Brewers sign Jason Kendall -- 1 year/$4.25 mil guaranteed, up to 2 years/$10.25 mil possible

[Ennder]

Instead of being force fed Estrada in the #5 spot, it's time to be force fed Kendell in the #2 spot. Ack. I think a .330 OBP is more likely than a .360 OBP at this point in Kendell's career. Here's my guess for 2008:

 

.265/.335/.335

 

Looks like #8 slot material to me.

OBP

 

2004- .399

2005 - .345

2006 - .367

2007 - .261 for oakland with messed up K's and BB's compared to normal

2007 - .362 for scrubs with more normal K's and BB's.

 

I will take the over on .330 even with him getting older. My guess is something that looks a lot like 2005 when he put up 14 WS's. If we get 11 or 12 out of him I'm fine with it, Estrada managed 7 last year.

[patrickgpe]

rluzinski, if those projections are right, then i don't know why they just don't let Rivera catch everyday and ask Miller if he wants to come back and backup. I am pretty confident Mike can do that and is a better defensive catcher. You may be right, i just hope not. Hopefully he puts up an obp close to what he did in chicago, id be happy then.

 

i went on to nsbb.com and saw cub fan is pretty happy that Jason is coming here and that Moto is in our pen now, for what its worth.

[sweepscc]

Meh. Kendall is not good defensively and his stick is quickly putting him into below average territory as a catcher. Sadly he will be an improvement though, in staff management and defense. Not saying this is the case here but there comes a point when a GM has to make his move and use organization resources to go after a commodity in demand. If there is ever an off season to be aggressive I believe it is the present one.

[splitterpfj]

I want nothing to do with Kendall in the 2 spot, but I'd sure take that over Estrada in the 5 spot - I never understood that one.

[SoCalBrewfan]

With the potential for Counsell, Kendall and Hall in a lineup,

 

That would be fine so long as Ian Snell is pitching. (Villaneuva or Gallardo, too, if you bend the rules.) Let's not get Chris Snelling, though...unless we figure that his injury karma would somehow cancel the Brewers'.

 

I think Double Hockey Sticks, or DHS Lineup, is apt;

 

Homeland security would be proud of you. If we went DHL we could get corporate sponsorship, though. Just don't say 'DHL lineup,' which is like ATM machine or PIN number.

 

I'm looking forward to determining the Brewers' other catcher so we can coin a Counselninoesque term to describe the platoon.

 

Pity Toby Hall is not available, though perhaps Miller is eligible...MendelKiller? Torrealba would be a challenge...a three way rotation between Rottino, Kendall, and Torrealba is what I'd love: RoKeToTinoDellAlba.

[TheCouga23]

Kendall would be a good addition to the eighth spot in our lineup. Nowhere else.

 

The Brewers still need to add a LF that can either bat leadoff, 2nd or 5th. If he's leadoff, move Weeks to #2, as Weeks has some power that would be wasted in the leadoff spot (and his OBP is still effective there). If he is more of a slugger, bat him fifth to protect Fielder and move Hart to second.

 

Hardy batting sixth and Hall batting seventh is okay with me, although I'd like to see Gross split some playing time with Hall unless Billy can turn it around. If you look at our lineup last year, Estrada and Hall were the two anchors, and both of them batted fifth a lot (unfortunately). Hart (or someone even better) needs to be protecting Fielder this year for sure.

 

There aren't a lot of LFs out there this year, but I would like to see the Brewers considering Lofton. He won't break the bank, he would provide good defense, he would provide veteran leadership, and he could lead off, moving Weeks to #2 in the order.

[PeaveyFury]

I want nothing to do with Kendall in the 2 spot, but I'd sure take that over Estrada in the 5 spot

 

As much as I want Kendall nowhere near the 2 spot and sincerely hope that we acquire a LF that will remove that temptation from Ned, I agree.

[brettac1]

rluzinski, if those projections are right, then i don't know why they just don't let Rivera catch everyday and ask Miller if he wants to come back and backup. I am pretty confident Mike can do that and is a better defensive catcher.

 

Mike Rivera would struggle to put up a .300 OBP, let alone a .335.

 

You are talking about the Mike Rivera that hit .215/.270/.421 in AAA this year, right? He's a AAAA player.

[TerraceReserved]

Well, I for one am happy about this deal. What we need is OBP, and Kendall (hopefully) will give us that. A .330-.340 would make me happy, a .350-360 would make me very happy.

 

Quick thought: wouldn't Kendall's OBP value be lessened in the 8th spot with the pitcher following? I personally think that if he proves he can post a OBP around .360 he may be valuable in the #2 hole.

[aracko]

This is an important signing. Lets make the pitchers beat us by throwing strikes. Personally I DO want Kendall hitting 2nd. My theory being that he will make the opposing pitcher throw all his stuff to get him out. Hopefully he will tire the pitcher out a bit and then when Prince and Braun come up the guy on the mound isnt as effective.

 

I know I am in the minority but I really think that pitchers per plate appearance is going to be our moto this year.

[TooLiveBrew]

I'd sure take that over Estrada in the 5 spot - I never understood that one.

But splitter - Johnny Estrada is a SWITCH-HITTER! WOOT!!1!!!111!

 

I really get the feeling that this is the 'small' move of the offseason, and that the 'big' move is yet to come. Then again, you could just rephrase that sentence with "hope" instead of "get the feeling", to be fair.

 

luke scott, luke scott, everybody luke scott

[RightFieldCoder]

When Counsell bats first and Kendall second let's just call it the L lineup.

[chadomac]

I can deal with this move. Now let's get a solid LF and take over the NL.

[brettac1]

Quick thought: wouldn't Kendall's OBP value be lessened in the 8th spot with the pitcher following? I personally think that if he proves he can post a OBP around .360 he may be valuable in the #2 hole.

 

It's valuable anywhere. I personally like him 8th because there will be fewer GIDP's there. I know people mocked the idea of "turning the lineup over" in the past, but that should be Kendall's main job. Besides, if Weeks hits with the power he did in the last month and a half of 2007, it would be good to have a relatively decent runner in the 8th spot.

[aracko]

Somebody mentioned hitting Kendall 9th..........what are some thoughts on that?

[TooLiveBrew]

That was sbrylski. I really am intrigued by it, but I just kinda feel like the same effect takes place no matter where you slot the P. Basically, where do you want your offensive black hole? Hopefully others that are more well-versed in this can weigh in, but for me it seems like it doesn't matter a whole lot if you slot the P 8 or 9.

 

I like the Kendall - to - Weeks notion, but then what about the Hardy - to - P sequence? Sbryl, if you please...

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[brettac1]

Well, I don't want Hardy hitting second. I'd rather they fill that spot with a trade and hit Hardy 7th or so. If Melvin's going to be steadfast in improving the team's OBP, I hope he gets a guy to hit second that can both draw a walk, or hit an XBH to advance Weeks around the basepaths. With the power Kendall possesses, hitting him second would be the equivalent to hitting Counsell there every day.

[TooLiveBrew]

In my undying quest to will the Crew to add Luke Scott...

 

Luke Scott would fit pretty much all of brettac's goals.

[giffted1]

I'm not too thrilled with the signing. I guess it'll be nice to have a catcher that doesn't run in slow motion. I figure Kendall will probably put up numbers right in between the numbers he put in Chicago and Oakland, which isn't very good. He won't be as useless as he was in Oakland last year, but I think NL pitchers are going to attack him more this year realizing there is basically no chance of him hitting one out.

 

I would have rather gone with a good defense, no offense type of catcher rather than the no defense, little offense type that Kendall is. I guess a one year deal isn't so bad, but if he makes any more than Estrada would have, I'd rather have just gone with Mike Rivera behind the plate this year. Even a very average defensive catcher like Rivera would be a lot better than Kendall, who is the equivalent of netted pitchback that can call a game.

[danzig6767]

I agree with Brett, i'm not a fan of Hardy hitting 2nd unless he gets on base more. We have Braun/Fielder hitting 3rd/4th, they will be RBI machines so long as they have baserunners to drive in. I like Hart hitting 5th, but if Melvin can't find a suitable LF to hit second, i'd bat Hart there.

[crackley]

are we losing a draft pick?

[PeaveyFury]

Nope. The Cubs get a sandwich pick from MLB, but we lose nothing.

[SoCalBrewfan]

Counsell and Kendall

Like Beowulf with Grendel

The lineup to mend all.

Don't throw 'em a curveball

You know it won't end well.

 

ZiPS has Kendall projected at .257 / .332 / .313. Yuck. Of course any weighted system will put a heavy emphasis on his crappy 2007 numbers...if there's some reason to believe his first half was a fluke, you might come to a more optimistic conclusion. I hesitate to indulge in wishful thinking like that, though, just because he's ours...and between him and the pitchers we might continue the days of opposition track meets on the basepaths. I don't know if Kendall has a big platoon split or not, but a RH backup would be very welcome...and Lou Palmisano should be feeling motivated, like there's almost nothing between him and the big leagues.

[areacodes]

I think NL pitchers are going to attack him more this year realizing there is basically no chance of him hitting one out.

This has been thrown out there, I believe, by more than one poster, but it isn't like he ever had a lot of power. I don't know why it would take pitchers over 6 years to figure out he isn't a threat to put one outta the yard.

 

[mrwisconsin]

Jsonline line said there we no better option at catcher out there. I sure hope the Brewer can develop a catcher down on the farm.