Kendrick’s Goal: Keep It Low
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Tue, September 09, 2008 04:58 PM | Comments: 0
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Tonight is Kyle Kendrick’s first start since Labor Day, a thrashing by the light Nationals offense. While the Nats were in the midst of an offensive uptick, Kendrick’s poor outing was unacceptable.
Charlie Manuel explained Kendrick had to find the zone and make hitters go after his stuff:
“He needs to get ahead of hitters and go with his strength — that’s sinkers and putting the ball where he wants it. He gets behind the hitters, that’s what I call getting into ‘have-to counts’ — having to throw the ball over the plate. If he pitches his regular way, he’ll give us five, six strong innings, and that will be enough.”
Jamie Moyer commented on Kendrick’s struggles, saying he wasn’t keeping the ball down in the zone:
“He’s got to realize he has to pitch to contact, but whose terms is the contact on? His terms or the hitter’s terms? I think sometimes he loses the aggressiveness when he doesn’t attack the bottom of the zone.”
There’s no telling how Kendrick will fare tonight. In his first start against the Marlins this season (July 19), he allowed seven runs on 10 hits. then on Aug. 6, gave up no runs on four hits.
Someone like Kendrick should benefit from pitching against young, hungry hitters, but if he isn’t pitching in the zone, he’ll have a rough night. With Kendrick, it can go any way.
