Pitcher Joe Kenedy, 28, dies

[BosoxOrioles69]

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.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3124303
**
RIP Kenedy

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

Not because he was a "well known" guy, but this is aweful. 28 is way too young to pass away.

[Mattingly]

I remember seeing him play against us in the AL East. Very sad to see someone so young pass away. I'd originally thought that this was about a former player in his 70s or 80s.

[Zito75]

Wow, I was shocked to see this news today. Got a chance to meet & see him play during Spring Training in 2006. My thoughts are with his family.

[Chris from NY]

Very sad news to hear. I truly feel for all the people who knew, loved, and were touched by Joe Kennedy.

[PJ-34]

Wow R.I.P Joe, here's the story from MLB.com

Free agent left-hander Joe Kennedy arrived at Spring Training with the A's in February having shed 20-plus pounds in anticipation of what he called the biggest year of his seven-year career, and he spoke at length about what the birth of his first child had done to change his perspective on life.
Kennedy's life came to a tragic end early Friday morning when he died after passing out at home in Florida. He was 28.

After passing out, Kennedy was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, said Hillsborough County (Fla.) sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter, who had no further details.

"We are deeply saddened and shocked to hear of Joe's passing," A's assistant general manager David Forst said in a club release. "He was a valued teammate and friend to everyone with the A's organization. On behalf of the entire A's organization, we extend our condolences to Joe's wife, Jami, and his entire family."

Kennedy, who opened the 2007 season as Oakland's No. 5 starter but was dropped from the rotation and subsequently picked up on waivers by the Diamondbacks, closed the season with the Blue Jays, who signed him on Aug. 29 after he had been designated for assignment by Arizona.

"This is tragic and stunning news," Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi said in a statement. "It is difficult to express the emotions felt by the Blue Jays players and our organization. My sincere sympathies go to his wife, their son and the entire family."

Kennedy was 43-61 with a 4.79 ERA in seven seasons with Tampa Bay, Colorado, Oakland, Arizona and Toronto.

News of the pitcher's death emerged Friday when Kennedy's agent, Damon Lapa, told ESPN.com that Kennedy died while at home. The Denver Post reported that, according to Lapa, Kennedy was visiting his wife's family in the Tampa area. He got up in the middle of the night and collapsed.

"The cause of death is unknown at this time," Lapa told FOXSports.com. "The best guess at this point is either a heart attack or a brain aneurysm. The way he died was sudden. There is no reasonable explanation for what happened."

Kennedy, an eighth-round pick of the Rays in 1998 out of Grossmont (Calif.) College, made his Major League debut in 2001, filed for free agency after the World Series.

"We are shocked and deeply saddened by the news of Joe's sudden passing and extend our deepest sympathies to his family," Rays director of Minor League operations Mitch Lukevics said in a statement. "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."

Kennedy filed for free agency after the World Series, and Blue Jays president and chief executive officer Paul Godfrey told The Associated Press that the club had "every intention" of speaking to Kennedy about returning to the Blue Jays next season.

"We were terribly shocked," Godfrey told the AP. "From what we understand, he was in Bradenton ... to be the best man at a wedding today."

Kennedy, acquired by Oakland at the All-Star break in 2005 and used almost exclusively in relief before being handed a spot in the A's rotation this spring, was moved back to the bullpen after going 3-9 with a 4.37 ERA as a starter this season. He appeared in 27 games, including 16 starts, before being placed on waivers.

The Diamondbacks claimed Kennedy on Aug. 4, but he appeared in just three games for Arizona, allowing seven runs in 2 2/3 innings, before being designated for assignment on Aug. 15. After being signed by the Blue Jays, he got his first win for Toronto on Sept. 21 against the New York Yankees.

Kennedy is the third active Major League player to die since October 2006. Cory Lidle, another former Athletic, pitched for seven teams from 1997-2006 before dying at age 34 when his small aircraft crashed into a Manhattan building on Oct. 11, 2006. Cardinals right-hander Josh Hancock, who previously pitched for the Red Sox, Phillies and Reds, died at age 29 in an auto accident on April 29, 2007.

Kennedy's best season as a starter was 2004, when he went 9-7 with a 3.66 ERA in 27 games with the Rockies. In 2006, he posted a 4-1 record and a 2.31 ERA in 39 relief appearances with the A's.

"Obviously, when a 28-year-old man dies, ballplayer or not, it's a terrible, terrible thing," Godfrey said.

Kennedy, his wife and their 1-year-old son, Kaige, lived in the Denver area, where Kennedy remained close friends with Rockies first baseman Todd Helton, who told the Denver Post he had recently played golf with his former teammate.

"They just bought a house," Helton told the Post. "This was the first Thanksgiving we haven't spent together in quite a while. This is just really sad news."

[DownUnderDodger]

I saw the headline on AOL (here is the article which does not say anything not already said elsewhere... http://sports.aol.com/mlb/story/_a/major-league-pitcher-joe-kennedy-dies/20071123143009990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001 ) and was quite shocked when I read it, also thinking it may have been a player of a past era. I was not familiar with Joe kennedy however as was written, 28 is way too young for anyone to die. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

[AutographCollector]

I just read this on yahoo news. He supposedly woke up at around 1 in the morning, walked a few feet, and collapsed.
RIP Joe Kennedy.

[Elvis]

Geez that stinks. Thanksgiving will never be the same for his family.

[geezer]

RIP, I remember when he was with the Rays, he broke a team of most consecutive games without a complete game, and he threw a 1-0 shutout against a very good Mariners team by 2002 that won 93 games that year.

RIP

[bigtime39]

My condolences and sympathy go to his family and friends.

[redlegsfan21]

I can't believe I have to say this again but RIP Joe. Tough loss for baseball. I've seen him play against the Reds a few times. It was too early for him to leave.

[brewcrew82]

It's always hard to hear of people dying at such a young age. My condolences go out to his family and friends at this tough time.

:candle:

[PJ-34]

I will be sure to pray for him every American Thanks Giving.

[KCGHOST]

Sads news for all of us. R.I.P.

[Old Sweater]

It is shocking to say the least. Really enjoyed watching Joe Kennedy pitch for the Rockies in the short time we had him.

[Ursa Major]

Had him here with the A's for quite awhile, and he was a valuable guy to have. Could pitch whenever and wherever you needed him. I was sorry that it wasn't happening for him this year and they had to let someone else take him.

A good guy and, from all accounts, a great family man. There are many others like him who pass to soon without public acknowledgment. On behalf of them and him, my condolences to his family.

[Solair Wright]

I'm very surprised to see a young pitcher pass away so suddenly. I came home to check the MLB website, only to see "Free Agent Kennedy dies." Worse, I fear the cause of death for Joe Kennedy, 28, was either myocardial infarcation (heart attack) or heart failure. My thoughts and prayers go to his family.

You'll be missed :(

[hudsonharden]

Wow. The third active pitcher in about a year to pass away. Very sad.

[efin98]

It really scares the crap out of me reading about the sudden death of someone close to my age...really gives you a wake up call to improve things in your life.

May he rest in peace.

[Zito75]

Preliminary reports are saying he could have had an enlarged heart. A few things can cause this, but it's mainly hereditary.