Trade for Howie Kendrick (NJH)

[Laika]

This will be the first of many offseason threads where I'll take a stance and advocate for the Blue Jays to make a specific move.

I may not actually think Toronto should make every move, but I'll lay out the case for it in order to generate discussion.

 

Toronto should trade for Howie Kendrick

Ken Rosenthal tweeted today that the Dodgers are exploring trades for Howie Kendrick and focusing on short term upgrades. Rosenthal reports that Kendrick "grew tired" of his role with the Dodgers last year.

 

Jon Heyman reported that Kendrick's preference is to be traded, and to be traded into a more regular playing time situation.

 

Last year with the Dodgers Kendrick had just a 91 wRC+. He accrued just 0.9 fWAR, appearing 94 times in the OF and 60 on the infield. Kendrick played games at LF, 2B (his native position), 3B, and 1B.

 

Kendrick has been a much better player in his career than he showed in 2016. As a prospect he was pegged as a "future batting champion." This never came true, but he does have a career 106 wRC+ buoyed largely by good basic hitting skills and a .289 batting average. He has amassed 27 WAR in his career. In 2015 he was worth 2.2 wins and in 2017 Steamer projects him to be worth about 1.56 wins.

 

(as an aside - very similar player and skill-set to Devon Travis).

Kendrick is owed $10M in 2017 - he signed a two year, $20 deal with the Dodgers last offseason.

 

In 2017, when the qualifying offer is $17.2M, $10M is not a large investment. If Kendrick can find his way into the Blue Jays lineup every day and play to his projected talent then he'd be worth that money.

 

Toronto currently has holes in both corner outfield spots. Kendrick does not have much outfield experience but LF was his primary position last year with the Dodgers and he was decent defensively according to the metric. He had a +4.3 UZR/150 in 675 innings in LF. In his long career at 2B Kendrick has been a +4 defender by UZR/150, although he was below average in limited innings at 2B last year and below average in a starting role the year before.

 

Height Doesn't Measure Heart, but it might have something to do with Devon Travis' durability. In the last two years with the Blue Jays the diminutive second baseman has suffered multiple serious injuries to his upper and lower body. In both years Toronto has had to turn to inferior 2B options in the playoffs and the results have been predictably bad. Insuring the position with a veteran like Kendrick would be a luxury.

 

The role for Kendrick out of spring training would likely be as a LF. Perhaps this would be in a platoon (Kendrick's preference for a full-time role is irrelevant.) It's not hard to envision a scenario where he gets a lot of time at 2B though.

 

On the team level, it can perhaps be argued that Kendrick's offensive profile provides a bit of a counter-balance to the low average, high strikeout ways of the 2016 Blue Jays hitters. I wouldn't put too much value on this line of thinking though. Teams just need good hitters, and good players, period. That includes role players and depth players. Toronto's offense was very good last year all things considered. The team just gave a few too many PA away to role-players who aren't good (Goins+Upton+Carrera+Smoak = 1000 PA and -0.4 fWAR.) Build a better bench, Shatkins.

 

And that's the bottom line with Kendrick. Veteran depth and positional flexibility.

 

What would he cost? It shouldn't be much. Considering his contract there isn't much surplus value here and the Dodgers, if they re-sign Turner, probably have more attractive starting options at all of the relevant positions. In the OF alone they have Pederson, Puig, Toles, Ethier, Thompson (and some other options.) I think Toronto could maybe get Kendrick for a song if they assume the money. A reliever with options. What's Ryan Tepera's fastball spin rate, anybody know?

 

They should trade for him.

[G-Snarls]

How good is he in LF and how long since he played there regularly

 

Edit: skipped the part where NJH addressed this directly. My bad.

[G-Snarls]

Trade 4 Cutch

 

(kidding. He'd cost 5 times the prospect capital)

[Abomination]

I wouldn't be opposed to it if the cost is low, but I think I'd rather trade for Ethier (which would likely require basically no return and some money eaten). The extra protection at 2B would be nice however.

[TheHurl]

How good is he in LF and how long since he played there regularly

 

Mods!

 

Toronto currently has holes in both corner outfield spots. Kendrick does not have much outfield experience but LF was his primary position last year with the Dodgers and he was decent defensively according to the metric. He had a +4.3 UZR/150 in 675 innings in LF. In his long career at 2B Kendrick has been a +4 defender by UZR/150, although he was below average in limited innings at 2B last year and below average in a starting role the year before.

 

Nice well thought out post NJH. I await the rest of the series.

[Angrioter]

I want him

[KingKat]

Since I now own Hendrick in LOD, I am a fan of this move but more to the point, I got this update on the Kendrick situation from them.

 

Kendrick, who's traditionally played second base, wasn't pleased with his role over the course of the 2016 season. Rather than start at second, the Dodgers primarily started Kendrick in left field and gave him occasional chances to play around the infield. Although the Dodgers are shopping Kendrick around, the 33-year-old's performance at the plate certainly didn't make a case to improve his trade value.

 

 

[KingKat]

Beggers can't be chooser but I wonder how many 2B PAs the Jays can offer a guy like Kendrick? Rotate him and Travis through 2B and DH as a way of going easy on the oft injured Travis?

[Laika]

Beggers can't be chooser but I wonder how many 2B PAs the Jays can offer a guy like Kendrick? Rotate him and Travis through 2B and DH as a way of going easy on the oft injured Travis?

 

I wonder if the Braves would trade their gold glover Inciarte for Travis.

 

Same amount of control remaining (4 years).

 

Braves had basically the worst offense in baseball. Inciarte projects for an 89 wRC+, but 2.1 WAR. Travis should hit better and produce a similar WAR. He could probably hit 2nd or 5th in their lineup.

 

Of course I'm looking at rosterresource right now and they have Ozzie Albies in AAA so I guess they wouldn't do this.

[Jonn]

We already have young Howie Kendrick.

[KingKat]

I wonder if the Braves would trade their gold glover Inciarte for Travis.

 

Same amount of control remaining (4 years).

 

Braves had basically the worst offense in baseball. Inciarte projects for an 89 wRC+, but 2.1 WAR. Travis should hit better and produce a similar WAR. He could probably hit 2nd or 5th in their lineup.

 

Of course I'm looking at rosterresource right now and they have Ozzie Albies in AAA so I guess they wouldn't do this.

 

Maybe I'm over valuating Travis but in vacuum this doesn't really seem appealing to me at all.

[burlingtonbandit]

I'm not confident in his ability to play 2nd base to have him there, and I don't like the bat for LF. His defense has been pretty bad for 2 years now and for a guy turning 34 in July I don't expect it to get any better.

 

Certainly am not moving Travis to accommodate him.

[Joshtowers]

who are we trading to get howie kendrick?

 

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/yea-k.gif

[Laika]

Maybe I'm over valuating Travis but in vacuum this doesn't really seem appealing to me at all.

 

Depends on how you evaluate Travis' injuries. Do you dock his projected production at all? How much?

 

I feel like I think I'd do it. Inciarte is quite good at baseball. 3.60 fWAR / 600 PA in his career so far. UZR steady as can be, in Pillar territory.

Not quite as productive as Travis has been when healthy though.

 

I'd sign/acquire a big gross home run statue for one of the corners and call the outfield done.

[burlingtonbandit]

Factoring defense I don't see him as much of an upgrade over Darwin Barney ( can play SS, 2B, 3B even LF) to be worth 10 million.

[Laika]

The thing with Travis' injury history isn't the simple occurrence of injuries. Break a leg here, dislocate a shoulder there - it happens. It's a sport.

 

No, it's HOW he got injured. This guy destroyed his shoulder and his knee in the most mundane ways possible. He doesn't even remember what he did to his knee. He got like, hit with a grounder on the collar bone IIRC? Kind of nuts. Mr. Glass?

 

[BTS]

If he didn't like his role in LA he probably wouldn't like the role he'd have here. Most likely scenario would be that he plays a lot in LF, fills in at 2B when Travis is on the DL, and plays some 1B. Not a bad super-utility type as long as LA sees him as a salary dump, but if he's unhappy with that kind of role he's probably not a fit.

[saskjayfan]

Let's go with Pompey and use that cash somewhere else please

[BTS]

Let's go with Pompey and use that cash somewhere else please

 

Well, there are like 4 holes in the team's current lineup rotation.

[Joshtowers]

Let's go with Pompey and use that cash somewhere else please

 

I'm sorry to say but Pompey isn't very good. Don't see this guy as a everyday outfielder.

[KingKat]

Depends on how you evaluate Travis' injuries. Do you dock his projected production at all? How much?

 

I'm not super comfortable decking him right now. Seems premature but I base that on little more than a hunch. I really don't know how to evaluate injuries. I don't know at what point you just assume it's just not going to get better. Obviously it's been pretty bad so far and yet emotionally, I'm not there yet. I'm still in early stages Brandon Morrow honeymoon territory.

 

All that being said, given the presence of Pillar, given the position Travis plays, I'm pretty meh on this unless there's some huge imperative to cash Travis in but even in the later case, you're trying to dupe someone into acquiring damaged goods. Shop him too aggressively and I would think other FO's get pretty suspicious.

[RealAccountant]

Do you guys think Travis can smoothly convert to being a LF

[Sammy225]

Ya i don't think after 1-1/2 season of being called up a showing what he has it is hard to ditch the kid because of a couple injuries. Travis has the potential to be the top of the order bat and your likely to sell off on him at a lower value then what he could potentially be worth considering how much he is getting paid.

 

I think you ride him out next year 1 of 2 things can happen.

 

A) He stays healthy and puts up a solid season

He has injury issues again then you think about making other options.

[KingKat]

Ya i don't think after 1-1/2 season of being called up a showing what he has it is hard to ditch the kid because of a couple injuries. Travis has the potential to be the top of the order bat and your likely to sell off on him at a lower value then what he could potentially be worth considering how much he is getting paid.

 

I think you ride him out next year 1 of 2 things can happen.

 

A) He stays healthy and puts up a solid season

He has injury issues again then you think about making other options.

 

There's not really much downside to riding it out with Travis. He's provided nearly 5 WAR over two seasons in spite of all the injuries and he's done so for peanuts both in terms of salary and acquisition cost (Gose). Unless the injuries take a turn for the catastrophic, they don't really get in the way of him providing value and if it turns out that his injury history is more blip than ongoing trend, the upside is pretty fantastic. All this at a position where there aren't any major alternatives on the horizon (sorry Goins fans).

[TheHurl]

There's not really much downside to riding it out with Travis. He's provided nearly 5 WAR over two seasons in spite of all the injuries and he's done so for peanuts both in terms of salary and acquisition cost (Gose). Unless the injuries take a turn for the catastrophic, they don't really get in the way of him providing value and if it turns out that his injury history is more blip than ongoing trend, the upside is pretty fantastic. All this at a position where there aren't any major alternatives on the horizon (sorry Goins fans).

 

I like the idea of finding insurance for Travis over trading him for similar value. But I agree with NJH that there has to be another option on the roster for when Travis has his next DL stint. I go back to my 4 year (play on repeat) suggestion of Luis Valbuena. Looked solid at 1B, can back up at 3B and 2B, isn't disgusting at DH. Left Handed bat and no pick attached to him. If you can get any sign that his hamstring surgery was successful, he is a fit for this lineup (even if we bring EE back).

[BTS]

I like the idea of finding insurance for Travis over trading him for similar value. But I agree with NJH that there has to be another option on the roster for when Travis has his next DL stint. I go back to my 4 year (play on repeat) suggestion of Luis Valbuena. Looked solid at 1B, can back up at 3B and 2B, isn't disgusting at DH. Left Handed bat and no pick attached to him. If you can get any sign that his hamstring surgery was successful, he is a fit for this lineup (even if we bring EE back).

 

I keep looking at Valbuena, for all the reasons you list. I'm not sure how capable he is at 2B, but he's fine at 3B and 1B, and the bat plays at DH vs. RHP. I'd probably also be inclined to see how well he handles a corner OF spot.

[Sammy225]

I keep looking at Valbuena, for all the reasons you list. I'm not sure how capable he is at 2B, but he's fine at 3B and 1B, and the bat plays at DH vs. RHP. I'd probably also be inclined to see how well he handles a corner OF spot.

 

f*** it lets sign Desmond....I feel we owe him a little bit for letting that Tulo ball drop in the outfield in the DS he can be our everything

[jays_fever]

f*** it lets sign Desmond....I feel we owe him a little bit for letting that Tulo ball drop in the outfield in the DS he can be our everything

 

What would you feel comfortable giving him though? 4/70?

 

IMO he's a pretty good bet to provide more value than Bautista over the next 3 years

[gruber92]

What would you feel comfortable giving him though? 4/70?

 

IMO he's a pretty good bet to provide more value than Bautista over the next 3 years

 

I'd give Desmond 4/70 in a heartbeat.

[Spanky99]

The thing with Travis' injury history isn't the simple occurrence of injuries. Break a leg here, dislocate a shoulder there - it happens. It's a sport.

 

No, it's HOW he got injured. This guy destroyed his shoulder and his knee in the most mundane ways possible. He doesn't even remember what he did to his knee. He got like, hit with a grounder on the collar bone IIRC? Kind of nuts. Mr. Glass?

 

 

lol