KENDRICK Comfortable Hitting Anywhere

Discussion in 'Los Angeles DODGERS' started by irish, Dec 21, 2014.

  1. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    Howie Kendrick Comfortable Anywhere In Batting Order
    by Matthew Moreno | Dodgers Nation -- December 21, 2014

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    On the surface, the Los Angeles Dodgers have traded in offense to improve defensively this winter. Gone are Dee Gordon and his MLB-best 12 triples and 64 stolen bases; Matt Kemp’s power and post All-Star Game .971 OPS; and Hanley Ramirez’s .369 on-base percentage, .448 slugging percentage and .817 OPS — categories in which he led all shortstops.

    While Howie Kendrick, a new face to the Dodgers, doesn’t have Gordon’s speed or Kemp’s power, he’s a competent batter who will be counted on to fill the offensive void that’s been left. Given that the Dodgers lost multiple bats in the order, it isn’t yet clear where manager Don Mattingly will insert Kendrick into the lineup.

    That isn’t a concern of Kendrick’s, however. “I don’t get offended by being one, eight, nine,” he said Friday while also mentioning he finished last season batting cleanup. “As long as you’re playing, that’s all that matters.”

    Throughout his nine-year career with the Angels, Kendrick has hit at least .304 when batting sixth, seventh or eighth. A breakdown of his career splits is provided below, with Kendrick’s stats when batting ninth omitted due to his moving to the National League.

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    Last season, Kendrick first, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh in the Angels’ order. His best slash came in 39 games (161 plate appearances) as the cleanup hitter — .320/.366/.513 with four home runs and 28 RBIs, both of which were his best totals among the spots in the lineup he hit from.

    Where Kendrick spent the most time in Mike Scioscia’s lineup was batting fifth (57 games, 243 PA). In those instances, Kendrick slashed .308/.358/.406 to go with two home runs and 21 RBIs. Given Jimmy Rollins’ and Yasiel Puig’s presence on the team, Kendrick doesn’t figure to bat first or second in the order for the Dodgers.

    A more likely scenario has the 31-year-old second baseman batting cleanup behind Adrian Gonzalez, which will give the Dodgers alternating left and right-handed hitters through the first four spots in the order; Rollins being the wild card as a switch hitter and potential leadoff man.

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  2. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    just a gut feeling...
    but i think howie has a career year in 2015
     
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  3. back2back x 2 + 1

    back2back x 2 + 1 DSP Legend Damned

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    yes, anywhere close behind AGon ( no homo)
     
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  4. VRP

    VRP DSP Legend

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    I'd bet Donnie hits him 2nd
     
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  5. Bluezoo

    Bluezoo Among the Pantheon

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    Donnie will hit him , initially anyway, where he is least effective. Until DBB is smacked and told to "wake up".
     
  6. BlueMouse

    BlueMouse 2020 World Champions

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    Only primadonnas care about the batting order number next to their name. Kendrick's attitude shouldn't be something refreshing and different, it should be expected.
     
  7. back2back x 2 + 1

    back2back x 2 + 1 DSP Legend Damned

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    :golfclap:
     
  8. THINKBLUE

    THINKBLUE DSP Gigolo

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    I was gonna say the same thing.
     
  9. IBleedBlue15

    IBleedBlue15 DSP Stud

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    2nd basemen always bat 2nd.
     
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  10. N.Z

    N.Z DSP Legend

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    Need him to bunt Rollins over with Gonzo coming up so they can IBB him. Baseball 101.
     
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  11. jpldodgers

    jpldodgers DSP Legend Staff Member Moderator

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    Hopefully he's comfortable hitting in the playoffs.
     
  12. KOUFAX0000

    KOUFAX0000 DSP Legend Damned

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    Well said.:thumbsup:

    [​IMG]
     
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  13. KOUFAX0000

    KOUFAX0000 DSP Legend Damned

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    Unless you're named Lopes.
     
  14. doyerfan

    doyerfan MODERATOR Staff Member Moderator

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    My early, early take on a lineup guess would be:
    Rollins
    Kendrick
    Puig
    Adrian
    Grandal
    CC/SVS
    Uribe
    Joc
    God
     
  15. N.Z

    N.Z DSP Legend

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    Stating the obvious, but last years lineup shits all over that.
     
  16. back2back x 2 + 1

    back2back x 2 + 1 DSP Legend Damned

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    last year's lineup got shit on when it mattered most.
     
  17. CapnTreee

    CapnTreee Guest

    Kendrick batting ANYWHERE will be just fine... he's a solid player who doesn't give a shit about which slot he's in and as noted above is a strong middle to late lineup batter
     
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  18. TheKnockdown

    TheKnockdown DSP Legend

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    Agree with this but watching that d handle ground balls sucked.
     
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