NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) - Adam Kennedy, who signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners this month, was contrite Thursday after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence on an Orange County freeway.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Kennedy was arrested Wednesday night on State Route 73 near Newport Beach and received a misdemeanor citation.
In a phone interview with The Associated Press on Thursday afternoon, Kennedy said he was leaving dinner with some friends around 8 p.m. on Wednesday night. He said he was originally pulled over for speeding, which turned into a DUI arrest.
Kennedy said he was slightly above the legal limit, but that it was "not acceptable to be driving in that situation."
"It's not a great way to start off with a new organization," he said.
The 35-year-old Kennedy has been invited to the Mariners' major league camp. He was on the Angels' World Series-winning team in 2002 and was the ALCS MVP that season.
Earlier in the day, Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said he had not received any details about Kennedy's arrest and would not comment.
Kennedy said that for the 10 hours he was held at the Orange County jail, he fretted about having to talk to Zduriencik about his arrest.
"I was really worried about it," Kennedy said. "He told me it's not acceptable."
Asked why he was calling some media outlets to speak about his arrest, Kennedy said, "there were either two ways to go about it: let it happen and eventually answer questions about it or face it."
If added to the 40-man roster, Kennedy would get a contract calling for a $750,000 salary in the major leagues and a $78,000 salary in the minors.
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