New York Mets, and in the KBO League for the LG Twins.
Charles William Smith was an American professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, and Chicago Cubs from 1960 to 1969.
David Richard Freese is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He began his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2009, where, two seasons later, he was a key player during the 2011 postseason, batting .545 with 12 hits in the 2011 National League Championship Series (NLCS). At the time, he also set an MLB postseason record of 21 runs batted in (RBIs), which earned him the NLCS MVP Award and World Series MVP Award. In addition, Freese won the Babe Ruth Award, naming him the MVP of the 2011 MLB postseason. He also played for the Los Angeles Angels, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Donovan Solano Preciado is a Colombian professional baseball infielder in the San Diego Padres organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami Marlins, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, and Minnesota Twins. Solano signed as an international free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2005. He made his MLB debut with the Marlins in 2012.
Scott Tyler Van Slyke is an American former professional baseball outfielder and first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers and in the KBO League for the Doosan Bears.
Andrew Edward Butera is an American former professional baseball catcher who is currently on the coaching staff of the Chicago White Sox. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Kansas City Royals, and Colorado Rockies.
Paul Edward Goldschmidt is an American professional baseball first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He also represents the United States in international competition.
Kolten Kaha Wong is an American professional baseball second baseman in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He made his MLB debut in 2013. Wong bats left-handed and throws right-handed.
Ryan Christopher Jackson is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He played college baseball at the University of Miami.
José Miguel Fernández is a Cuban professional baseball infielder who is a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels, in the KBO League for the Doosan Bears, and for the Cuban national baseball team at the 2013 World Baseball Classic (WBC).
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
