Just yesterday, the Philadelphia Phillies announced that they had avoided salary arbitration with the five-year righthander, signing the 6-3, 201-pound Kendrick to a one-year, $3.585 million dollar contract. The pitcher you love to hate will be back in a Phillies uniform for at least one more season.
Kendrick fans, we are not. And yet, the question as to whether or not our negative perception of Kendrick is justified should be asked. A quick look at his career numbers suggest that KK has been a pretty good pitcher, sliding back and forth from the rotation to the bullpen numerous times. In 127 appearances (98 starts), Kendrick is 43-30 with a 4.41 ERA.
Not terrible numbers. Who couldn't use a pitcher versatile enough to pitch in both the starting rotation and bullpen at a moment's notice?
The problem with Kendrick is that when he's bad, he is bad. In two of his five seasons (2008 and 2010), Kendrick has been dreadful. The world championship season of 2008 saw him finish with a 5.49 ERA in 30 starts and somehow manage a winning record (11-9). Just further proof of the inadequacy of the win-loss statistic.
The ugliness doesn't end there. Kendrick also hit a league-leading 14 batters that year, allowed 194 hits in 155.2 innings, struck out just 68 and walked 57. By any measure, ugly, ugly numbers. Incredibly, Kendrick had 30 starts in 2008, which might make their World Series championship even more impressive.
The Phils grew tired of Kendrick, languishing him in the minors for most of 2009. KK managed just nine appearances that season, compiling a 3-1 record, 3.42 ERA, 15 strikeouts and nine walks in 26.1 innings. Decent numbers, but the small sample size negates any sense that Kendrick had any kind of impact.
In 2010, Kendrick got another shot at the Phillies starting rotation and promptly showed why he was demoted the year before. In 33 appearances (31 starts), Kendrick rewarded GM Ruben Amaro with an 11-10 record, but posted a 4.73 ERA, 199 hits in 180.2 innings, struck out just 84 and walked 49.
Yuck.
Which brings us, finally, to his surprisingly effective 2011 season. In 34 appearances (15 starts), KK posted an 8-6 record, 3.22 ERA and career-best 1.21 WHIP. For the first time in his career, Kendrick allowed fewer hits than innings pitched (110 in 114.2). The strikeout (59) and walk (30) numbers were still pretty awful, but Kendrick was somehow able to be effective.
Has Kendrick has finally figured out how to be effective, or have the Phillies finally figured out his proper role? Was 2011 just an anomaly?
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