Angels P and Buckeye fan-Jeff Kenard

[Buckskin86]

Speedy Kennard at home on mound
Angels right-hander was recruited as receiver by Ohio State
By Lyle Spencer / MLB.com

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Jeff Kennard is best known as the relief pitcher the Angels accepted from the Yankees in exchange for veteran catcher Jose Molina last July, a prospect destined for Double-A Arkansas or Triple-A Salt Lake.

Before deciding to make baseball his future, Kennard was a prized wide receiver recruit in football-mad Ohio, an athlete so gifted that Ohio State University, among other big-time schools, wanted him.

After his 2000 senior season at Centerville High School outside Dayton, Kennard was invited to play in the prestigious Ohio-Pennsylvania Big 33 Classic. His Team Ohio quarterback was a fellow named Ben Roethlisberger, who has gone on to make a household name of himself with the Steelers as a Super Bowl champion.

"That was a great experience, a lot of fun getting a chance to play with Ben," Kennard said, grinning. "I played mostly cornerback in the game, but I got some time at wide receiver. He threw a nice ball, I remember that."

With prodding, the ultra-modest Kennard admitted that he was "pretty fast" in high school, adding, "I ran a 4.39 40 with a 4.41 average. I ran the 60 in 6.4."

It wasn't until his junior year in high school that Kennard began to unleash another brand of speed -- with a fastball -- that began to draw scouts to Centerville.

"Football is life in Ohio," Kennard said. "I went to high school with [future NFL players] A.J. Hawk and Mike Nugent, and I've always been a huge Ohio State fan. Still am.

"Baseball was just something to do between spring and fall football. I was mainly a center fielder until my junior year. That's when I started pitching seriously. It got to where I had to make a choice when I was drafted -- and I picked baseball."

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