Why what you have done lately matters
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Why what you have done lately matters
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
When you consider the emotions of defeat and the persecutory feeling of a tight circle of microphone-wielding reporters, a certain amount of leeway should be afforded to an athlete when he answers a question about his performance. Once you have afforded Kyle Kendrick this leeway, you may proceed to the nearest section of drywall and bang your head against it in a steady yet forceful manner. More than two hours after he trudged off the mound in the fourth inning with a 6-1 deficit on the scoreboard, and long past the time most of his teammates had departed from the post-game clubhouse, the right-hander emerged from a members-only section of the premises and fielding questions about the Phillies' 12-6 loss. He was asked about a second inning in which he threw 50 pitches, walking a light-hitting eight-hole hitter and then surrendering a two-run double to the opposing pitcher.
"I just couldn't find the zone," he said.
He was asked about his tempo, which slowed to the pace of a rush hour crawl, about a perceived lack of aggression, which pushed his manager close to combustion.
"When you are struggling to find the zone, that's how it is," he said.
And then he was asked about his security in the rotation, where he is 2-8 with a 5.01 ERA in 15 starts this season, and the potential that he might head to the bullpen, where he is 2-1 with a 3.95 ERA in 12 appearances.
Kendrick shrugged.
"I guess that's how it is with me,'" he said. "It's, 'What have you done for me lately?'"
Whether Kendrick uttered the words in response to the media's constant hunt for a referendum or in response to his coaches' personnel decisions though out the season, the only response he will get is the sound of a record scratching to a halt. That, or a bug-eyed Jack Nicholson slamming his fist on a wooden table and barking in a homicidal rage, "You're (gosh) (darn) right it's what have you done for me lately."
You can forgive his exact words. Again, leeway. But words come from thoughts, and thoughts come from observations, and when you consider the observations required to get from A to B to "Woe is me," you realize that you are traveling a cognitive chain that is in serious need of reconditioning.
What Kendrick needs to understand is that the ability to throw a hard object with relative precision does not have any inherent value to a non-hunter-and-gatherer society. Kendrick does not manufacture a good, nor does he perform a service that is integral to the functioning of the American economy. A fastball does not refrigerate food or cure disease. A pitcher does not earn $3 million because he has a $3 million arm. He cannot call a 1-800 number during a commercial break on the O'Reilly Factor and exchange his sinker for gold bars. Investors are not transferring their money from treasuries to change-ups.
A human being's status as a pitcher does not entitle him to anything. He must create that value himself. He must earn everything. The value of a pitcher's skill is dictated entirely by the open market, and the open market is dictated by the decisions people make about where they spend their money. Kendrick makes $3 million because a lot of people have chosen to invest a percentage of their wealth in the ability to watch a baseball game rather than investing it elsewhere. Last night, one of those investors, a gentleman seated within earshot of the press box at Citizens Bank Park, yelled at the top of his lungs, "Give us our money back!" That, of course, is not the way markets work. But the gentleman's experience at the ballpark on Wednesday night can affect his future spending decisions. And since the game he watched was a pair of handcuffs away from violating the Geneva Conventions, it probably will.
If enough people have enough bad experiences and make enough changes to their spending habits, the Phillies lose money, which affects the earning potential of everybody in the organization, from the front office to the coaching staff to the players to the clubhouse staff. Which is why Charlie Manuel seemed so agitated after watching the second inning unfold on Wednesday night. The manager was so perturbed that he decided that his best course of action was to avoid saying words at his post game press conference. He didn't even bother with his nightly recitation of the pitching line. Manuel is a man who will excuse physical failure, because baseball is a game in which it is expected. What he cannot stomach, though, is a failure to control the controllable. And that, we can only assume, is what he saw in the second inning.
Me? I think the night was lost with one out, when a breaking ball in the dirt got past Erik Kratz and allowed runners to move to second and third. For a brief moment, Kendrick held a crouch, looking in at home, the wrong kind of emotion on his face. It was the kind of body language that Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee detest, the kind that is the arch nemesis of consistency. The consistent ones are consistent because they accept the results that are beyond their control. A failure to do so puts the whole operation in peril. That wild pitch -- a more agile catcher could have blocked it -- enabled a run to score on the ensuing groundout. And from there, the night spiraled out of control. A walk to Paul Janish. A double to Tim Hudson. A walk to Michael Bourn. And then a two-run single by Martin Prado.
One run followed by a quick third out would have sufficed. Instead, one run turned into four. What have you done for me lately? It is the essence of the sport.
Comments made for someone else on the way out of town..........I figure by Spring Training 2013, another 2/3 of this team should be traded or let go. Unfortunately, I don't see Charlie as a rebuilding, youth movement manager.— sonnybuoy01- The truly frustrating thing is that almost everyone knew that Kendrick is better off in the pen. He was actually playing well in the pen, and by golly the pen needed the help.
So what do Ruben and Charlie do? The put him back in the rotation. It boggles the mind that the team insists on doing things that have a very low probability of success. Michael Martinez starting a game in centerfield anyone?
They refuse to bring up Cloyd because they don't want to give him major league time.
It's funny how the people they did not want to call up but had no choice are doing pretty well. Kratz, Dom Brown. I wonder in the manager of the AAA club has anything to do with that? What's his name again?— blah - Obviously the powers that be think that if they leave Cloyd where he is and he does well they can get more for him than if he comes up and gets shelled. Phillies always leave pitchers in minors too long. Time for a fresh approach in the dugout. Make Charlie a special assistant to somebody and get rid of the rest of the coaches. Its Ryan Sandberg time!— dfc5632
- KK should be put back in the bullpen. He was sort of effective in that role. Call up a starter. Option Bastardo.— palmyra21
- LOVE Klye Kendrick, this guy is a stud. Those sinkerballs and that pinpoint control when he is on is well worth the money.
joking, of course. this guy is yet another sentimental signing from the 2008 WS title. why the hell would you throw $7.5 million at a FRINGE MAJOR LEAGUE PITCHER. look at the Athletics, Marlins, etc they get the same production as kendrick by calling up AAA KIDS TO THE ROTATION. ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC DECISION by Amaro yet again.
Kendrick is basically an overpriced spare tire
— astroqueen0 - Cloyd's ceiling is a bit higher than KK and thats it, so lets not get too carried away by what he is doing in LV, which is pretty awesome. He should get a shot though after seeing the clunker KK threw last night and De Fratus should get the call up to replace Bastardo so he can work on his control. Had Freeman down 0-2 and missed badly on the next 4 pitches. That can't happen against a lefty.— ESFjellin
- One of the most frustrating thing about this season is the inability and unlikelihood of any serious change happening. Especially at the top with RAJ & Cholly. Both who just have everything they are doing blow up in their face. It has been pretty clear all season that without Utley around to enforce things, no player was going to listen to Cholly. He has never been a good "game manager" and he is just too much of a believer in the "back of card" stats and remains loyal to "his guys" In a lost season, where fans need some glimmer of hope and want to see younger players firsthand, a hands-on manager is needed (i.e.: Ryno) but RAJ won't fire Charlie. Because it will make Charlie the scapegoat for his own poor personal moves in putting the roster together. Charlie is too stubborn to resign and admit that he has lost the team. Both are hanging their hopes on having full seasons from Utley & RHow, a resurgent CLee and for things to break right for 2013 to save their jobs. Unfortunately, it will be another year we fall behind younger, more aggressive and hungry teams.— PhillyinBmore
- I am glad that more and more posters seem to want to give Ryne Sandberg a chance and I couldn't agree more. My only worry is that another team wakes up and hires Ryno before Cholly decides to "retire" to become a SA to Monty.— PhillyinBmore
- Tonight in Trenton is an important night for the Phillies organization. The top left-handed pitcher in its minor league system 22 year old Adam Morgan makes his AA debut. This guy's fastball sits in the mid 90's. He still leads the Florida State League in strikeouts and was second in WHIP. Recently he retired the first 22 batters he faced and in two back to back starts he struck out 22 in 15 innings without walking a batter. He might move up quickly.— Dull
- Why didn't the Cubs organization want Ryno for manager?— Jeffy3
- all right murph,so kk goes to the bullpen...then who is the 5th starter??? you didn't even speculate who that might be...scrolling thru the 40 man roster,the answer is who???this season cannot end fast enough for me and whomever replaces kk,if he is replaced,won't be any better...so what's the point???— jabac
- Well we all know that everything the Phils are doing at this point is in preparation for next season.
From that perspective, the one positive we can take from Kendrick's performance is that he seems to be making it pretty clear to the Phils that they would be unwise to plan a pitching staff for next season that includes Kendrick in anything other than than a "swingman/long relief" role.
It's better for the Phils that he's dispelling any illusions about him being a viable starter so they can add one to their already rather long shopping list for the off season.— andyd - Last comment - dfc5632 - couldn't agree more.
Charley has completely lost the team. Sandburg on the other hand knows the young players and is RESPECTED by them completely. His playing record alone will more than earn the respect of the "veterans." If ever there was a positive argument for cutting your losses and outright ridding the problem, Kendrick has had how many chances now and needs to be dropped off at the nearest trash container. He drags the entire team down to say nothing of all the faithful fans desperately wanting only to look ahead and hope for 2013 and fresh beginnings.
— wkirk - This is one of Murphy's best columns in my opinion. He exposes all of Kendrick's failings and questions why Kendrick's lack of consistency has been tolerated for so long. He was on the ballclub in 2008 as a realitive rookie and has accomplished very little since that time. He needs to go. We can no longer stand for mediocore players on this 25 man roster of very thin talent. We need to get competitive in 2013 and beyond.— 1republican
- Lindbloom was awesome too....NOT.— Sane1
