Adam Kennedy arrived in the Anaheim organization via a franchise-altering trade in March 2000, a move that sent fan-favorite Jim Edmonds to the Cardinals in exchange for the young second baseman and pitcher Kent Bottenfield. While following a legend is never easy, Kennedy quickly carved out a specialized niche as the dependable engine of the Angels' middle infield.
Kennedy blossomed in 2002, recording a career-best .312 batting average and providing a high-frequency spark from the bottom of the order. He had a phenomenal postseason, particularly in the ALCS against the Twins, where he famously blasted three home runs in the clinching Game 5, and he finished the series with a staggering 1.357 OPS, an outlier performance that propelled the franchise to its first World Series title.
Between 2001 and 2005, he recorded at least 1.0 defensive bWAR each season, demonstrating range and sure-handedness that peaked with a 2.0 dWAR in 2005. He had a batting average of at least .266 in every full season with the club, pairing his contact skills with an ability to disrupt opponents on the basepaths, as evidenced by his 123 stolen bases.
His run in SoCal ended when he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006. With the Halos, Kennedy compiled 935 hits, 123 stolen bases, and a 2002 World Series championship.
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