The Phillies have avoided arbitration with right-hander Kyle Kendrick by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $7.675MM, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter). Kendrick is a client of Relativity Baseball (formerly known as SFX).
Kendrick, 29, looked to be on his way to another strong season at the All-Star break in 2013 when he had an ERA of 3.68. That would've marked his third straight sub-4.00 ERA campaign, but a disastrous second half saw him post a 6.81 ERA, causing his overall mark to ballon to 4.70. Kendrick ultimately finished the season on the 60-day disabled list for shoulder inflammation, which likely contributed to his second-half struggles.
Over the past three seasons, Kendrick has established himself as a solid arm, posting a 4.05 ERA with 5.6 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 456 innings of work. His agents at Relativity did well to secure a $7.675MM guarantee, as MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected Kendrick to earn $6.6MM.
With Kendrick now settled, the Phillies have taken care of their most expensive arbitration case. Their remaining cases — Antonio Bastardo, Ben Revere and John Mayberry — all project to earn $2MM or less, per Swartz.
Ruben Amaro Jr isn’t content with just being the worst GM in the history of baseball. He’s determined to be the worst in the history of American pro sports.
2008
Gillick and Wade
He wasn’t the GM, the Phillies gentle slide into nothingness started in 2009, when Ruben became GM
A Pennant and the best record in the league twice (including most wins in franchise history is nothing?
It’s not his fault Cole Hamels had nothing in 2009 (If Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge didn’t implode they probably win that world series easily), that Oswalt couldn’t get Jonathan Sanchez out in 2010, or that Cliff Lee couldn’t hold a 4-0 lead or that Ibanez’s ball didn’t travel another 5 ft in game 5.
2012 and 2013 are on him for not building deep enough ball clubs. Not winning four straight world series isn’t his fault, history shows it’s pretty hard to do.
2009 the Phillies lacked production in the playoffs and Ibanez was terrible. 2010, it isn’t Ruben’s fault that the guy he traded the farm for couldn’t get a pitcher out? …uh? The same lineup basically from 09-12 that didn’t produce in the playoffs, Rube never thought to touch it, rather make splashy pitching transactions instead while Gillick’s deep club rotted away. Oh and Ruben took a great farm system and made it one of the worst in baseball for Roy Halladay to replace Lee and Roy Oswalt. Awesome. Before Ruben Phillies routinely had one of the best benches and bullpens as well, gone now, well well gone.
In the 2009 WS, the Phillies averaged 4.5 runs a game. While not spectacular, the did have the lead in 2 of the games they lost. And Ibanez was great in those playoffs (7-for-23 in the WS with 5 XBH). Oswalt was amazing down the stretch after the Phillies got him in 2010 (83 IP, 1.71 ERA). He had a bad AB against the pitcher (because his numbers from that series were actually pretty good – 14.2 IP, 1.84 ERA in the NLCS). It’s not a GM’s job to create the best postseason roster. It’s his job to construct the best team. And in 2010 and 2011 – they were. They just weren’t the hot team at the right time.
Oh, and that “great farm” that RAJ destroyed…do you know the numbers there (according to Baseball America)?
2005 – 20th
2006 – 22nd
2007 – 21st
2008 – 22nd
2009 – 12th
2010 – 18th (an exceptionally small drop when you add pieces like Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay)
2011 – 10th (that’s right, they went UP in the standings after trading for Oswalt)
2012 – 27th (the only year he took a hit was when he went all in by getting Pence)
2013 – 24th
And from what I’ve read, we may get back into the teens for this year.
I wish that they acquired more out of Hunter Pence. Look at his numbers from July 2011 to July 2012, they were exceptional. They got a 5th OF, a catching prospect and a non-prospect pitcher.
Same. And I’m not, in any way, shape or form, trying to defend the Pence trade (away). What we got back from the Giants was their #2 overall prospect, a non-prospect, and a 4/5 OFer. Could it have been better to settle for lower ranked prospects, but a bigger quantity? Maybe – but there’s no sure answer.
Ultimately, it comes down to the Phillies not viewing Pence as a guy to “carry” the team – worth the money he made in arbitration in 2013 (I think it was like $14 M) and the contract he signed this year (5 years, $90 M). And as a team who didn’t want to spend extra money on a tax in a year they knew they weren’t competitive, I get why they sent him packing – just don’t like the return they got for him (especially with what they “paid” to get him).
The Phillies wouldn’t have made the playoffs if they didn’t trade for Oswalt. Halladay-Hamels-Oswalt was unhittable and they went on a tear and overtook the Braves.
Oswalt had great numbers that series too it was one bad pitch and they still might not have beaten Cain in game 7. The Giants outplayed and out managed the Phillies. Javier Lopez completely took out Utley, Howard, etc.
… which one of those players that were traded for Roy Oswalt has come back to bite the team? I guess maybe Villar.
He addressed the line up problems by trading for Pence and look how that turned out. Pence was acquired to be a right handed power bat in the playoffs out of fear that Utley and Howard would be shut down again. He tried to bring us a World Series. He didn’t succeed with every move, obviously, trading Cliff Lee for nothing was a mistake.
That was a long time ago. What he did back then doesn’t absolve him of the horror that he has bestowed upon the team in the last 3 off-seasons.
This is not RAJ. This is a bigger indictment of a flawed arbitration process (where people are essentially guaranteed raises if they are tendered a contract).
Who would you rather have on a 1 year $7.5 million dollar deal that can give you 180 innnings and a 3.50-4.00 ERA?
Gavin Floyd at the 4 or 5 million the Braves paid for him would have been good. Or really, the smarter thing to do would have been to avoid the mediocrities like Kendrick & Hernandez altogether and commit the 14 million in savings to a for real #3 starter. You’d still have MAG & Pettibone at 4 and 5.
I like KK. I think he takes a hefty attack that he doesn’t always deserve. But $7.5 M for a 4/5 pitcher is too much. Sadly, nothing RAJ could do because of the arbitration process (want to hold onto a guy like KK, but he “deserved” a raise along these lines – by arbitration standards).
Hey Rangers, you need a starter (who may have to turn into a reliever mid-season), right?
I think the arbitration process is more than fair considering teams get three years of a player at the league minimum.
I think it’s unfair for each side (on a case by case situation). You could have guys like Trout, who are amazing, and making bare bones (compared to other MLB contracts). You could also have guys who are league average and “worth” keeping on your team, but will get a raise whether or not they had a good season (assuming you tender them a contract). I don’t feel bad for the owners/organizations. I just am not a fan of the way the arbitration raises occur (I’d like it if MLB – and all sports, for that matter – went to a pay by performance contract structure, but that will never happen).
I would just rather it be on a year to year basis rather than all of this pre-arb, arbitration stuff. What I would like to see is after your rookie season, you are eligible for a contract depending on how much you deserve it. For example, Cody Asche would probably earn $900,000 for this season and play it out another year. It would really spread out the money to players that deserve it. Not a crazy free agent contract to a guy on the decline.
Headline- Amaro overpaid for a mediocre pitcher.
Hopefully he has a good 1st half so he can have some trade value.
Sadly, this appears to be the new norm for mediocre pitchers who are 3rd time arbitration eligible or FAs. With how much money in baseball there is, it has to either go to the players or owners (because there is no way it would go to the fans) – I guess I’d rather it go to the guys I’m there to see.
Headline – Amaro paid market price for a solid major league pitcher*
Philly got spoiled by 2011.
stop it with the verbal diarrhea and bashing of Phillies fans. He ranked in the bottom 18 percent of qualified starting pitchers in 2013 in WAR, bottom 25 percent in FIP. In 2012 he was bottom 15 percent in qualified WAR. The only value he is accumulating is him throwing innings. Hes not a “solid starter” hes a fringe number 4 and a standard 5. When its all said in done Kendrick probably will have sucked over 20 million dollars out of this organization while performing like any fringe non tender nominee.
Kyle made 25 starts in 2012 because he spent time in the bullpen. Obviously he is going to have a lower WAR. He’s a 1.0-2.0 WAR pitcher. A win is valued at $8 million isn’t it? Then Kyle is worth his money and it’s worth paying him $8 million to have Pettibone in the minor leagues as a #6 starter.
He had a solid stretch from the all star break in 2012 to the all star break in 2013. He had a 2.95 ERA in 6 starts in August of 2012 a 3.48 ERA in September of 2012. He had a stretch of almost an entire season where he pitched like a solid starter and he’s been a better pitcher since he added the change up.
Kendrick’s second half was the result of bad luck on balls in play IMO, he didn’t pitch nearly as bad as the numbers indicate. There were plenty of occasions where he would have a rally start because of seeing eye singles and then extra base hits following. I fully expect him to bounce back and have a season closer to his first half production (when people were calling for a contract extension).
As devil’s advocate – KK is a sinker pitcher who relies on grounders. So he’s going to have some bad luck on a game to game basis. The problem was, he had most of his good luck in the first 20 starts, and most of his bad luck in the last 10. If they would have been like 2 good games, 1 bad game (alternating like that for the season), I don’t think there would be as much of a problem. I don’t know that he’ll ever be the guy we saw in the first dozen starts (with the 3.22 ERA), but I think if he comes back this year and posts a high 3 ERA (in that 3.80-4.10 range), he’ll be worth the deal. It’s just a little high for my liking (which means he probably filed a number over $8 M – because I’m assuming the Phillies filed a number around $6-6.5 M), and by a little high, I mean like $1 M – so I’m just being nit-picky.
Don’t waste your time, this guy is a hardcore Phillies homer
I just don’t see why people are outraged about it I mean I’m not trying to say it’s a bargain but a guy like Mike Pelfrey got a multi year guarantee, odds are they would’ve non tendered him and signed the exact same pitcher.
Over 7 mill for a guy with a 4.70 ERA. Kendrick cant stay consistent. Why pay 7 mill for a 4th or 5th starter? Ruben Amaro thats why.
Crazy market for starting pitching that’s why. Nolasco has an ERA of close to 4.40 yet he’s making over $40 million the next four years.
Guys with similar skill sets are getting multi year deals on the free agent market and Kendrick will get one next year. (look at Feldman).
SHOULDER PROBLEMS.
S H O U L D E R
Amaro should not have walked away from Kendrick, he should have ran!!!!!!
It would be easy to get someone who can put up similar numbers for a lot cheaper. But the Phillies just fall back on the same players instead of looking elsewhere.