doesnt look like joe kennedy will pitch for the A's next season

[BlueWahooChambordDevil]

Major league left-hander Joe Kennedy dies
By Jerry Crasnick
ESPN.com

Updated: November 23, 2007, 12:49 PM ET

Major league pitcher Joe Kennedy died early Friday morning while at home with his family in Florida, agent Damon Lapa confirmed to ESPN.com.

The cause of Kennedy's death could not immediately be determined, Lapa said.

Kennedy, 28, compiled a 43-61 record in seven major league seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks and Toronto Blue Jays.

A left-hander, Kennedy broke into the majors in 2001 with the Devil Rays. In three full seasons with Tampa Bay he made 72 starts, compiling an 18-31 record.

Since 2004, Kennedy had two stints each with Colorado and Oakland. He started the 2007 season with Oakland, was claimed off waivers in August by Arizona, then designated for assignment before being signed by the Blue Jays on Aug. 29.

Kennedy had a career 4.79 ERA, pitching 908 2/3 innings over 222 career appearances.

He made his last appearance in relief on Sept. 29 in a 5-3 win over Tampa Bay.

[imported_mega]

dang, funbags up.

[sup-rbeast]

how insensitive, i once knew someone who passed away and just hearin that conjures memories for me...i'm so infuriated...how could anyone be so callous, you insensitivities are just horrible...hearin that makes me want to smack my grandma or kick my dog... (back to reality)..so ol joe went tits up ?

[BlueWahooChambordDevil]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sup-rbeast</div><div class="ubbcode-body">how insensitive, i once knew someone who passed away and just hearin that conjures memories for me...i'm so infuriated...how could anyone be so callous, you insensitivities are just horrible...hearin that makes me want to smack my grandma or kick my dog... (back to reality)..so ol joe went tits up ? </div></div>
LMAO

nicely done

[BlueWahooChambordDevil]

Ex-Ray's death stuns friends
The 28-year-old pitcher collapses after an apparent aneurysm.
By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer
Published November 24, 2007


Joe Kennedy spent the last four seasons bouncing around to other teams, but his roots were with the Rays. And after Kennedy died suddenly Friday morning of an apparent brain aneurysm at age 28 during a visit to the Tampa Bay area, it became clear he earned more than 18 wins while with the Rays.

"I can't believe we're talking about this," former Rays teammate Aubrey Huff said, fighting back tears. "There was never a day when he was in a bad mood. He was always happy, always full of life, always busting your chops."

" ... We came up together with Tampa Bay, and he's one of the few guys I've kept up with. He's always been there for me, no matter where he's been. ... I just don't know what to say. It's just heart-wrenching."

Toby Hall, another former Rays teammate, also broke down when talking about his close friend.

"You hear about people passing away all the time, but when it comes down to 'Wow, Joe died this morning,' it really hasn't set in," Hall said. "And what really hits home is that he's got a wife, a kid and one on the way. That's the tough part. Baseball is such a distant thing. ... It's just a sad day."

Kennedy, who lived in Colorado, was in the bay area this week to serve as best man for former Rays minor-league teammate Derek Andersen, whose wedding is still expected be held today in St. Petersburg. The trip also allowed Kennedy, wife Jami and 1-year-old son Kaige to spend Thanksgiving with Jami's family at their home in the east Hillsborough community of Lithia.

Kennedy complained of not feeling well Thursday night and went to bed early, awoke at about 1:15 a.m. and collapsed as he tried to leave the bedroom, according to Hillsborough County Sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter. Fire rescue personnel responded and found him unresponsive, and he was transported to Brandon Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead of what Carter said were natural causes. Relatives at the hospital became so emotional that deputies had to be called to quiet what Carter termed "a disturbance."

Agent Damon Lapa said it was too early to determine the cause of death and an autopsy may be necessary but it was likely an aneurysm or a heart attack. "The way he died was sudden," Lapa told Foxsports.com. "There is no reasonable explanation for what happened."

Huff had dinner with Kennedy on Tuesday at Maggiano's restaurant in Tampa as part of the bachelor party festivities and said there were no signs of trouble. "Same old Joe," Huff said. "The joker of the whole group. A shock-value funny guy."

Hall said former teammates may start a fund for Kennedy's family.

Kennedy, who grew up in the San Diego area, was an eighth-round pick of the Rays in 1998, made his major-league debut in June 2001 and impressed team officials with his competitiveness.

"Joe made all of us very proud as we watched him transform from a young pitching prospect in 1998 into our opening day starter in a very short time," Rays minor-league director Mitch Lukevics said in a statement.

Kennedy was 18-31 with a 4.98 ERA in three seasons, earning the 2003 opening day start in Lou Piniella's managerial debut and throwing a pair of complete-game shutouts, including a May 2003 one-hitter at Detroit.

"He was a guy that came right at you and battled with everything that he had," said Rocco Baldelli, one of the few current Rays who played with Kennedy. "He was a guy we relied on, especially the younger guys on the team."

The Rays traded him to Colorado after a poor 2003 season in a three-team deal (which brought them Mark Hendrickson) and he was traded again in July 2005 to Oakland.

Kennedy found a niche in the A's bullpen - settling down his personal life considerably, Hall said - and pitched with some success, but was claimed on waivers late last season by Arizona, then let go and finished with Toronto. He had filed for free agency. His last appearance came Sept. 29 in relief for Toronto - against the Rays.