After struggling mightily throughout April, the Yanks have made the difficult choice to remove Kennedy from the roster and send him down to AAA Scranton to get some more practice and (hopefully) figure out why the hell he couldn't hack it with the Yanks. With the way he's been pitching, it really shouldn't come as much of a surprise:

Games Started: 5
Innings Pitched: 23.7
Hits Allowed: 28
ER: 22
ERA: 8.37
Walks: 20
Strikeouts: 16
WHIP: 2.028

While a temporary send-down doesn't shock me, I-Ken himself wasn't expecting it, saying "I was kind of surprised." With all due respect to my dear IPK, allow me to inquire: Did you really not consider the possibility that you weren't pitching well enough to stay on the team? If I were a 23-year-old MLB pitcher (and I almost was - I was drafted [first round, obv] but opted to pursue an illustrious career in baseball blogging instead) the knowledge that I could be sent back to the minors if I didn't perform would always be on my mind.

Watching IPK and Hughsie struggle throughout the start of the season has been frustrating to say the least... and by "frustrating" I mean "gut-wrenchingly painful" or "embarrassing" or perhaps even "punch-a-wall-maddening." So painful was it that I was actually somewhat relieved when Hughes booked a room at the DL Resort and even more relieved at the news that I-Ken is getting a break of his own. I'm still convinced that those two possess a good amount of talent and I so badly want them to succeed (if for no other reason than to assuage our depression that we didn't try harder to trade them for Santana), so I truly hope that reprieve from the pressure (and booing) of the big leagues will be just what the doctor ordered for both of them.

The real bad news here is that with both of them out of the rotation the Yanks have but one option to fill the spot vacated by I-Ken (Rasner replaced Hughes - successfully, I might add): none other than Kei "Oh, You Got Dice-K? We'll Get Our Own Japanese Import, JERKS! We'll Show You!" Igawa. Lo siento, amigos... y tengo miedo.