Howie Kendrick
by Dewey Finn on Dec 30, 2008 6:55 PM PST
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PrintGood evening everyone,
I was hoping to get some informed opinions from Angels fans of what you expect from Howie Kendrick this upcoming (2009) season. I've always been a fan of his and have patiently awaited a 'breakout'. What kind of numbers do you think he can put up if he is able to stay off the disabled list? I've read many criticisms of his lack of patience at the plate, however, I absolutely love his aggressiveness and think it will be a big reason why he will eventually have .330+ batting average seasons. Too optimistic?
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Seems about right
if he learned to walk he would be a premier infielder.
I brought sexy back, but they only gave me store credit....
if he stayed healthy
.330+ would pretty much be expected. He doesnt walk so by virtue of him swinging at pitches other guys would take for balls, he puts more in play and has a higher average.
Truthfully, if hes NOT hitting around .330, hes disappointing because hits are how he gets on base.
But he also hits a TON of doubles which is why he’s awesome. If healthy, he could even possibly lead our team in extra base hits this year
No, No, No
No #1 – Anyone who EXPECTS Howie Kendrick to hit .330 knows absolutely nothing about baseball. He is a .310 to .320 type of guy. He will NEVER hit .330+ over an entire season.. NO WAY!
No #2 – Anything less than .330 will be a disappointment? Hell I will take 150+ games with .310 and about 30 doubles.
No #3 – He will NOT lead our team in extra bases if healthy. Get a clue.
Light up the Freakin Halo!
well, you sure backed everything up pretty well...so whats to argue! Oh wait...
1. he hit 26 doubles in 92 games last year when he was plagued by injuries. That projects to about 43 doubles in 150 games. And this was in a year when he was in and out of the lineup, in and out of a rhythm. Oh and he was 24.
He was 5th in XBH last year, in those 92 games. My claim that he could lead the team in XBH was obviously an optimistic “best case scenario” of him meeting his Tony Gwynn-like potential as a contact hitter.
Did I mention he was 24 last year? ie: not yet even in his prime.
I thought it was pretty obvious i was stating he NEEDS to hit .330ish due to his lack of walks to have anything close to a passable OBP. Obviously nobody is going to be upset about him hitting .310. I was speaking in terms of his on base percentage.
I’d like to see some actual evidence as to how youre certain a guy who averaged a .360 average over his entire minor league career is incapable of ever hitting .330.
Please, enlighten me. Share some of this in depth baseball knowledge so I can learn from your brilliance.
by ihearhowie2.0 on Dec 30, 2008 10:40 PM PST up reply actions
oh and for me getting a clue
his extra base hits projected to only 150 games from last year(that year he was in and out of the lineup) equaled 51.
So if Howie Kendrick played exactly 150 games last year, his projected stats would have been 10 extra base hits away from leading the team at age 24. With Kotchman (4th) and GA (3rd) both gone from the lineup and Vlad possibly (but not hopefully) declining, I dont see how HK approaching the lead in XBH is so absurd.
by ihearhowie2.0 on Dec 30, 2008 10:50 PM PST up reply actions
"knows absolutely nothing about baseball"
I didn’t realize they taught such advanced computer skills in elementary school.
I can do this!
No # 1 — Anyone who DOESN"T EXPECT Howie Kendrick to hit .330 knows absolutely nothing about baseball. He is a .330 to .350 type of guy. He will ALWAYS hit .330+ over an entire season. YUP!
No # 2 —You’ll take 150+ games with .310 and about 30 doubles? Hell I will take something greater than .330.
No # 3 — He MAY lead our team in extra bases if healthy.
I think it’s a tie.
Saving countless runs with my defense.
by Sam Miller OCR on Dec 31, 2008 8:27 AM PST up reply actions
Hammies
What can a guy do if he knows he’s prone to pulling hamstrings? I’ve heard of football players taking ballet to become more limber. Maybe that’s what Howie needs to do. Like everyone else, I think Howie can hit .330 if he’s healthy. However, that’s what Scioscia has been feeding the media and us fans for years now, so maybe we’re all a little conditioned. What I like best about Howie, injured or not, he wins the award for looking like he’s having the most fun possible on earth.
Don't mess with Teix-ass or Bor-ass!
Howie does look like he's having fun.
Thing is, that’s what I love about Figgy too. And Vladdy.
I don't know...I'm makin' this up as I go.
lock for 320
Howie’s outdone his expected BABIP by around 30~40 points every year in his career, meaning that he is an unique hitter. Although walks are always nice, I wouldn’t necessarily have a problem if he can consistently get on base at around a 370ish clip with his batting average. Given Howie’s peripherals and skillset (above average speed, etc.), I think most of us here do expect him to be able to do this, even though very few players can do so year after year (Ichiro, etc.)
If he could even develop a little power, kinda like that other second baseman in Boston who shall not be named here, he could be an elite player at his position.
visiting halos fan
I know he will hit lots of doubles
I still think expecting him to hit .330 is maybe a bit too optimistic. I would be happy with a .290-.310 average with 38+ doubles, 20+ SBs, with more HR power, and league average to above average defense.
On my sh!* list.
Career playoff offense of 148/143/148 with 8 K’s and 17 LOB in only 7 games, not including boneheaded defense. Until he picks up the entire team for an entire season and carries them back to the playoffs single-handedly, he has not even broke even.
Yeah. Still bitter. It’s a curse.
Let's see him in the playoffs with these two things:
Health and maturity. Howie will rake.
I don't know...I'm makin' this up as I go.
in a full season?
.335/.365/.470
10 HRs, 40+ doubles, 20 SB, with above average defense.
i’d call that upper-echelon.
Kotch would've had that.
By hitting .335 with 40+ doubles
He slugged .450 in 2007 even while hitting for less average (.322) and fewer home runs (5).
You owe me a coke?
"…he has a 2 seam ‘heavy’ fastball that has sink but he does not throw a ‘sinker’." Angel Aviator on Jake Peavy.
by GarretSaysSuckIt on Dec 30, 2008 11:31 PM PST up reply actions
which was my exact thinking
although that was actually supposed to read .450 on the SLG… kind of a typo, although it’s entirely possible.
Kotch would've had that.
by howiestheman on Dec 31, 2008 9:10 AM PST up reply actions
With a boatload of doubles...
10 HR, 50 2B, 500 AB, 150 H = .480 SLG, but for one example.
"…he has a 2 seam ‘heavy’ fastball that has sink but he does not throw a ‘sinker’." Angel Aviator on Jake Peavy.
by GarretSaysSuckIt on Dec 30, 2008 11:30 PM PST up reply actions
+1
Maybe without the steals. Just out of caution, you know? No broken fingers, strained hammies.
Saving countless runs with my defense.
by Sam Miller OCR on Dec 31, 2008 8:28 AM PST up reply actions
im totally fine with that
Scioscia may not be.
Kotch would've had that.
by howiestheman on Dec 31, 2008 9:09 AM PST up reply actions
Howie will be very good
Especially as his plate discipline develops. He will hit over .300 every year and push or surpass 40 doubles.
I don't know...I'm makin' this up as I go.
HK has shown flashes of his potential
2nd half 2007: .357/.378/.476
1st half 2008: .321/.340/.476
It is interesting to note the similarity between 2007 and 2008 in the following:
% of swings taken in which HK makes contact
2007: 76.1
2008: 76.1
% of pitches which HK swings at
2007: 51.9
2008: 52.3
% of plate appearances resulting in a swinging strikeout
2007: 15.6
2008: 15.0
Line drive percentage:
2007: 18.3
2008: 17.4
While he is an impatient hitter, he’s showing some consistent tendencies during the past two years.
"Playoffs?? Don’t talk about — playoffs? You kidding me? Playoffs? I just hope we can win a game!"
by Fan Since 1981 on Dec 30, 2008 9:23 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
I still have high hopes for Howie
but the fact that his BA and OBP are nearly identical still bothers me a lot.
by Chzburger Jones on Dec 30, 2008 9:24 PM PST up reply actions
Thank You
Lower your expectations of Howie Kendrick people. I like him, but his is not a star! He is an above average talent.. at best, who can’t stay healthy.
Light up the Freakin Halo!
Great insight
I think Howie is one of those hitters that Hatcher’s philosophy really works for.
I don't know...I'm makin' this up as I go.
Trade Hatcher + Howie and fillers
to St. Louis for Pujols. They need a 2B upgrade over Adam Kennedy and we could use a 1B.
XD
by Chzburger Jones on Dec 30, 2008 11:58 PM PST up reply actions
Not enough
Add in the negotiation rights to Costen Shockley.
by George Kaplan on Dec 31, 2008 6:37 AM PST up reply actions
just to throw this in the howie discussion
one of my buddies works at a custom car shop and a few months ago howie brought in a classic truck to be worked on and he and my buddy became pretty good friends. apparently howie is the nicest/coolest guy ever and i should be getting an autograph soon :)
Mike Scioscia For President
Get off Howie's back guys...
He will be THE premiere second baseman in baseball by age 27, if not sooner!
Be proud he is an Angel folks!
Kotch and Marek for Teixeira...hmmm, what a deal! Or NOT!
Autograph Signing About 1 Month Ago in Huntington
Howie was there. Word is that he has been hitting the weight room hard, as in like all day every day. He is BUFF.
Got mine last year and then...
a few days later he goes on the DL. I wanted to trade back. He could have the autograph back if it meant his hammies healed. Didn’t take me up on it.
: )
you have this guy’s autograph? Deal!! In fact, you can keep Resop’s in exchange for paying for shipping. I will trade HK for the Generalismo straight up…
I guarantee nobody thinks about Howie's performance in the postseason more often than Howie.
I don't know...I'm makin' this up as I go.
I expect...
Howie to get injured, solely based on his past.
I would love to see him have a great 1st half so that we can trade him for a bat.
When I'm not at the stadium, I'd rather be watching my Halos back in Costa Rica!
by Dono Romantico on Dec 31, 2008 12:30 PM PST reply actions
Howie IS a bat.
If we trade for a bat, my guess is that we trade arms and prospects.
I don't know...I'm makin' this up as I go.
One side benefit of having had Tex. . .
Mickey Hatcher made some of our more free swinging hitters (Howie included) watch what Teixeira was doing at the plate as far as setting pitchers up and being more selective.
Now, I am not saying that this will turn Howie into a walk machine, but if he could learn to lay off breaking balls in the dirt, it will have been worth it.
His woes in the post season were about having no timing and wanting to do too much. If he can stay healthy (do the Halos have a yoga instructor on staff?) he will have numbers similar to a young Kirby Puckett (who only started to hit for power later in his career, but was always a fantastic line drive/doubles hitter).
If you don't remember when there weren't rocks in center field, you might not be a real Angels fan.
Howie is a freak
…and in a good way.
I wish I could find the link, but I read an article about him last year on some stats-oriented fantasy site (if someone remembers where, please post?). He’s walked like five times in his life, so he’s not a patient hitter, and we all know that. The thing is, guys who never walk are usually contact hitters who also never strike out, but Howie does, about 17% of the time. How is this a good thing?
It means he’s unique. Guys who never walk but have only average contact rates usually don’t stay in the majors, let alone bat over .300 every year. His doubles rate also compares favorably to the rate at which several HOFers hit doubles at the beginnings of their careers. And doubles power usually translates into at least some home run power eventually.
Projections just won’t work on this kid, because he’s just about the only one of his kind right now. His effectiveness will fluctuate wildly because he depends on BABIP to get on base, which has a large element of randomness, but fluctuating wildly isn’t such a bad thing if it means hitting between .310 and .360 in any given year. I’m a big advocate of the Angels improving their plate discipline as a team, but I’m willing to make an exception in Howie’s case. No one can really say where he’s going, but he’s promising enough to worth spending another year on. Maybe he’ll hit .350 with 50 doubles and win a batting title. But if swings at balls that bounce in front of the plate in the playoffs again, I might change my mind.
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