Giving Kyle Kendrick his due
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Giving Kyle Kendrick his due
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Kyle Kendrick thinks exactly like you would expect a starting pitcher to think, like you want a starting pitcher to think. He wants the ball, and he wants it for as long as you will give it to him, and if it was up to him there would be no chance in hell of him leaving this starting rotation with two months to go in the season.
He does not admit to it publicly, because without the proper context, which the media is often hesitant to give, such confessions can be construed as selfish, as egotistical, as immature. But you can feel it is the way he bristles as he answers a question that carries the implication that he is the seventh-best starter on this Phillies roster. Even last night, when his return to the bullpen was more imminent than Final Destination 6, he used the word "if" on several occasions: If I return to the bullpen, if this was my last start, if that's what they decide to do.
On other nights, it may have sounded silly, bordering on delusional. Even before the Phillies completed their quartet of aces with the signing of Cliff Lee, Kendrick's spot in the rotation always made for a lively debate. Every year, it seemed, the Phillies were looking for somebody to supplant him. In 2008, the Phillies acquired Joe Blanton and left Kendrick off the postseason roster. In 2009, they used anybody and everybody they could to keep him in the minors. Jamie Moyer. Pedro Martinez. Lee. Last spring, they sent him to the bullpen, only to quickly bring him back after an injury to Blanton. In July, they sent him to the minors, only to quickly bring him back after an injury to Moyer.
Kendrick was like that dependable ex-girlfriend you just kept bringing back around.
But here's the thing about that ex-girlfriend. As time goes by, she becomes more and more comfortable. You see things in her that you swear did not exist before.
Or, perhaps, she matures. With Kendrick, that certainly seems to be the case. Last night, he turned in the most impressive performance of his career, shutting down a line-up full of a lefties in a lethal ballpark while pitching the Phillies to their 70th win. He threw a career-high 117 pitches, struck out a career-high seven batters. He spotted his sinker on both sides of the plate, unleashing it at the front him of the Rockies' lefties before watching it dart across the inside corner.
Afterward, he stood in front of his locker, the beads of sweat still dripping down his face, a bag of ice still wrapped around his arm.
"They gave him three games worth of pitches in one night!" Jimmy Rollins shouted as he peeked around a corner at Kendrick.
Those pitches will diminish over the next couple of months. Kendrick knows he is headed back to the 'Pen, and he says he is more than fine with that role.
And if last night was his last start, it provided a perfect end to one of the quieter storylines of this 2011 season, which is the growth and maturity Kendrick has shown.
In his last 33 starts, which is essentially a season's worth, Kendrick is 15-13 with a 4.16 ERA in 190 1/3 innings.
That is the reason he talks as if he will one day be in a rotation to stay.
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Comments (36)
I must admit, my least favorite pitcher has done better this year. He should be commended for his efforts and for switching from bullpen to starter to bullpen to starter and being effective. But really, you can't compare a record earned spot starting with taking your turn time after time after time. It's a different set of dynamics...the league sees him regularly and gets a book on whatever changes he's made. he has to be consistent, doing it every week. KK has, as someone noted, had strong performances before and always slides back to running deep counts and getting hammered. he is just right where he is, sneak him in for a few starts, back to the bullpen where he comes in as a change of pace, etc. Sure, on the mid pack and lower teams he'd be a 4 or maybe a 3, but that ain't the Phils any more. A 5, could be, but once he starts regularly, he'll find his level again. Which is not bad, but let's not get carried away with him.— Eephus- Kendrick has been great. He may not pitch In the World Series but I guarantee the Phillies will win it!— JohnEBGood
- He had a good game. Let's not get carried away. He is a 5-6 inning guy who gives up 3-4 runs. Not horrible but he will soon be the number 6 starter in a 5 man rotation. We have been lucky to have him to fill in for injury.— Ssteve115
- Hey, I wasn't advocating stringing along ex-girlfriends or boyfriends! It just happens. I will be doing a Philly.com Relationship Chat at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays in the offseason. Stay tuned.— David_Murphy
- The truth is that when he walked the leadoff man in the 7th, I was yelling at Charlie to get him out of the game. He is fine the first time through the order, not so good after batters get a second and third look at his not so dominant stuff. He is an ideal long reliever or 5th starter, but no more. Kudos to him for a terrific performance last nite, but if he could produce consistent solid starts he would be in the rotation, not on the fringes.— blaqjaq
- "or perhaps she matures" are you kidding me, Murphy? any guy who strings along ex-girlfriends (as you imply you do) needs to mature himself.
onto KK - there are just some guys no matter how reliable they may be that are just not going to be getting the kudos/trust of the organization. that appears to be KK. and some guys get a long leash (Blanton/Baez). we'll be seeing KK quite a bit in the near future...I highly doubt Oswalt's return is going to be without a LOT of bumps— bingbangbong - I don't think it's that easy for guys to go back and forth from starting to relieving. Kendrick is one of those guys who can do it. I don't thing Worley is. I agree with GHK. It seems like Lee and Halladay are having a good effect on the rest of the staff. Otherwise, it's hard to explain. The alternative explanation is that Rich Dubee is doing something right. Maybe it's a bit of both.— altoonaaslan
- franken....all this organization ever did was tell KK he didn't have enough to succeed at the ML level. All he's ever done is compete and win. 41 wins by age 26 is right there with Hamels The Golden Boy, Mr. CY in waiting.....for all that potential and all those tools, Cole really only put it all together for a brief time in the post season in '08. He's doing better now but still not winning the 1-0, 2-1 games like he should with all his TALENT. Lincecum, Halladay and the like win those games. All Dubbee did was tell KK he needed another pitch. All Manuel did was send him back down to AAA or the BP, all Amaro did was play a nasty little joke on him about being traded to Japan. All Doc did was teach him how to be a better pitcher and make the ball move. It was almost like watching Greg Maddux last night with his cutter, sinker and changeup moving so much, and on a wet field on a damp night. Most of you have no idea how hard that is to control in those elements. Whatever KK has finally figured out, whatever Doc has taught him, I hope he keeps it up. Consistency is the only thing keeping him down in long relief or as a #5.— Mark1npt
- You are insane. Lincecum is 9-9 while pitching great. As a starter all you can do is go out there and do your best. This year Hamels won 2-0, & 3-0 games in April. He won a 2-1 game in May, a 2-0 game in June and a 3-1 game in July. That's 5 this year. How many is enough for you? Additionally, the Phillies won two other games when he gave up 2 or less but didn't get the credit for a 'W'. What is your problem. Meanwhile, Kyle Kendrick has the best run support throughout his career among any pitcher in baseball. I like Kendrick but to compare him to Hamels or find anything wrong with Hamels' performance is just crazy. Hamels is one of the best pitchers in the game and has been a machine the last two seasons. — jtj06
- Nice post, David. I've been a longstanding member of the "Dump Kyle: Somewhere, Anywhere!" club, but after all these years he's hung in there and made the most of his modest talents - and been a stand-up guy throughout. I still cringe when he takes the mound, but this year I finally like him and root for him - and not just because he's on our team. We should all be as persistent in making the best of our modest talents.— frankenslade
- It seems no one--including sports writers--has noticed that Kendrick's "hidden" contribution: a batting average of .263. That is respectable for a starter and extremely rare among pitchers. A check of team stats on FoxSports shows that Kendrick's BA is just one point under Rollins and higher than eight position players on the Phils, including Howard, Ibanez, Brown and Mayberry. His 3.19 ERA is also way above average. What a nice asset to have around--an underestimated guy who deserves an apology from some posters here who would give him away. The Phils need a right-handed pinch-hitter? We have two candidates available without trading away any more talent. In those situations Kendrick would be my second choice behind Mayberry. Use these special assets unconventionally and it will pay off. Assuming Brown, Victorino and Pence are our regular starting outfield next year, let Mayberry give these regulars and Howard a break. Ken Brett aside (remember him?) pinch-hitting pitchers are rare commodities. Has anyone employed a "regular" 4th outfielder/first baseman? If not, why not? There was a time when bullpen specialists were rare. Knock out the starter and you had it made. If Charlie innovates this way, rivals will have it even harder staying close. Aside from any individual's impact on scoring, consider the other potential advantages--older players gaining from the rests, opposing pitchers have more to worry about, team morale solidified. A morale boost would be especially nice for these two guys--a 28-eight year late bloomer who would otherwise be confined to the bench, and an oft-maligned pitcher. Sports writers could have a field day watching such an experiment.— FG
- Kyle Kendrick. Ultimate 5th starter, maybe even a 4th. Gets lost in the shuffle because his name isn't Roy, Cliff or Cole.— ESFjellin
- So who do they move to make room for Oswalt? With Oswalt probably gone next year, are Worley & Kendrick #4 & #5?— sonnybuoy01
- Kendrick has shown time and time again that he's an okay pitcher as long as you don't expect too much from him. He'll win about half his games, and keep an ERA at or just below 4. I think to depend on him to be anything more than a fifth starter would be wishful thinking, and it's true that he's the sixth or seventh best starter on the team. He's a fairly well paid insurance policy.— dblankj
- Last year it was Wilson Valdez, filling in for Rollins and Utley for extended stretches. This year it has been Kyle Kendrick, being whatever kind of pitcher the Phillies needed to plug a hole in the rotation or bullpen. Two excellent examples of what it means to be a team player. And don't forget, KK got his start in'07 coming up from AA ball due to injuries in the rotation.— ijj
- I will acknowledge that KK has been inconsistent at times during his early career, but this year is by far a truer picture of the pitcher he can become after having a year to learn from Halladay. I was truly impressed at how KK was able to move the ball last night. Did anyone else note the reactions of the Rockies hitters? Total disbelief at the called strikes, because the movement was so far superior to what KK used to have on his pitches. 7 ks against a primarily LH hitting lineup....says it all. It wasn't too long ago that LH hitters raked to the tune of better than .330 against KK. If Doc can teach himhow to throw that slow curve down in the zone, KK may truly make it to the nmext level as his cutter and sinker are quality ML pitches already.— Mark1npt
- trade him for Kemp— warbiscuit
- You can make the case that KK is one of the most valuable guys on the team this year, with the way he's been a long reliever and consistent starter. He's not a star but the post-ers on this site who throw out 5.00 and 4+ ERAs are NOT giving KK his due this season, during which he's posted a legit 3.19 ERA in enough outings to be considered a solid sample size. He's been very good. Few pitchers can handle alternating roles the way he has.— eman
- Well said "casazzacm" .. I'm all for continual assessment of the team with the intent of fine-tuning and improvement, however, let's not miss the bigger picture. We should all be VERY grateful for this team, as any long-term phillies fan surely knows. It's one thing to want your team to get better - which the phils certainly have done with acquiring Pence - but let's not forget to stop and smell the roses. And, boy, they have never smelled better!— onedayer
- Kendrick wouldn't clear waivers, and even if he could the Phillies would not trade him - he's cheap insurance in case a starter goes down and he is a true long man if needed. He will be back next year as the 5th starter, and the last few weeks have shown that is a role he can perform adequately in. Shame to send him back to the pen after the best start of his career, but that is what is best for the team.— Phils Phan 28
- The DJD, Degenerative Joint Disease that Oswald suffers from,and that currently is being handled with injections,to relieve the pain that his violent delivery produces, guarantees Kendrick more innings.— Joe@Pottstown
- Gotta give him props for last night's performance, he did well. But admit it, didn't you wonder when he would blow up every inning after the fifth? He's been consistantly inconsistant his whole career, so if he has paranoia about being second guessed, that's the way it goes.— jimmymack
- Mark1npt commented on this, but to put it plainly, having Lee and Halladay (and to a lesser degree) as mentors to the younger pitchers has really multiplied their worth to the team. Would KK and VW (and even Cole) be having their great seasons without seeing how hard the great starters work to remain great? I really doubt it. I am sorry we can't get more of our AAA youngsters up for extended exposure to these hard-working, successful aces.— GHK
- Kyle's pitching his way to a waiver deal for another bench player and some cash or minor league talent to replenish the system. Both him and Worley won't be needed once Oswalt comes back.— sonnybuoy01
- I've been in KKs corner for a long time now. Many of you here haven't. 41 ML victories by the age of 26 is very close to what the Golden Boy Hamels has. Contrary to many on here, KK is not a 5.00+ era guy.....and in case any of you MLB scouts hasn't noticed, since Halladay got here, the real "little Roy" is KK....he's taken to Halladay's work ethic.....his pitching repotoire has expanded as has his knowledge of how to get hitters out. The movement on his pitches is greater than it ever was and he has developed the confidence to throw them in any count or situation. Is he gonna win a CY? No.....but then again 98% of MLB pitchers will never sniff one either....glad we have KK on our side. He will be on the post season roster as the long guy, while Worley will not.— Mark1npt
- Let's all just be thankful that we have the starting rotation we have and end all this. It's like complaining that it sucks driving a Rolls Royce because the gas mileage is horrendous.
We are lucky to have the best pitching staff in baseball and everyone has played a role. Kendrick. Worley. Bastardo. And on and on...I thank the baseball Gods every day that I am enjoying one of the greatest seasons in Philly sports history and we all should be grateful. - vishman14, 15-13 with a 4.16 is a good record for a number 3 in the majority of the rotations, even a #2 in some. KK has never been given the credit or respect. Hopefully they will take notice after seeing how good he's been this season with all yo-yoing from the rotation to the pen and vice versa. Heck, he's only 26 and has already 41 victories. If you ask a pitcher just drafted that by the age of 26 he’ll have 41 wins he would be happier than a kid in Christmas morning.— EL Zorro
- haha listen to murphy talking about ex-girlfriends like a player. btw, im sure kendrick is thrilled with that ex-girlfriend analogy.— zwarte piet
- if there was ever a time to trade a guy this is it. too bad the deadline is past. Worley is a keeper.— ned folk
Comment removed.- Huge credit to Kendrick, especially considering that Madson, Bastardo & Stutes were probably unavailable - and that was known in the clubhouse. My sense is that Kendrick has performed worse in high-leverage situations, so perhaps tonight marked some growth? But he has to return to the bullpen -- because this team must know if Oswalt is healthy and effective enough to start in the playoffs. That could take weeks -- will his back flare up? -- so there's no time to waste. Oswalt's upside is much higher than Kendrick's or Worley's, obviously, so seeing if it's still attainable is priority number one. And seeing if Worley regresses before we decide to rely on him for any significant role in the post-season is priority number two. He needs to keep starting. Kendrick's a known commodity, for now. He should focus on mastering a bullpen role -- and then he'll stay in the majors for several more years, somewhere...— PhilaLogic
- I'm sorry. I don't buy it. Kendrick has had solid runs before and always reverted back to the 5+ era guy he has been his whole career. I'm not sold on Worley either but his good run has been better than any good run kendrick has had so it's not even an issue. Worley has earned the #5 spot until he coughs it up several games in a row. the one thing Kendrick may have earned this year is a spot on the playoff roster.... Maybe. If Worley keeps pitching well he may be the long man on the playoff roster.— Sewellmatt
- kendrick gives you exactly what blanton can give you and he makes one-quarter of what blanton makes. blanton is untradeable at his current salary level, but i would not mind seeing blanton in the pen instead of kendrick next year. here is how everything will hash out with the rotation in the offseason: hamels signs a long-term deal with us, oswalt is cut loose, and blanton and worley are your fourth and fifth starters. like i said, kendrick should be in the 2012 rotation instead of blanton, but he wont be.
— zwarte piet - Kendrick can deal and he has worked hard to improve his game. 26 year old guy might end up being a solid Phillie for years to come.— jtj06
- the funny thing is, i almost question whether he's ready to go on a heater. it's such ashame to put him in the pen after such a dominant outing. do the phillies opt to use worley out of the pen? worley's been locating his pitches with laser precision, but it seemed he had some command issues last outing. at the same time, i've had gut feelings that kendrick can dominate for stretches before, and he seems to run into that lurking 5 earned run game in 4 where you just mutter and say, good grief. at the very least, i had a good feeling he was going to be dominant, and strangely enough, i think some of that is due to the resurgent offense, getting a bat like pence in and having fun again. it doesn't hurt ibanez been tearing the cover off either...— screwluse
- 15-13 in 22 starts with a 4.16 ERA in 190 1/3 innings you say? Those are are perfect numbers for a 5th starter.— vishman14
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