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Kendrick reacts to demotion with class
June 12th, 2009, 11:19 pm · 15 Comments · posted by Al Balderas, staff writer
It was the news that no big-league baseball player wants to hear.
Yet moments after Howie Kendrick was told that he was being optioned to the Triple-A level, he broke out his trademark smile and set the record straight.
“We’re trying to win ball games up here,” said the Angels’ second baseman, after Friday night’s 11-6 victory over the Padres. “If they need to make a move to help the team out, I’m all for that. Going to Triple-A is never news you want to hear but I’m going to go down there and try to find out what I need to do to find myself.”
Kendrick had become a mainstay in Anaheim since arriving during the 2006 season. He batted .285 in 72 games that season.
The following season, he batted .322. Last year, .306.
But baseball has a way of turning some of the best hitters into lost souls. Kendrick didn’t need to learn anything about humility yet the game found a way to humble him.
Kendrick’s batting average was .260 after the first month of the season. By the end of May it had sunk to .225. When Kendrick was told of his demotion, his average was at a below-average .231.
“I know I can hit,” he said. “I know I can play this game. Hopefully this will be a reality check for me and get me back to where I ultimately want to be, which is back with this team.”
He seems to be packing the right attitude. He is anxious to find that smooth swing of his, and with the support that he’s getting from his teammates (the ones in Anaheim), it probably won’t be long before he’s informed of his trip back to the bigs.
“I told him about my experiences of getting sent down in ‘97 and ‘98,” said Torii Hunter, who has his locker at Angel Stadium next to Kendrick’s. “Every time I got sent down I got a little more fire. I got upset.
“He got sent out after being here almost two years. This can’t do anything but hopefully (tick) him off and get him a lot more fire and to be a lot more aggressive. He understands that.”
15 Comments
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wow… they actually sent Howie down. if they’re smart, Figgins moves to 2B and Woody plays 3B.
but i bet they’ll just let Izturis play full-time so we can have 3 slap hitters!!!
Of course Howie Kendrick took his demotion with class. That is as much his trademark as his hitting usually is.
I learned what a nice, genuine guy Howie is during one long conversation (I have been doing this a long time, and rarely are my first impressions far off).
That’s why it’s been hard to sit back and read how others have demeaned him for a slow start — something that happens to a lot of players.
The good thing is, when you have a track record like Kendrick’s, usually neither the slump nor demotion are permanent.
What a way for Kendrick to take this, truly professional. Watch him get his eyes and hands working again against AAA pitching, get the confidence back up and really light the fire we all know he has to play this game. It’s no mystery he can hit, and of course he can handle a fastball like the best of them, but I hope AAA pitchers serve him up a lot of breaking and off speed stuff because that’s what I see him struggle with the most. Not only handling it but training the eye to recognize it and the mind to know whether or not it might be coming. Howie’s already set a precedent, .300 hitter line to line with a tad bit of pop, now let’s watch him harness his potential and REALLY come in to his own. Wait him out and he’ll prove himself.
Who is the scapegoat gonna be now?
Probably Vlad, Aybar or — because the meme is developing that he’s moving on — John Lackey. Much more scapegoating to look forward to!
Considering Vlad’s OPS was below Kendrick’s, it’s a safe bet that he deserves negative press daily. I hear daily how Mike Napoli can carry a team when he’s hot, but solo homers combined with a .190 baa w/ risp doesn’t carry anything, especially with this bullpen. That .190 baa w/ risp is 50 points below Horrible Howie.
Kendrick has as many homers as Vlad, Matthews, & Abreu combined. He just suffered from bad luck and a slump, but since when is a #8 or #9 hitter the reason a team’s offense isn’t “clicking”. Scioscia will just plug in an inferior hitter like Izturis, and hope to get lucky. If they can put together 15 hits a game, then by God, who needs any power.
People are down on Howie for one reason, he was horrible in the post season. Whose decision was it to include him and start him in the post season after coming back from injury?
This is the beginning of a 5 game win streak btw.
It’s too bad the Angels do not employ anyone who can help young major leaguers work things out with their swing while in Anaheim. Remind me again which hitter Mickey Hatcher actually made better?
Howie hit the ball harder than anyone during that Tampa series, but apparently he’s the only one that actually faces consequences for any kind of mistake on this team … oh wait, I forgot about Arredondo.
Good for Howie, he is one of the good guys on the Angels and in MLB and I root for him. I do think he has been “soft” at times for not playing hurt but I believe that is more the teams decision than his.
What I find ironic is that the Angels continue to keep crappy players like GMJ and Aybar on the roster while Kendrick was producing more runs. Its a real joke and I wish the Angels would give him a real shot at success.
btw does anyone know when I can get teams records for 2009 when leading after 7 and 8 innings?
Howie’s demotion was more than his batting average. I think it has a lot to do with his attitute and keeping his mind in the game. How many times have we seen him laughing and joking with the opposing players while on base with the team loosing big time.I for one don’t like to see that and to make matters worse he forgets how many outs there are and runs into a double play. I’m sure that does not sit well with the other players or the manager.Time to shoot the bull is before and after the game not during.
Did you miss Aybar laughing up a storm after their loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday after sitting the game out?
Or did you miss Aybar’s tantrum when he didn’t get a chance to complete the cycle in a loss against the Rangers?
Or did you miss his crooked smile after any of his 20 retardo plays this year?
Howie Kendrick didn’t get demoted for smiling or talking to players.
Next time you see our power hitting 3rd baseman strike out, ignore the huge smile on his face as he heads back to the dugout.
ATTENTION MIKE SCIOSCIA……….. Please Mike…..CALL UP BRANDON!!!!!!! Do not think for a second, that because Maicer went 4 for 4 last night, that he is the answer to our offensive problems. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, we beg you, as Angel Fans, CALL UP BRANDON!!!!!!!
According to Scioscia, the plan is to start Izturis at second base for now.
Scioscia is clueless. This is the same manager who thinks Rob Quinlan mashes lefties, and that Speier can get out left handed power hitters
Now send Aybar down and call up Wood. Give Rodriguez and Wood a chance to prove themselves. They finally gave Morales a chance and he’s producing.
Yea lets demote Kendrick and keep Vlad who is just above the Mendoza line as our DH. We should cut his A**, just like he needs to cut his hair!!!!!!