Orioles will be watching Ian Kennedy tonight.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/video?vid=eac9d3cb-2f07-46cb-96ec-65a4c425d717

The Orioles would like to add a left-handed bat. Seth Smith was on the radar before he signed his extension with the Padres. The O's are scouting pitchers like Jorge de la Rosa and Ian Kennedy. They could also target relievers.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/video?vid=eac9d3cb-2f07-46cb-96ec-65a4c425d717

O's are looking for LHB wanted Seth Smith before he got a 2 year deal.

We need a LHB desperately.

Good. Kennedy would be a fantastic get. If they could pull off him and Zobrist that would be fantastic.

I don't get it.

Kennedy is alright but he pitches in Petco freaking park.

Coming to the AL east and facing a DH plus pitching in Camden yards sounds like a recipe for disaster.

If were gonna go all in, overpay for price or sale......don't half ass it and get yet another number 3 or 4 type pitcher. We have enough of those already.

If we want to win it all, overpay for an ace.

I don't get it.

Kennedy is alright but he pitches in Petco freaking park.

Coming to the AL east and facing a DH plus pitching in Camden yards sounds like a recipe for disaster.

If were gonna go all in, overpay for price or sale......don't half ass it and get yet another number 3 or 4 type pitcher. We have enough of those already.

If we want to win it all, overpay for an ace.

2.94 FIP

3.09 xFIP

3.12 SIERA

3.49 ERA, 3.09 FIP, 3.25 xFIP on the road

3.92 ERA, 2.80 FIP, 3.00 xFIP at home

9.67 k/9

2.32 bb/9

Sure looks like an ace to me.

Kennedy, Gausman, Tillman, Chen, Jimenez/Gonzalez/Norris

Sure looks mighty fine to me.

Kennedy isn't worth it. He would be another good but not great starter. He would be a slight upgrade over whoever he replaced in the rotation but doubtful he would be worth what it cost to get him when you consider the difference between him and whoever he replaces.

Jorge De La Rosa makes zero sense to me. Sure he gives them another lefty starter but he just isn't very good. I hope they don't make a move for him just to make a move.

Realistically the Os aren't going to go after names much bigger than these guys unless there is a big shift and the organization considers moving Gausman, Hunter, Bundy.

2.94 FIP

3.09 xFIP

3.12 SIERA

3.49 ERA, 3.09 FIP, 3.25 xFIP on the road

3.92 ERA, 2.80 FIP, 3.00 xFIP at home

9.67 k/9

2.32 bb/9

Sure looks like an ace to me.

Kennedy, Gausman, Tillman, Chen, Jimenez/Gonzalez/Norris

Sure looks mighty fine to me.

Nice work with the stats but in today's offensive environment I think he falls short of Ace.

I don't get it.

Kennedy is alright but he pitches in Petco freaking park.

Coming to the AL east and facing a DH plus pitching in Camden yards sounds like a recipe for disaster.

If were gonna go all in, overpay for price or sale......don't half ass it and get yet another number 3 or 4 type pitcher. We have enough of those already.

If we want to win it all, overpay for an ace.

First off Sale not on the market no clue why people keep bringing his name up. Price is good but not worth killing the farm to get him for a 1.5 years.

2.94 FIP

3.09 xFIP

3.12 SIERA

3.49 ERA, 3.09 FIP, 3.25 xFIP on the road

3.92 ERA, 2.80 FIP, 3.00 xFIP at home

9.67 k/9

2.32 bb/9

Sure looks like an ace to me.

Kennedy, Gausman, Tillman, Chen, Jimenez/Gonzalez/Norris

Sure looks mighty fine to me.

He hasn't pitched more than 7 innings all year and has only pitched more than 7 innings once over the past two seasons. That is not an ace.

For LH bats Zobrist makes the most sense since he also fills our weakest position. He will be expensive though. Dunn could fit but he could only DH (136 wRC+ against RHP's). Matt Joyce makes sense as well. Unlike the first two, he's not a FA until after next season. He can also play outfield (130 wRC+ against RHP's).

He hasn't pitched more than 7 innings all year and has only pitched more than 7 innings once over the past two seasons. That is not an ace.

He has only averaged less than 6 innings per start once in the last 5 years. He's usually good for some innings.

Nice work with the stats but in today's offensive environment I think he falls short of Ace.

Among qualified MLB starters:

7th in k/9 (ahead of Sale, Greinke, Hernandez, Lester, Hamels, Kazmir and virtually everyone else!)

14th in xFIP (ahead of Zimmerman, Scherzer, Wainwright, Kazmir, Hamels, Gray, Shields, Sanchez...just behind Bumgarner and Darvish)

15th in FIP (ahead of Sanchez, Scherzer, Tanaka, Samardzija, Cueto, Price, Hamels, Gray, Teheran, Bailey, Shields...just behind Greinke and Bumgarner)

27th in WAR (ahead of Teheran, Hamels, Shields, Verlander, Bailey, Ventura...just behind Gray and Bumgarner).

Maybe not a top 10 starter in the MLB but he's definitely been a top 30 starter (ACE!) and arguably top 20 or top 15.

His 2 closest comparables seem to be Gray and Bumgarner from a statistical standpoint.

As for the concern of coming to the AL East, OPACY hasn't exactly been a band box this season if you know what I'm saying...

This guys good. Frontline ace? No. But he is an ace, at least for this season, and not a mediocre one.

For LH bats Zobrist makes the most sense since he also fills our weakest position. He will be expensive though. Dunn could fit but he could only DH (136 wRC+ against RHP's). Matt Joyce makes sense as well. Unlike the first two, he's not a FA until after next season. He can also play outfield (130 wRC+ against RHP's).

David Murphy I would look at too

It's your own personal opinion if you think Kennedy is an ace, though the stats speak for themselves. Regardless, I don't see how anyone could think he's a minor upgrade, if at all. He instantly becomes our best pitcher (along with Gausman) whether you think he's a true ace or not.

Cannot post a link from my phone but the splits show he's actually a bit better on the road then he is at home for the year so far. So there is that...

Era:

Home 3.92

Away 3.49