Say what you want about Kendall...

[dew1679666265]

I've already agreed with that. You haven't directly addressed whether or not you agree that it is more accurate to assess players by the OPS rather than their OBP, even if they do not hit for power. Would you like to do that?

 

Looking at OPS tells you how good a player is overall. It tells you how well he can slug, get on base, etc, all combined into one nice little number. But, when you want to see what a player can do good specifically, you need to look at more than just OPS. That's why I keep quoting his OBP.

 

If you understand a player is not going to hit for power of any real type (Kendall), OPS will tell you much of what you already know. We are quite aware Kendall has never and will never hit for power. But, he's been historically excellent at getting on base and put up a .367 OBP last year.

 

Therefore, if we were looking at re-signing him for next year or trying to evaluate how much to give up for him in a trade, I'd look at OPS first. But, when looking at his contribution to the team that he is currently on, I think it's acceptable to focus on his OBP when it's well known he won't slug.

[Guest]

Its just a little hard to believe we can't get similar production from a catcher that can play defense and is a lot cheaper.

[TruffleShuffle]

I wouldnt mind seeing him resigned to a 1 year deal next year and have him and Soto share the catching time.

 

Oh good Lord no. Catchers tend to decline quickly, usually in their early to mid 30s, and Kendall has shown signs of falling off a cliff this year. He's going to be downright awful in the next year or two.

[dew1679666265]

Its just a little hard to believe we can't get similar production from a catcher that can play defense and is a lot cheaper.

 

Soto's not that much cheaper. We're paying Kendall in the area of $900,000 this year and Soto's making what? $300,000 - not a significant savings.

 

Plus, Soto's been average at best every year in the minors except this year - when ALL numbers are up in the PCL. Ronny's numbers were quite good in Iowa this year too after being mediocre in past minor league years and he hasn't torn it up for the big league club.

 

Soto could be better, but it's definitely no guarantee. I wouldn't have been completely against giving him the shot before Kendall and I wouldn't be against replacing K. Hill with Soto now, though.

[Sarcastic]

I definitely wouldn't support resigning Kendall due to his age and declining performance. I don't think Soto is the answer for the Cubs at the catcher's position, but he has to be the fallback option for the team in 2008.

[dew1679666265]

I definitely wouldn't support resigning Kendall due to his age and declining performance. I don't think Soto is the answer for the Cubs at the catcher's position, but he has to be the fallback option for the team in 2008.

 

I agree with all of this. I'm not sold on Soto being able to be much better than a better Blanco back there (which would be fine as a backup or fallback option), and I am adamantly opposed to Kendall returning next year.

[rocket]

Face it guys, Kendall is one of those veteran guys that some people are never going to give a chance (i.e. Grudz, Karros, Jones, Marquis, Lilly, Howry, etc.) Kendall could raise his avg. to 330 with a .400 OBP for the rest of the year, and people would still long for Soto.

 

who's complaining about lilly and howry?

[dew1679666265]

Face it guys, Kendall is one of those veteran guys that some people are never going to give a chance (i.e. Grudz, Karros, Jones, Marquis, Lilly, Howry, etc.) Kendall could raise his avg. to 330 with a .400 OBP for the rest of the year, and people would still long for Soto.

 

who's complaining about lilly and howry?

 

Haven't seen any complaining about Lilly since he signed (though there was plenty then).

 

There have been a few people talk about how terrified they are every time Howry takes the mound - primarily during game threads - and then synergy's post about how Howry needs to be DFA'd.

[CyHawk_Cub]

If I said what I wanted to about Kendall, I'd be banned from this forum..

 

 

I keed, I keed... He has turned it around lately.

[TruffleShuffle]

i'd sure rather have kendall's dink and dunk singles than soto, who's hitting a home run every game for iowa

[Sammy Sofa]

i'd sure rather have kendall's dink

 

Man, what do you know that we don't?

[SouthSideRyan]

Face it guys, Kendall is one of those veteran guys that some people are never going to give a chance (i.e. Grudz, Karros, Jones, Marquis, Lilly, Howry, etc.) Kendall could raise his avg. to 330 with a .400 OBP for the rest of the year, and people would still long for Soto.

 

who's complaining about lilly and howry?

 

Those guys over there. The one made of straw.

[dew1679666265]

i'd sure rather have kendall's dink and dunk singles than soto, who's hitting a home run every game for iowa

 

The problem I have with Soto is that he's never begun to come anywhere near close to this kind of production. I realize he could be having a breakout year, but with production up all across the Iowa team and seeing Cedeno put up incredible numbers just to continue struggling up here, I wonder if this is real from Soto or an anomaly.

 

I would have been ok sticking with Soto, but I fail to see how it's a terrible crime to go with Kendall - who's getting on base for us right now - over Soto - who could be great, could be awful. I especially don't see how you can assume Soto is going to produce in Chicago the way he currently is in Iowa.

[USSoccer]

I said this when we traded for Kendall, and I'll say it again:

 

If our catchers are going to suck offensively, they'd better be able to play defense. Kendall seems unable to play his position with any effectiveness.

 

We can't have teams taking free bases at will like they are doing. Throwing out 6% or whatever it is of baserunners is beyond pathetic.

[CubColtPacer]

I said this when we traded for Kendall, and I'll say it again:

 

If our catchers are going to suck offensively, they'd better be able to play defense. Kendall seems unable to play his position with any effectiveness.

 

We can't have teams taking free bases at will like they are doing. Throwing out 6% or whatever it is of baserunners is beyond pathetic.

 

The thing is-your assumption at the beginning of the post is not completely correct. Kendall's OBP with the Cubs is over .365. There are 6 catchers out of 50 in the major leagues with 100 AB's that have that number. He is not playing terribly offensively. So-do the Cubs ride out his hot streak and take his defense with it, or do they make a move even when he's doing well offensively?

[E.J.]

I said this when we traded for Kendall, and I'll say it again:

 

If our catchers are going to suck offensively, they'd better be able to play defense. Kendall seems unable to play his position with any effectiveness.

 

We can't have teams taking free bases at will like they are doing. Throwing out 6% or whatever it is of baserunners is beyond pathetic.

 

The thing is-your assumption at the beginning of the post is not completely correct. Kendall's OBP with the Cubs is over .365. There are 6 catchers out of 50 in the major leagues with 100 AB's that have that number. He is not playing terribly offensively. So-do the Cubs ride out his hot streak and take his defense with it, or do they make a move even when he's doing well offensively?

 

Opposing players are running at will against him. We can't keep giving other teams 2nd and 3rd base. Kendall hasn't made a good throw yet. There are kids in high school that have a better chance at throwing guys out.

[USSoccer]

I said this when we traded for Kendall, and I'll say it again:

 

If our catchers are going to suck offensively, they'd better be able to play defense. Kendall seems unable to play his position with any effectiveness.

 

We can't have teams taking free bases at will like they are doing. Throwing out 6% or whatever it is of baserunners is beyond pathetic.

 

The thing is-your assumption at the beginning of the post is not completely correct. Kendall's OBP with the Cubs is over .365. There are 6 catchers out of 50 in the major leagues with 100 AB's that have that number. He is not playing terribly offensively. So-do the Cubs ride out his hot streak and take his defense with it, or do they make a move even when he's doing well offensively?

 

It depends on if his defense begins to cost us more runs than his offense will likely generate.

 

His Cubs numbers are with small sample sizes, but his season totals indicate to me a below average offensive player. I have no faith in his ability to put up a .365 OBP over the last 2 months of the season, and even if he does, if he's giving up 4 extra bases per game, is it worth it? Would Soto give you a better overall value?

 

I have a feeling that Soto would be a better overall fit. I also have a feeling that we'll not be finding that out.

[CubColtPacer]

I said this when we traded for Kendall, and I'll say it again:

 

If our catchers are going to suck offensively, they'd better be able to play defense. Kendall seems unable to play his position with any effectiveness.

 

We can't have teams taking free bases at will like they are doing. Throwing out 6% or whatever it is of baserunners is beyond pathetic.

 

The thing is-your assumption at the beginning of the post is not completely correct. Kendall's OBP with the Cubs is over .365. There are 6 catchers out of 50 in the major leagues with 100 AB's that have that number. He is not playing terribly offensively. So-do the Cubs ride out his hot streak and take his defense with it, or do they make a move even when he's doing well offensively?

 

Opposing players are running at will against him. We can't keep giving other teams 2nd and 3rd base. Kendall hasn't made a good throw yet. There are kids in high school that have a better chance at throwing guys out.

 

The Cubs faced the #1 and #2 teams in stolen bases in the NL. That magnified the problem. Many of the teams the Cubs have left on their schedule (Houston, Pittsburgh, St. Louis) do not run much at all.

 

Also, I'm not sure any catcher could really increase the CS percentage that much. Soto made 2 very good throws to try to nail runners while he was here, and he was late each time. The pitchers are really bad at holding runners on, and that is the biggest part of the problem. That's why the Cubs have had 6 catchers run through the organization this year while not being able to find anybody that can throw runners out. If you think about it, who on the starting staff can hold runners even decently? Zambrano-that's about it.

[dew1679666265]

I said this when we traded for Kendall, and I'll say it again:

 

If our catchers are going to suck offensively, they'd better be able to play defense. Kendall seems unable to play his position with any effectiveness.

 

We can't have teams taking free bases at will like they are doing. Throwing out 6% or whatever it is of baserunners is beyond pathetic.

 

The thing is-your assumption at the beginning of the post is not completely correct. Kendall's OBP with the Cubs is over .365. There are 6 catchers out of 50 in the major leagues with 100 AB's that have that number. He is not playing terribly offensively. So-do the Cubs ride out his hot streak and take his defense with it, or do they make a move even when he's doing well offensively?

 

It depends on if his defense begins to cost us more runs than his offense will likely generate.

 

His Cubs numbers are with small sample sizes, but his season totals indicate to me a below average offensive player. I have no faith in his ability to put up a .365 OBP over the last 2 months of the season, and even if he does, if he's giving up 4 extra bases per game, is it worth it? Would Soto give you a better overall value?

 

I have a feeling that Soto would be a better overall fit. I also have a feeling that we'll not be finding that out.

 

Kendall put up better than a .365 OBP over the course of the entire season just last year - .367. He's also trending the exact same way he did the past two years - terrible in the first half, good to very good in the second half.

 

I don't see how it's all that unlikely at all that he could post a .365 for the final 2 months. Especially since, I believe, he put up almost a .400 OBP in the second half last year.

[Derwood]

up to .267/.365/.356 with the Cubs. Good? no. better than his 1 for 15 start? Yeah

[dew1679666265]

up to .267/.365/.356 with the Cubs. Good? no. better than his 1 for 15 start? Yeah

 

Better than anything we've been putting behind the plate this year.

[moorecg]

up to .267/.365/.356 with the Cubs. Good? no. better than his 1 for 15 start? Yeah

 

What'd he be at if you chalked up the first 2 games of that 1-5 start as flying accross country and getting situated with a new team?

 

probably pretty solid.

[C.C.]

Just looking at Barrett stats with San Diego is scary. What happened to this guy?

[TheDude]

Shelton looked like ARod for a month last year too, I wouldnt' judge a player by a two week sample of stats. Kendall is still a weak hitting catcher who can't throw guys out, eventually his stats will show that. He supposedly calls a good game so at least he has that going for him.

 

The thing is, Kendall was lambasted around here for his Cubs start (1 hit in first 15 ABs), and Soto chants have been relentless.

 

I think this thread is just correction for fans appreciating Kendall's recent performance, and there is nothing wrong with a little positive energy. Yes his OPS as a Cubs is still only .721, but it's a hell of an improvement over Hill or Bowen.

 

And while the team has only played 5 games in August, that August line of .357/.471/.571/1.042 looks like shiny candy compared to the rest of the year.

[RyCubsFan]

Shelton looked like ARod for a month last year too, I wouldnt' judge a player by a two week sample of stats. Kendall is still a weak hitting catcher who can't throw guys out, eventually his stats will show that. He supposedly calls a good game so at least he has that going for him.

 

The thing is, Kendall was lambasted around here for his Cubs start (1 hit in first 15 ABs), and Soto chants have been relentless.

 

I think this thread is just correction for fans appreciating Kendall's recent performance, and there is nothing wrong with a little positive energy. Yes his OPS as a Cubs is still only .721, but it's a hell of an improvement over Hill or Bowen.

 

And while the team has only played 5 games in August, that August line of .357/.471/.571/1.042 looks like shiny candy compared to the rest of the year.

 

 

I appreciate Kendall's ability to get on base (even if he hasn't done so much of the year). I agree that he'll probably get on base more than any other option the Cubs have a catcher. However, he has two major problems:

 

1. He has no power.

2. He has no arm.

 

It just so happens that Soto has nearly 20 homeruns in AAA, and he has a decent arm. While Soto probably won't get on base as much as Kendall this year (and that's debateable), he will hit a few more homeruns. That power is desperately needed in our lineup right now. I'd go with a Kendall/Soto tandem, and I'd try to send down Hill. If we lose him, we lose him...