Ian Kennedy is in the conversation.

The Diamondbacks righty is a contender for the NL Cy Young award, given to the league’s best pitcher as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

But if he wants to win the award over guys like Clayton Kershaw, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, according to ESPN baseball insider Tim Kurkjian, he’ll need more than just a couple of extra wins.

“If, let’s say, Ian Kennedy wins 20 and 18 goes to Halladay and to Lee and to Kershaw, and they all have significantly better numbers across the board, one of the 18-game winners is going to win the Cy Young, I’m sure of that,” Kurkjian told Arizona Sports 620’s Burns and Gambo.

Kennedy has won an NL-best 19 games thus far.

Kurkjian, though, said the voters paying little regard to win totals is a “big mistake,” but that’s just how it is.

To be fair, it is not as if Kennedy not winning the award would be some sort of crime. Of the four contenders he has the highest ERA, fewest number of strikeouts, has pitched in the fewest innings and has allowed more baserunners per inning.

And unfortunately, barring a miracle (or complete collapses from some great pitchers), there isn’t enough time for the D-backs’ ace to get his numbers in line.

That’s probably alright with the pitcher, because chances are Kennedy is happy to lead the league in the one category he does.

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