Aces’ Buddy Kennedy has always been around baseball

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - In this week’s Aces Report, Kurt Schroeder sat down with Reno’s infielder to find out how he’s found success at the plate given some very special outside influences.

Baseball is in Buddy Kennedy’s blood. After having hand surgery in November and working his way back, the procedure is paying off.

As of May 1, he has posted a .400 batting average for the season and leads the Pacific Coast League in triples with four.

“Be selective, do damage with pitches in the zone, and try to hit a line drive to center field every time,” Kennedy said of his approach at the plate.

The hot start at the dish can be traced back to work he puts in during the offseason with Los Angeles Angels’ outfielder Mike Trout. The two went to the same high school, though at different times, and stay in touch.

“There’s something about you that has to be different to separate you from the others,” Kennedy said of advice Trout gave him. “I really put it in my mind that I need to work hard at every little thing, the details, the fundamentals, defensively, offensively, whatever you can do to be as perfect as you can be. You never will, but if you work that way everything will fall into place.”

It also doesn’t hurt to be the grandson of four-time MLB All-Star Don Money.

“I call him once a week. We talk about baseball. He knows the life,” Kennedy said of his conversations. “He obviously played in the Major Leagues so he’s coached in AA and AAA for the Brewers. It was a lot for me. Having that professional mindset at a younger age so when I was coming up it wasn’t a shock to me when I got into pro ball. Now when he played until now he gets the insights of what that is like from me. It’s the same game, there’s just more analytics to the game, obviously.”

Advanced analytics aside, Kennedy’s helped the Aces to a 15-11 record - the best mark in the PCL West.

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