The measuring stick is finally here for Ian Kennedy, and its name is the Milwaukee Brewers. After winning an NL-high 21 games in the regular season, Kennedy earned the title "Ace" in a big way -- though it wasn't always this obvious.
↵Kennedy came to the desert with expectations, but few believed that he was capable of such great heights.
↵Back in April, when Ian Kennedy outdueled Cliff Lee of the Philadelphia Phillies, we were surprised. When Kennedy continued his dominant streak into the month of June, we were shocked. And finally, when he wasn't selected to pitch for the NL in the All-Star Game despite the contest being held in Phoenix, we were angry.
↵In July, I said the following: "The real measure of an All-Star? Consistency. Kennedy has been a rock for Arizona, nearly always delivering a quality start when he toes the rubber."
↵Today, as Kennedy faces the biggest challenge of his career, we look for that trademark consistency. We hope for his calm, composed demeanor to overpower the Brew Crew. Most importantly, we look to IPK to take us to the NLCS for the first time since 2007.