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The Kendall Dilemma

Oakland_tiny by Blez on in News

The A’s had a very impressive weekend against the Giants despite the loss to Matt Morris yesterday.  And their starting pitching continues to simply remain the best in all of baseball, statistically speaking.  The A’s starters are the only staff in baseball with an ERA under 3 at 2.71 and the lowest batting average against at .225.  The closest to them in terms of ERA is, surprise, surprise, the Angels at 3.37.

I would say that the credit deserves to be spread around from the pitchers themselves to Curt Young to Billy Beane and yes, to Jason Kendall as well.  Kendall has been quite the offensive albatross on the A’s for the last three years, albeit not nearly as big as he’s been so far this year.  Yeah, he had a miserable beginning to his A’s career in 05, but once May hit, Kendall did at least get his OBP up above .300.  He’s yet to come close to a .300 OBP in either April or May this season.   And really, that’s all Kendall has left to contribute offensively is his OBP.  At least Geren has had the cojones to put Kendall in the ninth spot in the lineup more often than not this year, but that basically has pretty much made the A’s a National League team with about as much production out of that spot as many NL pitchers provide.  

It can be argued that the A’s starting pitching would likely be doing what they’re doing regardless of whether or not Kendall was behind the dish, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he does call a solid game and has been a big part of the starting pitching renaissance this year.  But I’ve been wondering, especially since so many younger players have already broken into the green and gold so far this year, how long will it be before the A’s call up Kurt Suzuki?  

Suzuki is having a fine year at Sacramento.  He started out a little slow, but in May, he’s been batting over .300 for the Rivercats with an .804 OPS.

I’m not suggesting that the A’s replace Kendall right now because I honestly think Kendall will turn it around and start to hit better.  Not only that, but the A’s theoretically might need the catching position available once Piazza returns from injury given the way Cust has hit as the A’s DH so far.  And from what I’ve heard from a few different people, Cust is miserably bad defensively and will hurt you in the field.  I don’t really want to see Piazza behind the dish and it wasn’t really what Mike signed with the A’s for, but things change and players have to be flexible.  And the A’s could really use Cust, Piazza and Dan Johnson all in the lineup.  And when Kotsay comes back, the A’s will essentially have too many players for a few spots, in particular the DH spot.  Maybe you platoon Cust and Piazza, but I also don’t really like that idea either.  It becomes quite a quandary.

If the A’s were to call up Suzuki now, it could just wind up being a bigger issue down the road with shuffling players, especially if Suzuki performs immediately.  But I do believe that the A’s will be going with Suzuki as their new catcher in 2008 as Kendall’s contract is finally up after this year, so it would be in their best interest to get Suzuki some experience catching some of the pitchers and seeing some of the AL pitchers.  That being said, the time isn’t right yet for the A’s to get young Kurt up with the A’s.  Give him more time at Triple-A.

Ultimately, there isn’t much that the A’s can do about Kendall.  He’s a smart player who has been a master of getting on base in the past, but that hasn’t held true in the beginning of 2007.  He always seems to be in the middle of amazing moments with the A’s with the head first tag and the interference calls to end games.  But Kendall’s time should be short with the A’s, despite his pleas to be with the A’s until he hangs up his cleats. It’s just a matter of when.  I would argue for something more immediate if there was a solution, but since there isn’t, Kendall will continue to be the guy behind the dish for a while longer, like it or not.

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The Team Needs Offense and Stronger Pen

.. the Angels have started scoring a lot of runs - they have gotten hot at the worst possible time, when we are really banged up and depleted.  The A's need to: (1) beef up the offense as much as possible; and (2) fix the pen which has been horrible.  Kendall used to be a favorite of mine but this year he is contributing absolutely nothing on offense.  Salary or not, he will have to go if he doesn't turn it around - unless the A's don't wish to compete this year. :(

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on May 21, 2007 8:38 AM PDT   0 recs

Kendall gets a chance till Piazza comes back.

Then if his OBP is still under .300 (it's .234 now) then he should become the backup catcher to Piazza.  Cust becomes the full time DH.  

Melhuse should go to AAA till Sept.  Whoever's healthy of Swisher, Kotsay, Bradley, Kielty, Snelling, Buck, and Stewart should play OF.

by WaddellCanseco on May 21, 2007 8:39 AM PDT   0 recs

Melhuse

Should catch more until Piazza comes back.  When he played on Thursday he made no errs, was walked once and got two singles.  Melhuse should be in the line up once a week despite Kendall's insecurities.  Put him with Blanton.  Blanton seems the least shakable in the rotation.  Honestly, the A's lose practically nothing with Melhuse behind the dish and gain someone who can throw a runner out AND hit with some regularity.

"If I'm an 8 or a 5 on a scale of 1-10, what is Eric Chavez?"-Drunk guy. "A 15" his seat neighbor.

by mlleaimee on May 21, 2007 12:44 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Couldn't agree more

Can't understand the blind insistence on playing Kendall game after game.  If that mythical "game calling" is so difficult that only Kendall can do it, have him talk to Melhuse between innings.  Plenty of managers call games from the bench.  It's not like the pitcher is just going to stand on the mound dumbfounded and unable to function without Kendall.

"The worst day on a ball field is better than the best day in any office." - David Wright

by kkdaz on May 21, 2007 2:37 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

The Only Thing Kendall Has Over Melhuse Is

He can sure take a punch.  Oh, and get hit by pitches.

"If I'm an 8 or a 5 on a scale of 1-10, what is Eric Chavez?"-Drunk guy. "A 15" his seat neighbor.

by mlleaimee on May 21, 2007 3:18 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I really don't believe ...

that we go into next year starting a catcher with zero or near zero (say a September call-up) big league experience.

If Zooks isn't up in the next month or so, expect him to start 2008 as a backup.

Catcher is completely and fundamentally different from every other position on the diamond. It's about so much more than how much talent and physical ability you have.

I have no doubt that Zooks can catch the ball, throw the ball and hit the ball better than Jason Kendal ... but is he a better catcher than the rugged one? I can't say for sure, but I doubt it. If Kendall is really gone after this year, I would very much like to see Zooks up ASAP, splitting time and getting about 30-40% of the starts so he can learn the craft of catching from Kendall ...

Read my latest articles

by devo on May 21, 2007 8:41 AM PDT   0 recs

that's an awful nickname

if that's really what people are going to be calling him

by fadedash on May 21, 2007 8:51 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

double check your suzuki stats

minorleaguesplits.com shows him hitting .290 after 138 ABs.  
minorleaguebaseball.com has him at .268 after 149 ABs.  

so i don't think he's hitting over .300 in May anymore.

by fadedash on May 21, 2007 8:49 AM PDT   0 recs

Um

click on the link I have for Suzuki's stats.  It's from minor league splits and it has him hitting .302 in May.

by Blez on May 21, 2007 9:22 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

um, re-read what i wrote

Look at the overall stats on that same link you have.   It has Suzuki hitting .290 after 138 ABs overall.  

However, looking at minorleaguebaseball.com, Suzuki is actually hitting .268 after 149 ABs.

Unless Suzuki magically got 11 more ABs in April, those ABs happened in May and without doing the math, you can tell that there weren't many hits in those 11 ABs.  Therefore, his actual May BA is not over .300.

Get it?

by fadedash on May 21, 2007 9:26 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

in fact, he went 0-11

since the last time minorleaguesplits.com updated the stats.  

Still think he's hitting over .300 in May?

by fadedash on May 21, 2007 9:28 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

And if you read closely

I'm not suggesting that Suzuki is ready right now.  I'm saying he needs more time in AAA, but I'd like to see him get his feet wet before the end of the year, especially if he's going to be "the guy" in 2008.  

by Blez on May 21, 2007 9:36 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

wait, what?

what exactly are you accusing me of not reading closely? I never once said you thought Suzuki was ready.  I was simply trying to inform you that Suzuki was not in fact hitting over .300 in May.

I would think that you'd like to be as accurate as possible on your front page diaries, but if not, my mistake.  

All I said was to double check your stats.

by fadedash on May 21, 2007 9:39 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

the A's pitchers are quite insistent

that Kendall deserves alot of the credit for their success. It's hard for me to discount their view.

(though we know A's ballplayers will stick up for each other publicly, at least while they're still on the same team. Not a word was uttered publicly, for example, about how some of the A's pitchers didn't like Miller's gamecalling, and had asked for Melhuse instead, until after Miller wasn't re-signed following the 2004 season).

I would like to see Suzuki as a September callup (so he can play regularly this summer, which he wouldn't do if he was called up earlier). How often he actually would play in September would no doubt be determined in part by how the A's are doing in the division race. But at least he could participate in the preps for the games and begin to get to know the pitchers more.

by OaklandSi on May 21, 2007 8:52 AM PDT   0 recs

that's true

the only positive thing I ever read was during spring training 2004, when Huddy or Mulder (forget which) remarked that they were impressed with Miller.

I only mentioned that because if any of the A's were less than happy with Kendall they are probably unlikely to say anything. But since it seems that the pitchers go out of their way to praise him, it's something we need to take into consideration. That's why I've refrained from calling for anything except dropping Kendall down in the batting order (which Geren has already done) and resting him more regularly (which he hasn't really). I've noticed that Kendall's bat responds positively to a day or two off.

by OaklandSi on May 21, 2007 9:37 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Here, here
"If I'm an 8 or a 5 on a scale of 1-10, what is Eric Chavez?"-Drunk guy. "A 15" his seat neighbor.

by mlleaimee on May 21, 2007 1:01 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

true

but the kids were also operating under a different skipper. It's one thing not say anything bad about a teamate publically, but why shower the guy with all the praise?
I'm sure if they were really unhappy with Kendall, Geren would know about it. He seems like he's a cut about Mach and has the players respect. And wasn't it E-lo who requested Melhuse to catch a game instead of Kendall last year?

Remember 2 vote early and often for your Oakland A's to this yr's AS game in SF.

by sf drift king on May 21, 2007 11:37 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Couple of thoughts
  1. I think that Kendall is pressing. I think he really wants to stay in Oakland next year--he tried to have Beane extend his contract in the off season. This is the first time in quite a while that he doesn't have the security of that long term deal. I think he will come around to some degree.
  1. I expect the A's to sign a veteran catcher, capable of starting a lot of games if necessary, in the off season to a one-year deal at a reasonable price. A Damian Miller sort of deal. This will let Suzuki ease his way into the team in 2008. If Suzuki plays well then there is no real impediment to giving him more playing time and the A's wouldn't be stuck having to throw him out there is he struggled.

by Larry E on May 21, 2007 8:59 AM PDT   0 recs

Now there is an interesting thought.

Don't we have a team option on Piazza next year?   If so, might we sign him as the starting catcher to school young Suzuki while filling in part time at the DH spot?  Should be plenty of opportunities to keep Cust in the lineup under this scenario, assuming that Jack really is the annointed one?

"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer

by alox on May 21, 2007 11:14 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

No option on Piazza
Yep. Warm and fuzzy... that's me.

by grover on May 21, 2007 12:08 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

There's no way Kendall will be back here next yr.

A veteran catcher like him will be in high demand even with his low .OBP. He'll fetch a multi-year deal worth 3 to 4 million per.

Remember 2 vote early and often for your Oakland A's to this yr's AS game in SF.

by sf drift king on May 21, 2007 11:40 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

hmm...

for some reason I don't think so...

"Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching."- former A's pitcher Satchel Paige

by The Pilots Dared Me To Die on May 21, 2007 11:49 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Let

Them have him.  I dust my hands of Kendall.

"If I'm an 8 or a 5 on a scale of 1-10, what is Eric Chavez?"-Drunk guy. "A 15" his seat neighbor.

by mlleaimee on May 21, 2007 1:04 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

what i don't get is

how does one assume that the A's rotation would be pitching just as well if Kendall wasn't calling the game? No one knew what to expect from Gaudin and Kennedy so how do we know they would have been doing just as well with someone else behind the plate?

Instead, find merit in what the manager and pitching staff say about Kendall.  If the ace of your staff loves the guy and doesn't even care about his batting average as long as he's calling a game, what does that say?

The only way there is a "Kendall Dilemma" is if he's the only weak link in the offense, which we know is not the case.  Chavy and Crosby have OBPs at .300, Ellis is showing more and more that his one good year was a fluke, and Shannon Stewart is showing why no one else wanted him.  You could go so far to argue that Crosby and Stewart really haven't helped the team much defensively.  Furmaniak and Murphy are killing it in AAA, much more than Suzuki, so why not have a Crosby Dilemma? When Bradley and Kotsay return in the next couple of weeks, why not have a Stewart Dilemma?

I'm not a fan of Kendall, but I don't see an issue here.  Nothing worth writing about at least.

by fadedash on May 21, 2007 9:03 AM PDT   0 recs

Well if you look at Crosby's stats, he has more

HR's and RBI, than Miguel Tejada, and his defense has improved greatly from the first month.  Lest we forget, he missed almost the whole year, and Frank Thomas didn't play the field, and he struggled for the first month, last year.

by theblackpearl on May 21, 2007 9:29 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

With an OPS at .435?

He's by far and away the weakest link in the offense.  To put it in perspective, the next closest "regular" to him in terms of OPS is about .250 points better.  You make it sound like it's close, but it really isn't at all if you look at the numbers.

by Blez on May 21, 2007 9:29 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

funny you should say

"look at the numbers".  

I didn't say he wasn't the weakest link.  But he's the weakest link on a lineup that is full of weak links.  When management and the pitching staff love the guy and think he's a big reason for the only successful part of the team, why would there be a dilemma to replace that link?

by fadedash on May 21, 2007 9:37 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I agree

it's full of weak links, why focus on him when he's obviously doing something write with the pitchers the last 3 yrs..

Let's just face it, people who do things outside the STAT sheet never get any love.

Remember 2 vote early and often for your Oakland A's to this yr's AS game in SF.

by sf drift king on May 21, 2007 11:43 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, Kendall rocks!

Kendall does things on the stat sheet, too!  He got an RBI the other day, didn't he?  Walked with the bases loaded...  Kendall's a titan!

"Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching."- former A's pitcher Satchel Paige

by The Pilots Dared Me To Die on May 21, 2007 11:51 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Agree on Kendall but not on Stewart

I know it's easy for everyone to call for Kendall's head but I don't think there is a chance that the A's brass plays Piazza or Melhuse over him.  That doesn't mean that A's fans don't have a right to complain about his pathetic offense.

"Shannon Stewart is showing why no one else wanted him" makes no sense to me.  I think the guy has done a pretty good job so far and his plantar problem has seemingly disappeared.  Does he have a more limp noodle of an arm than Johnny Damon?  Maybe but he is also doing a decent job of leading off.

"Shitburger, Skip?"

by ohtobe21likehuston on May 21, 2007 9:41 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

shannon stewart

.261/.343/.342

The funny thing is that these are worse numbers than what Kendall put up last year, but people were still criticing Kendall last year and no one's criticizing Stewart this year.  The only difference is that Stewart makes zero contribution to the pitching staff and hurts the team on defense with his range and arm (not that Kendall's is any better).  

All I'm saying is that there are plenty of other scapegoats and "dilemmas"

by fadedash on May 21, 2007 9:46 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

but he is just getting healthy

give peace (or Stewart) a chance and he may surprise you by season's end.

"Shitburger, Skip?"

by ohtobe21likehuston on May 21, 2007 9:49 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

hopefully

but we'll see

by fadedash on May 21, 2007 9:53 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It's looking better for Stewart.

I don't normally but much stock into month-to-month splits, but for players working their way back from injury I think it's a consideration.

Stewart's hitting almost .300 in May with an OBP of .400.  He's lost all semblance of power, and he's not your ideal masher-in-LF, but he has a place in this offense (for now).  As long as he continues to get on base and our other outfield options are hurt, he's not a bad guy to have on the team.

Same thing with BoCro.  He's hitting .299/.365/.493 (you know, the player we all want him to be!) with improved defense and a proclivity hit line drives the other way.  He's dramatically cut down on his K's and is walking more.  His OPS+ is up to 93, which is approaching average to above-average for shortstops.  I doubt he'll put up an .850 OPS for the season, but if BoCro can hold on to whatever adjustments he's made, he'll have a very solid year.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on May 21, 2007 10:22 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

His playing time will dry up on

June 1st at the latest, or when Bradley comes back.
Players he is worse than:
Swisher
Bradley
Johnson
Buck
Kotsay
Snelling

The game represents... the checkered journey of life. - Milton Bradley

by mikeA on May 21, 2007 12:18 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Amen brother!

it's only a matter of time.

Remember 2 vote early and often for your Oakland A's to this yr's AS game in SF.

by sf drift king on May 21, 2007 11:44 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

His upside is

2006 Kendall. And he's a LFer. A bad LFer.

The game represents... the checkered journey of life. - Milton Bradley

by mikeA on May 21, 2007 12:20 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Stewart and Piazza

I do not think that Piazza is going to be a option except maybe once a week to play catcher.  If I remember correctly he did not even bring a catchers mitt to spring trainning.  Putting him behind the platte would be just giving the other team 2nd base on any hit.  Not going to happen, I have at least some hope that Kendel turns it around the second half.  

As for Stewert I think he is gone as soon as Kotsay is healthy.  He just does not bring anything to the table except for maybe a defensive sub.  I do not see him playing once Bradley and Kotsay are ready.  

ogallalabob

by ogallalabob on May 21, 2007 12:50 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

No. Piazza did bring a mitt and attends all the

catcher-pitcher meetings.  The A's brass didn't think he needed to do either, but he's doing it anyway.

by WaddellCanseco on May 21, 2007 1:26 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

once Bradley and Kotsay are ready?

Bradley is mr. glass and Kots has had the bad back although we hope he'll be better because of the surgery.  But even under the best circumstances, those two guys cannot be expected to play everyday (not even close) - so you still need Stewart on this club IMHO .. and we don't know when Kielty will be back ..

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on May 21, 2007 1:28 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Ha, exactly.

Perhaps our two least reliable guys (and that's saying something!).

Fact of the matter is, Stewart has improved as the season has gone on.

by OldhamA on May 21, 2007 2:48 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Cut Keilty

I think he needs another team.  He's just one of too many on the A's.

"If I'm an 8 or a 5 on a scale of 1-10, what is Eric Chavez?"-Drunk guy. "A 15" his seat neighbor.

by mlleaimee on May 21, 2007 3:20 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

But what about all that GRIT?!

I also think Kendall will begin to hit better... I just don't think it'll be good enough for him to be in the lineup every.single.day.

As for his game-calling and staff-handling skills:  Part of me wants to take the pitchers' & coaches' words for it, and part of me agrees with OaklandSi's Damian Miller example, above.  I think Kendall's game preparation & pitch calling skills were probably critical to the success of the pile of baby pitchers we had in 2005, but they're big boys now and I think they could do just fine with Melhuse "handling" them once in a while.

Also, maybe Kendall would work out whatever he needs to work out in order to hit better if he actually had some COMPETITION for the job.  He's not the kind of personality that would consciously do anything less than "his best," but on some level I'm sure he realizes that he could just wrap his jock around a bat and send it up there to hit, and he still wouldn't get benched.

The A's DL: To infinity, and beyond!

by Poppy on May 21, 2007 9:22 AM PDT   0 recs

{mental image}

Ew.

Huh. I always thought that baseball's version of a home run is the motherf---ing home run itself. -FJM

by oblique on May 21, 2007 9:49 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

for now

Kendall should be platooning with Melhuse. At least we know he has some pop in his bat.

Remember 2 vote early and often for your Oakland A's to this yr's AS game in SF.

by sf drift king on May 21, 2007 11:08 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Kendall=hand injury

This anonymous comment from "thesoulofbaseball.blogspot.com:

Kendall lost his power as a result of a torn thumb tendon that he sustained at the very start of the 2001 season. The Pirates asked him to keep quiet and play through it because they needed him as a drawing card in their first season at PNC Park (and you have to hit Kendall with a tranquilizer dart to get him out of the lineup anyway). He played hurt all year, in secret, had two operations that offseason, and then never hit for power after that. I'm pretty sure that he sustained permanent damage to the hand as a result of his heroic (and unsuccessful) efforts to keep that team away from 100 losses.

Rename Fremont, CA, to Philadelphia, CA, and avoid the unnecessary headscratching!

by One won lost won on May 21, 2007 9:57 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Spectacularly bad OPS seasons of recent past

Kendall's OPS is presently a breathtakingly awful .435.

In the last 10 years, the lowest OPS for a player getting at least 300 plate appearances is .524 by Homer Bush of the 2000 Blue Jays (325 PA).

The last player to post a sub-.500 OPS with at least 300 PA was Rafael Belliard of the 1992 Braves (315 PA, .494 OPS).

In the last 4 years, no one with an OPS below .550 has gotten as many as 300 plate appearances.

If Kendall continues to flail this badly, you simply cannot continue to send him to the plate 4 times a game.  Consider any and all alternatives, but this performance is totally unacceptable.

In checking the numbers I found an interesting resemblance between the careers of Kendall and Tony Pena.  Kendall is in his 12th season as a regular catcher.  In 1993 Pena was in his 12th season also, with the Red Sox.  His offensive numbers had been declining for several years and in 1993 he collapsed to a .502 OPS in 347 PA.  1993 was Pena's final season as a regular catcher.  After his 1993 debacle, Pena moved on to Cleveland as Sandy Alomar Jr.'s backup.  In that role he had moderately productive offensive seasons in 1994 and 1995.  In the Indians' 1995 World Series year he actually caught a few more games than the oft-injured Alomar.  But 1996 saw him drop to .195/.255/.236, and his career ended with cameos with the White Sox and Astros in 1997.  A difference is that Kendall is about 3 years younger now than Pena was in 1993, but the total games caught at that point of their careers is pretty similar (i.e. very high).

by Soaker on May 21, 2007 9:22 AM PDT   0 recs

Wow

That's an enlightening comparison.  And a .435 OPS is just frightening.  I don't expect Kendall to ever hit for power, but he should at least be getting on base.

by Blez on May 21, 2007 9:33 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

well you do have to "try" to hit for power before

it actually happens.  His hit-aiming strategy is becoming increasingly more difficult to watch.

"Shitburger, Skip?"

by ohtobe21likehuston on May 21, 2007 9:52 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

And he isn't throwing anybody out ..

.. either .. he threw out, who was it, Aybar? - in that first Angels series - but since then, he has thrown very few runners out.  Some of that isn't his fault - (and I have defended him when it wasn't, e.g. German's SB in the last KC game) - but all of that can't be the fault of the pitchers ..

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on May 21, 2007 9:57 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Maybe the problem is

His eyesight.  Really, I'm being serious.  He just hasn't been able to hit that 2cd base runner with any kind of accuracy this year.

"If I'm an 8 or a 5 on a scale of 1-10, what is Eric Chavez?"-Drunk guy. "A 15" his seat neighbor.

by mlleaimee on May 21, 2007 3:21 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Breath-takingly awful

As far as extra-base hits, Kendall, at this rate, would surpass ALL players in the 20th century (and up to the present season) for fewest extra-base hits in a season, playing as a regular.

That is incredibly telling.

The following is merely an amateur perspective; I haven't hit a fastball in 40+ yrs., but....

Kendall seems to be moving his feet too much to get any power from his lower half of his body.

Kendall tries to "inside-out" every single pitch, to right field.  Instead of a double down the right-field line, it's a soft fly ball to the right fielder.  And if the pitch is too inside to him, he doesn't hit it down the left-field line for a double.

Is this a matter of slowing bat speed?  If so, nothing is going to help.  Maybe one could compensate with a heavier bat and choking up... just don't know.  But I do know (as has been repeated by experts, not my observation) that players that show that they cannot catch up to the fastball (see Julio Franco this year) soon retire, or get much reduced chances to bat.

Rename Fremont, CA, to Philadelphia, CA, and avoid the unnecessary headscratching!

by One won lost won on May 21, 2007 11:24 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

from www.thesoulofbaseball.blogspot

Kendall lost his power as a result of a torn thumb tendon that he sustained at the very start of the 2001 season. The Pirates asked him to keep quiet and play through it because they needed him as a drawing card in their first season at PNC Park (and you have to hit Kendall with a tranquilizer dart to get him out of the lineup anyway). He played hurt all year, in secret, had two operations that offseason, and then never hit for power after that. I'm pretty sure that he sustained permanent damage to the hand as a result of his heroic (and unsuccessful) efforts to keep that team away from 100 losses.

Rename Fremont, CA, to Philadelphia, CA, and avoid the unnecessary headscratching!

by One won lost won on May 21, 2007 9:58 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I think Kendall is done

washed up.  gone.  I think Piazza will be the starting catcher when he comes back.

Perhaps Cust 5 days DH 2 days OF, Piazza 2 days DH, 3-4 days catching, with Kendall catching the rest?

Hi, I am closetasfan, and I am a NRAF, and an ANA

by closetasfan on May 21, 2007 9:44 AM PDT   0 recs

not when your starting ERA leads baseball

I wouldn't be against them playing Kendall less but realistically I just don't see that happening.  If they were even considering a change wouldn't you think Melhuse would have played yesterday?  That to me-- says it all.  

"Shitburger, Skip?"

by ohtobe21likehuston on May 21, 2007 9:48 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Cust == Pinch Hitter?

Having him around gives the team additional pinch hit options.  Currently the bench is a negative for pinch hitting, except for PHing for Kendall. Having Cust available gives some major pop off the bench.  And can even play outfield positions.  

And for fielding, is he any worse than Bonds?

by MobiusKlein on May 21, 2007 9:44 AM PDT   0 recs

disagree

For two reasons:

  1. Seems as if the sporadic and unpredictable PT in his previous call-ups was part of what depressed Cust's performance. Not sure how he'll do with reversion to that role.
  1. He'd have to be used as a PH only leading off an inning, or when he represents the tying/winning run with 2 out (i.e., a HR to win/tie). As the truest three-true-outcomes batter imaginable, he's unlikely to deliver a single or a sac fly in any situation.
You swing harder, you strike out; you try to throw harder, you hit the mascot. ~ theblackpearl @('.')@

by monkeyball on May 21, 2007 11:34 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Request for quantification

Lots of smart people fear what might happen if Piazza were the primary catcher, mostly from base stealers gone wild.   My question is this:  would the cost of the (presumed) increased steals on Piazza's watch outweigh the benefit of having Piazza's bat, as compared with Kendall's presence?  This has to be at least estimateable, perhaps using the steals against numbers from San Diego last year.

Numbers mavens?

Watt Funk Staturist

by FreeSeatUpgrade on May 21, 2007 9:53 AM PDT   0 recs

interesting presumption

isn't there a streak of 20+ successful stolen bases against Kendall going? I think it would be pretty difficult for it to get worse, but if anyone can do it, I guess Piazza can.  

I think the bigger thing that people fear about Piazza catching is his game calling and also his ability to block pitches in the dirt, especially when your ace is throwing splitters all day.

by fadedash on May 21, 2007 9:56 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Well, with Piazza,

if his throwing is as horrific as it's been portrayed, you'd expect to see a big jump is steal attempts.  Though something like 29 straight runners have stolen versus Kendall (and/or the pitching staff), I don't yet get the sense that teams are running wild against Kendall the way folks think they might against Piazza.

Watt Funk Staturist

by FreeSeatUpgrade on May 21, 2007 10:03 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

The latter is my bigger concern

The former being that I don't think Kendall has been particularly adept at throwing runners out any way.

by Blez on May 21, 2007 11:07 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Piazza's pitchers have been very complimentary

of him in the past.  In fact he's been known as a very good catcher at blocking pitches in the dirt, calling a game, and doing everything defensively except throwing out base stealers.

In other words he's been defensively what Kendall is supposed to be now.  And the A's pay him more than Kendall to boot!  No need to agonize over sunk costs!

Of course he should be the starting catcher when he gets back.

by WaddellCanseco on May 21, 2007 1:29 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs