CLEARWATER, Fla. — Buddy Kennedy had a problem on his hands, so he reached out to an old friend for help.
Three seasons ago, Kennedy was in Triple-A Reno when the Diamondbacks’ affiliate club asked him to play some left field. Here was the issue for the natural infielder: He didn’t have an outfielder’s glove. Luckily, Kennedy knew someone with knowledge on the subject.
Kennedy texted his old pal Mike Trout, the superstar Angels outfielder, about his dilemma. A week later, a Rawlings mitt showed up at the clubhouse with black leather, red laces and the nickname “Cliffy” — a moniker Trout calls Kennedy, legally named Clifton, from their days training back home in Millville, N.