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Kennedy inks 6-year extension!
In the midst of a very rough month for the Brewers, one bright spot has certainly been the play of Andrew Kennedy. The left-fielder with the sweet left-handed swing has not only emerged as one of the better players on the team (currently 4th in WAR among position players on the Brewers squad) but he is unquestionably one of the most respected players in the clubhouse, where, at the still tender age of 25, he is looked to as a leader.
Rumor has it that Brewers management had approached Kennedy's agent with an offer to keep him in purple for next year (he was arbitration eligible at the end of the season) but were surprised to find that Kennedy had other ideas, reportedly seeking an 8-year contract. While that was a bit more than team management was prepared to offer, they eventually decided that he was valuable enough, and his demands reasonable enough, that they did ink him to contract that will extend through his age 31 season (with a team option for that last year.)
The Brewers outfield picture is a bit crowded, admittedly, but with veteran superstar Ryan Rodgers having an opt out after next season, Antonio Puente's contract expiring at the end of 1974, and Pat Rondeau only under team control for one more season, Kennedy is the youngest and most reliable of the experienced outfielders on the team. (Joe McPhillips is still considered the future centerfielder, but he has been struggling at the plate quite a bit of late in this his rookie season.) Plus, with Kennedy being the best backup at first for Bobby Erbakan, management is convinced they will be able to find ample playing time for him in the future.
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