Phillies, Kendrick Ink One-Year Deal
Posted by Pat Gallen, Fri, January 13, 2012 01:16 PM | Comments: 58
Analysis, News, Opinion, Posts
Kendrick's back for another year.
From the Phillies:
Right-hander Kyle Kendrick has agreed to a one-year, $3.585 million contract with the Phillies, Assistant General Manager Scott Proefrock announced today. Kendrick had been eligible for salary arbitration.
Kendrick, 27, went 8-6 with a 3.22 ERA in 34 games (15 starts) for the Phillies last year. He shuttled between the rotation and the bullpen all season while reaching career bests in ERA and games. In 18 games against the NL East, he went 5-2 with a 2.14 ERA.
The Phillies have three remaining arbitration-eligible players: left-hander Cole Hamels, right fielder Hunter Pence and infielder Wilson Valdez.
-As you’ll note in my roster and payroll projections post from last month, I hit the nail on the head. Kendrick got a $3.5 million, one-year pact from the Phillies, which was what I assumed it would come down to, roughly. This is a necessary move for the Phillies. They need the long man/swing man to come in should Joe Blanton deal with injuries again or if Vance Worley is to go through a sophomore slump. The fact is, Kendrick exceeded expectations last year in a myriad of roles.
Posts: 0 Mazinman
Glad to see this deal made. Kendrick is this teams security blanket in terms of pitching.
Posted: 01:26 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 0 Psujoe
Kudos on the projection. Good deal for Phils.
Posted: 02:26 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 0 George
Your projection was $3.8 million. So even if you did hit the nail on the head, it was a pretty weak blow. I didn’t think he’d get as much as you thought, but I wasn’t right on the nose, either, so I’m trying (and probably failing) not to be critical.
At least he’s back. He’s a more effective guy than a lot of clowns making more, he’s still young, and he’s versatile.
Posted: 02:49 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 0 bacardipr05
Its a pretty good deal for the Phils. Kendrick has shown improvement. No he will never be Cole, but i think i rather have him than on of the Phils known reclamation project pitchers. He has done whatever management has asked. Start, relief, long relief and start on short notice. If he can maintain an ERA under 3.80 it will be more than worth it.
Posted: 03:21 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 0 Mike
Matt Moore, Jeremy Helickson and Wade Davis combined have a lower salary. Understandable because they’re young, but still a wow factor. Lot is left to be proved for Kendrick, could he possibly fill into a Madson type roll and go from a projected starter to a closer? Time will tell
Posted: 03:31 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 0 bacardipr05
Kendrick as a closer Mike, Nah. He doesnt have lights out, strike out stuff that a closer needs. He is more of a Jamie Moyeresque pitcher.
Posted: 03:38 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 0 Andrew from Waldorf
No issue with this deal. KK versatility adds to his value.
The Madson deal is really embarrassing.
That Fielder is going to sign a moderate deal within the division will also look bad.
I have a major issue with the GM hoarding the fossils along the infield and signing a closer to a long term big time deal. When your own closer signs for 8 million.
If the Rube keeps his job if the Phillies dont make the playoffs this year I want to know who he has photos of.
ut this deal along with most of the minor deals is fine. Its the big deals ( with Halladay being the exception that proves the rule) that he seems to GM like our very own Donny baseball.
Clueless and hoarding/clinging to his safety blankets. When they are the anchors around his neck in reality.
Posted: 03:43 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 0 Mike
Madson will get his money. I think Cincy is a great place for him. Surprised Boras didn’t get a bigger market for him, but at least he didn’t go within the division.
As for Kendrick? Where does he fit in a bullpen guy? He’s kind of a Hybrid. I’d like to see him work with Dubee and get a new pitch, or work on his off speed stuff.
He doesn’t have lights-out quality pitches, but he’s never been asked to pitch one solid inning, I think Kendrick has a lot of potential to be a piece that moves around the bullpen a lot.
Posted: 04:18 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 0 Ray
Bring back Oswalt thats what I say
Posted: 06:19 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 1347 Chuck A.
Sound the horns! Andrew has “no issue” with the Kendrick deal!
Posted: 06:39 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 284 EricL
Meh. Overpay, IMO. If you non-tender Kendrick does anyone think he sniffs anything near $3.5M on the free agent market? Remember, this is the same free agent market in which Roy Oswalt is reportedly asking for one year at $8M and is having trouble finding a suitor.
Kendrick, while he did improve a bit last season, only looked as good as he did because he got lucky. (4.55 FIP vs. his 3.22 ERA which came due to a career low BABIP). That’s not the kind of production you want out of a guy making $3.5M, especially this off-season in which–with only a few exceptions–teams seem to be signing a lot of team friendly deals.
Look at it this way: For a mere 4.5M more you could have had Roy Oswalt back, who is, despite his injuries, one of the greats of this generation and is still far and away a better pitcher than Kendrick.
Kyle’s versatility is an asset, I suppose, as he’s the guy you can easily shift to long man if necessary, and so that might be worth something, but paying a guy who put up 0.2fWAR/1.2bWAR based on a lucky season.
Posted: 08:52 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 0 George
I doubt that the Phils have that $4.5 million more you’re talking about for a pitcher who is an injury risk. Also, Oswalt has no flexibility; he’s a starter.
Kendrick may have been lucky in 2011, but for some reason even in his other seasons he has mostly gotten the job done. He’s kept the Phils in a lot of ballgames, or his lifetime won-loss record wouldn’t be even half as good as it is. If he’s overpaid, it’s only by a few dollars.
Posted: 09:45 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 284 EricL
If you have Oswalt, you don’t need Kendrick’s flexibility because you then move either Blanton or Worley into that role. Both of them showed that they can do it last season.
And if you ignore last season’s lucky bounces (lowest BABIP & HR/9 rates of his career) his other numbers don’t look very good for a guy who is a legitimate starter. From 2007 through 2010 his career line against LH batters was .317/.381/.525. That’s an OPS of .906! You cannot run a guy out there every 5th game who essentially throws batting practice to lefties.
Now, if you guys want to think that this past season was the trend and not the aberration, that’s fine, and if that’s the case then perhaps he might be worth it. However, I’m reluctant to discount 4 seasons of data and instead use as the basis for my projections the year in which he benefited most from luck.
And please, don’t ever reference W-L record as if it means something. On an average team he’d be a sub-.500 pitcher.
Posted: 11:20 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 George
I’m not basing my assessment solely on W/L. If you look at KKs stats, you’ll find that he’s had an ERA under four in the majority of his seasons and his whip runs about 1.3. Those aren’t great numbers, but they’re not bad numbers, either, and that’s why he wins more than he loses. He’ll get bombed from time to time, which hurts his reputation, but he’s not being bombed every start.
You mention Blanton or Worley in the Kendrick role, which could be a possibility. But the problem of coming up with that extra 4.5 million to pay Oswalt would still be there, and if Oswalt developed those back issues again, or if Blanton’s forearm acts up, the Phils would be up excrement creek.
Posted: 04:55 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 559 Brian Sr. of CO
You are seriously saying that the 27 year old Kendrick who has improved, and coming off his best stastical season has no chance to land 3.5 Mill on the open market (he was making $2.45 Mil in 2011, so its only a $1 Mil increase) based on the fact that a 34 year old injury prone Oswalt coming off of one of his worst stastical seasons, and spending the amount of time on the DL as he did? Oswalt came to Philly with those question marks about his back. I 100% agree, Oswalt (if healthy) is still better than Kendrick, but the problem is that one little word…IF. For Oswalt, that is not little. It has turned into a BIG IF. Teams are passing on Oswalt because he is 34 and injury prone. Not to mention, it is not just “injuries” but the type of injuries, which for him is normally the back. I can say from experience that having a bad back SUCKS. I can not even imagine trying to pitch 90-100 pitches a game every 5 days with a bad back. Kendrick may not be as good, but to say he had a “lucky season” may be a bit of a stretch.
Posted: 04:12 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 284 EricL
No, it’s not based solely on Oswalt’s inability to find a deal. It’s based on the going rate for non-star pitchers, which seems very low this season. Kuroda–who was one of the best names on the market and is perennially underrated–only got $10M. Madson $8, Oswalt nothing, etc. If you’re a star player, you’ll get paid nicely, but if you’re a marginal player it looks like this offseason is not going to be very lucrative for you.
Ignoring the Oswalt mention, my point is that you really shouldn’t be spending $3.5 million dollars for a 6th starter/long-man role.
And just as an aside, IMO, I think a 1-year $8M deal for Oswalt >>>>>> a 1-year $3.5 million dollar deal for Kendrick.
Posted: 11:48 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 559 Brian Sr. of CO
Your points were better defined in the reply honestly. Like I said, I agree a Healthy Oswalt is better than Kendrick, but Kendrick has improved, adding pitches, and refining what he had. The one thing I do not agree with is that Kuroda is underrated, and I think he is over paid. I would not pay 10Mil for Kuroda. I would definately rather have Oswalt over Kuroda if they were the same price, and with Oswalt saying he would pitch for 8Mil a year, there must be more things going on that we do not see. Maybe in workouts teams are seeing poor mechanics from the back injuries, or other warning signs that are driving teams away from Oswalt.
Posted: 07:22 AM on January 15, 2012
Posts: 0 Dave L
Agree. Kyle Kendrick is mediocre at his very best. He isn’t at his very best often enough in my opinion to even be considered for resigning. We already have Blanton and Worley who are both mediocre.
Kendrick had his best year last year,but don’t expect that to happen again. He is what he is. Mediocre at his very best!
Phils need more offense and some depth in the bullpen and especially with Oswalt apparently gone. Worley and Blanton in your starting rotation puts a huge burden on the offense to score runs and the bullpen to come in early and stop the bleeding.
Love the Phils with all my heart,but, hate to say it,but we win the division,because the competition just isn’t very good and we get knocked out in the playoffs, because we just can’t score enough runs. Same old story, different year. Kyle Kendrick signing doesn’t help.
Posted: 09:44 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 George
Got any suggestions who the Phils should have signed if they non-tendered Kendrick? Got any suggestions as to how they can add more offense short of making impossible trades like Valdez for Kemp?
Posted: 10:03 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 284 EricL
The Philllies were an excellent offensive team last season Dave L.
Their bench, which was one of the worst in the league, has been significantly upgraded. Their offense–barring numerous catastrophic injuries–will be fine.
Posted: 11:50 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 Jeff Dowder
A team that scored three runs or less in 80 games and two runs or less in 50 games doesn’t strike me as an “excellent” offensive team. Sorry.
I know all about their total runs scored (it’s become the mantra of some this offseason), but that’s not a metric that tells the entire story of the state of this team offensively.
Posted: 12:32 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 284 EricL
Jeff, your metric tells an incomplete picture as well.
Of those 49 regular season games in which they scored 2 runs or fewer:
-16 came prior to Utley’s return to the lineup on May 23rd.
-5 came after the Phils had clinched the division and were running out lineups full of hacks like Valdez, Martinez and Bowker.
Of the 77 regular season games in which they scored 3 runs or fewer:
-27 came prior to Utley’s return
-8 came after they clinched the division.
Like I said, the offense is fine. Of course, if one of the major guys like Utley goes down again this season and they’re forced to rely on their noodle-bats off the bench they’re going to struggle to score runs, just like every other team in the league would if they had to replace superstars with AAAA players.
Posted: 01:25 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 George
EricL: this is the best rebuttal I’ve read to all those whining about the Phils’ offense. They always point to those low scoring games without mentioning when they occurred.
This year, when injuries happen, they’ve got some better bats, too. Wigginton can play second or third and will most assuredly outhit Valdez, and I don’t think Martinez will even be on the team.
And fans gripe that Amaro didn’t address the offense!
Posted: 05:05 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 559 Brian Sr. of CO
@EricL, after a while, you will notice that Jeff Dowder only uses one stat to try to prove his point, only to crash and burn. Only saying that ” three runs or less in 80 games and two runs or less in 50 games” is a horrible offense. Glossing over the increase of run production with the addition of Hunter Pence, and playing time for Utley. Also forgetting that the Phillies scored 4 runs or more in MORE THAN HALF of their games. Sure, this team is not the offensive threat of 2008, but it is not a horrible offensive team. Maybe he should look at teams like the San Francisco Giants for that title. I dont know about you, but I would rather have the Phillies offense which was the highest scoring offense after from July on, and scoring 4 runs or more in more than half of their games, then have the Giants offense, who was the lowest scoring offense in the league throughout the entire season.
Posted: 07:14 AM on January 15, 2012
Posts: 0 Ryne Duren
i think it was a good signing Eric, oswalt has broken down the last 3 years and isn’t in my mind worth more than kk right now. plus the fact that he’s in his mid thirties now. and if they did sign oz for 4.5 that would be a gamble. personally i think the phils are positioning with a 1 year deal with kk and a rumored 1 year deal for hamels. what i mean by positioning is a larger posible deal for hamels before neaxt season. and (if) the big word. kk does well and chubby joe bounces back one of them could go as a trade chip for a hitter during the season. i mentioned oz being in his mid thirties simply because not related to your comment, i’ve seen posters on other site complaining about getting younger blah blah. and signing oz doen’t do that.
Posted: 10:05 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 Andrew from Waldorf
@ Chuck A I also have no problem with the Rollins deal if he was told he wont be hitting lead off anymore.
I really dont have a problem with any individuals ( outside the obvious firstbaseman)
Its an over all malaise of the entire line up. That has gotten progressively worse and older.
BUT
You guys will have the injuries to cry about. When you field all fossils they get hurt.
For me its not an excuse. But RAJ has that built in excuse for 2012.
But he can sell crazy someplace else. I am not buying.
Posted: 09:16 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 0 Andrew from Waldorf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaise
The problem Chuck my friend is that the malaise started really in the world series in 2009.
To me it was critical in 2010 vs the Giants.
Then you have the Cardinals in 2011 which to me made it a terminal illness.
And now for some reason the GM has decided to go with the same pieces. Exactly a year older and slower and more injury prone.
I wont bother you with the definition of insanity again.
Hope all is well with you and Brooks and Donny.
Miss posting here but been busy.
I know you guys missed me. Ill try to post more.
Posted: 09:31 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 558 betasigmadeltashag
AAFW yo uneed to be busy more often cause I am pretty sure you are not missed. I will waste my time with you once again cause it is snowing up here and I am not busy. 2009 WS was one blown save by Lidge away form going back to NY up 3-2 instead of down. 2010 you favoite punching bag hit the ball well all series but no one got on in front of him, but I am sure it is his fault. And they ran into a very hot pitching staff, and I think that series turns on Utley getting into it with the Giants pitcher, they had him on the ropes and after the Melee he was in the locker room and the Phillies did not match up with the relievers. And now like I had to argue with my nephew over Christmas, the Cardnials beat the Phillies all year they won 6 of 9 so that had bad match up all over it. Why don’t you just admit you can not stand Ryan Howard and maybe you are young enough to live 25 more years for a pennent, but the team they are fieilding this year give them the best chance to win this year, with what was out there. Please go back to work so I can stop wasting my time reading and responding to your asinine post
Posted: 10:07 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 558 betasigmadeltashag
I do not know every pitchers salary, but I would be willing to bet that there are many getting paid more are not as productive as KK. Will he have a few blow up games where he gets shelled yea probably. Will he keep the team in more games than the gets blown out, I think so. I like this signing gives them some depth in the rotation if needed, and can go 3-4 innings if needed say rain delays or just someone not having it. Especially with Vance as your #5. I like KK in the pen, I think if there were such thing as a ROOGY pitcher he would fit that roll also. So you may pay a little bit more for a 4+era because of his versatilty and there are times he really steps up when needed.
Posted: 10:14 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 0 Andrew from Waldorf
@ Beta
When you have to do a 5000 word ( unreadable) essay defending the team. That says enough.
But take care and I will try to post more for your entertainment.
When the Senators get Fielder for 22 million per year.
5 years younger than our 25 million guy who sucks.
Maybe yuo will do 10000 words?
Posted: 10:15 PM on January 13, 2012
Posts: 0 Ryne Duren
when your senators sign the behemoth and his knees go cause of his wieght ,( oh my we didn’t see that coming!) how can this happen he’s much better than howard! (maybe for now)!!! but trust me it’s gonna happen. and when it does his power drop will boggle. and all in wash. will be saddened by fielders weighty contract with no results and the beards contract. and howard will be healthy bangin out dingers, and his contract won’t look so bad!
Posted: 10:16 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 559 Brian Sr. of CO
I have never been a Kendrick fan, but with his versatility, and the numbers he put up, this is a good signing. I can’t even believe I am saying this either. LOL. I will be ecstatic if he can replicate his 2011 numbers, but would still be happy if he can give us close to 120 innings (he had 114 in 2011), and still give us a sub 4 ERA honestly.
Posted: 04:18 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 1347 Chuck A.
The Senators…..two separate Washington franchises….. are now the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers.
Posted: 08:17 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 Ryne Duren
i was just being funny commenting a reply to aafw. if he thinks they are the senators let him maybe he’s lost in a time warp!
Posted: 10:21 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 1878 Lefty
I think they should have traded him to Japan. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nKKqPOiJx
Posted: 08:21 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 1878 Lefty
Bad link- oh well, Just youtube – Kyle Kendrick Japan. It’s still funny!
Posted: 08:23 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 1347 Chuck A.
Dave L…. would you agree or disagree that KK was an asset to the team last year??
Posted: 09:53 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 Don M
If someone that doesn’t like this no-brained of a deal could kindly give us the other options for an available pitcher that was better, cheaper, more versatile than Kendrick… That would be great. Otherwise it sounds like more bitching just fir the sake of bitching
Posted: 10:03 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 Don M
No-brainer*. Freaking auto correct
Posted: 10:04 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 TheDipsy
Geez, why would one have a problem with the Kendrick signing? He can start and he can pitch outta the pen. He had a good year last year and we’re not paying him a lotta money. In the words of the immortal Derrick Coleman, “whoopdee damn doo”. Plus, he’s been a good soldier and that does count for a little.
Jason Varitek that horrible that he couldn’t be our back up catcher? OK, so I guess that this is the lineup:
Rollins
Shane
Utley
Howard
Pence
JMJ
Polanco
Chooch
Look familiar?
The Dipsy
Posted: 10:28 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 Psujoe
KK is a great piece at this price and on a one year deal. I don’t see any FAs for this price that can do what Kendrick can do.
Posted: 10:51 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 1347 Chuck A.
I think that some fans aren’t happy unless we have all-stars at every position.
Kyle Kendrick will never be Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee. Jonathan Papelbon either. But he DOES give the pitching staff a tremendous amount of flexibility which is HUGE.
He can start….on a moment’s notice. He can pitch long -relief and keep the team in games. I would imagine he can even come in late in the game and pitch an inning or to one or two batters. And, he doesn’t complain. The ultimate TEAM PLAYER. (Sort of reminds me of the current Sixers team — team players).
Posted: 10:57 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 284 EricL
I think you’re looking at it wrong.
I don’t like this deal precisely because I DONT want a star there. I do not want the team to pay a 6th starter/long-man a lot of money because those roles are easily filled by AAAA pitchers who cost next to nothing. Teams spending significant sums of money on pitchers whose roles are minimal is a misallocation of resources IMO.
Posted: 11:55 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 1347 Chuck A.
No…..thank you very much…..but I’m NOT looking at it wrong. I don’t think 3.5M is a lot of money to pay someone like KK. I would much rather have an experienced pitcher doing what he does instead of some AAAA pitcher. LikePsujoe says below, solid and no injuries.
Posted: 12:03 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 284 EricL
Well, yes, you were looking at it wrong.
Specifically, when you said, “some fans aren’t happy unless we have all-stars at every position.” That was entirely off-base. Your claim that the critics of this deal are not happy because the 6th SP/long guy isn’t an “all-star” is exactly the opposite of what I was criticizing, since I want a cheap AAAA-type pitcher in that role, not an all star.
Posted: 12:14 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 Psujoe
Putting Worley in the pen after a great rookie year would be a huge mistake. You could set him back years. Putting Blanton in the pen makes him unreadable.
To recap: For an extra $5.5 million you ruin Worley or make Blanton unreadable all while making it more difficult to extend Hamels and/or Pence. No thanks.
Posted: 11:30 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 284 EricL
Wow. You managed to get a plethora of things wrong despite only writing 4 sentences.
First, kindly explain how signing anyone to a 1 year deal makes it more difficult to offer a long-term extension to Hamels and/or Pence. That’s the beauty of one-year deals. They’re over after that season, leaving you with zero monetary commitment afterward.
Second, lots of successful players have made the transition from starter to pen to starter again without ruination. You know one guy who did it? Vance Worley. Some other guys who have done it who you might have heard of: Greg Maddux, Nolan Ryan, John Smoltz, Brett Myers, Cliff Lee (2007), Pedro Martinez, etc. Your premise that moving Worley to the pen if needed would “ruin” him is preposterous.
Third, I said for $4.5 million more than the Kendrick deal, not $5.5 million.
Fourth, Blanton is all but untradeable now due to his injury history, his lack of skills and his salary. If, by some miracle, the Phils do manage to trade him he’s not going to command much in return.
But other than all that, spot on. Keep on truckin’.
Posted: 12:10 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 Psujoe
Should’ve added that KK is solid while Blanton and Oswalt have very serious recent injury histories.
Posted: 11:32 AM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 284 EricL
KK has ver serious recent sucking-as-a-pitcher histories.
Posted: 12:11 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 George
Recent sucking-as-pitcher? Personally, I don’t think nearly 120 innings bouncing into whatever role the team asks for is sucking, even if his 3.22 ERA was helped some by luck. I’d like to see ANY AAAA guy do that. Those AAAA guys are usually only brought up as a last resort, because they just can’t get the job done in the majors.
Kendrick stunk in ’08, yes, but ’08 isn’t exactly recent.
Posted: 05:23 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 EricL
He stunk in oh-ten too. That’s recent enough for me.
Listen, I don’t actually hate Kyle Kendrick’s skill set. He doesn’t walk a lot of guys and has been effective at getting RH batters out at an acceptable clip over the course of his career.
I just don’t like Kyle Kendrick in the 6th starter role at $3.5M on a team that’s so close to the luxury tax in the first place.
Posted: 06:22 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 1347 Chuck A.
Eric L, KK is not an all-star. I think we can all agree on that. But he’s worth the 3.5M that the Phillies will pay him FOR THE ROLE HE FILLS. Not all AAAA, league minimum pitchers have the ability to shuttle back and forth between starting …..sometimes at the LAST MINUTE – no real preparation ……….and relieving. Last year he did it well.
But, hey, I get it that you don’t like the guy and that’s cool, I guess.
Posted: 12:23 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 Psujoe
1st Phillies refuse to pay luxury tax. If you’ve been following that extra $4.5 million would make it impossible to extend Hamels until after the season. That would be a huge mistake and RAJ isn’t that stupid.
Second, Worley just had s phenomenal year as a full time starter. You would be taking a huge chance putting him back in the pen. There’s no telling how he’d react after a great year as a starter and being demoted to the Pen. I don’t think RAJ is stupid enough to take that chance.
Third, quick math mistake. Happens.
Fourth, interesting you mention Blanton’s injury history. Hmm. Oswalts is just as bad recently. Damn good thing Phils had Kendrick last year. The kicker is Blanton could have trade value if he’s healthy and pitching well. In your scenario he’s guaranteed to have no value. RAJ is smart enough to see that as that is what he was hoping for last year.
I agree with RAJ on this one, but you’re entitled to your opinion.
Posted: 02:00 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 psujoe
Didnt KK seriously improve his change last year? I thought he either added a pitch or really improved one? He definately was a huge asset and really saved the Phils when Oswalt and Blanton were out.
Posted: 02:14 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 284 EricL
He added a cutter to his repertoire.
That might explain some of the increased success against LHB, and if that’s the case, it’ll be good to see him keep it up. I’m skeptical, but can can be convinced by another solid season.
Posted: 06:24 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 TheDipsy
KK at 3.59m is just fine. I’ll take him. And I don’t even like him.
The Dipsy
Posted: 04:16 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 1347 Chuck A.
Again….not too many AAAA pitchers can spot start (sometimes at the last minute) and do long relief (sometime short, too) that effectively. Kendrick has found his niche and had performed well enough to justify the 3.5M. Sorry, but I don’t want a league minimum AAAA guy doing what he does….cause chances are…… that AAAA guy can’t.
Why we are even debating this is beyond me. Guess it’s a slow day in Phillyland. But hey, the red hot Sixers are on soon!
Posted: 06:48 PM on January 14, 2012
Posts: 0 Psujoe
Sixers references, oh yeah. They a joy to watch in a star driven NBA.
Posted: 11:58 AM on January 15, 2012