Ian Kennedy has blossomed into a very successful pitchers for the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, his career didn’t get off to the greatest starts as he was banished to the minors a couple years ago by the Yankees when management didn’t think he had the stuff to make it to the majors.
The Baseball Page pointed out the following:
“Rosenthal points out how the pitcher he saw with the Yankees was “nervous and unsure of himself.” Considering there is very little rope to hang yourself when pitching for the Yankees, it’s not surprise.
2008 would have been the perfect year to stick with a struggling young pitcher like Kennedy. Joe Girardi was in the first year of his contract, and the team wasn’t good enough to win a championship. Instead, the organization panicked and started to plug holes with mediocre stop-gap starters. Darrell Rasner was given 20 starts; Sidney Ponson 15.
After giving up 5 runs in 2 innings at Anaheim on August 8th, Kennedy was banished to the minor leagues. What’s funny is that no one talks about how he was very good for Scranton that year. He struck out over a batter an inning with a 2.35 ERA.”
If Kennedy hadn’t had his character questioned, he may have made it as a tremendous part of the rotation for the Yankees instead of being included in the Curtis Granderson trade. Hopefully, with their patience with some of their latest young pitchers (Ivan Nova, David Robertson, Boone Logan), they have learned the errors of their ways.
In business, we need to give the young and untrained more leeway especially when they have the personality, interests and preferences we are looking for. Don’t give up too early on people!
