Kennedy Get His Release From St. Louis

Just five days before the opening of Spring Training, second baseman Adam Kennedy was granted by the Cardinals his unconditional release last Monday, making it the Franchise’s most daring move of the off season, and they are still required to pay Kennedy for the remainder of his contract.

Kennedy is now eligible to sign with any team he wishes. In a usual scenario, any released player who signs with another club, it is the role of the new team to pay the said player the Major League minimum, and the original team fills in the slot for the rest of the contract. Kennedy is allocated $4 million in 2009 for his last season of a three year contract with the Cardinals.

Kennedy batted .280 with a .321 on base percentage and a .372 slugging percentage last year and sensing that his playing time was being cut, requested to be traded. Unable to work out a deal, the Cardinals held Kennedy until Monday.

“I tried to exhaust the trade market,” General Manager John Mozeliak said. “We thought we might have something happening that really came to an end this weekend. At that point it was just time. It was more fair for both parties to do it now than wait a couple weeks.”

The Cardinals are now facing to fill the spot Kennedy had left them. With no real favorite to man the second base, the potentials in which the Cardinals would be having are Brian Barden, Brendan Ryan, outfielder Skip Schumaker and Joe Thurston.
Other options for the Cadrinals are free agents Orlando Hudson, Ray Durham and former Cardinals player Mark Grudzielanek.

“Right now, we’re going to go with what we have,” Mozeliak said. “We would like to do this internally if we could, and we do have confidence that we can.”
On the lighter side though, if outfielder Skip Schumaker shows his qualifications playing second base, it could clear the Cardinals’ way for top priority Colby Rasmus to suit up for Opening Day.

Manager Tony La Russa was consulted in lieu with the Kennedy scenario, and was in favor of releasing Kennedy. The General Manager also stated that (the move) is a key point in order to make sure that everyone on the roster is on the same track.
“It was something that Tony and I have talked about the last few weeks in trying to put our best foot forward with our team,” Mozeliak said.
“I do think this was an opportunity to inject some energy into that position and really show that we are moving this club in a newer direction.”

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