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Cubs just got Jason Kendall!
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:40 am
by 2poor
Cubs.com wrote:The A's on Monday traded veteran catcher Jason Kendall to the Chicago Cubs, MLB.com has learned.
Kendall wasn't in Oakland's starting lineup for the opener of a three-game series against the visiting Texas Rangers on Monday, nor did he join the team for batting practice. Several sources confirmed that he was in the A's clubhouse, showering and packing for a flight to Chicago, where the Cubs are hosting the Giants in a four-game series.
Contacted by phone early Monday evening, A's general manager Billy Beane confirmed the deal but would not reveal the name of the player being acquired in exchange for Kendall. MLB.com has learned that the player is a Minor League left-handed pitcher.
Beane said the decision to deal Kendall wasn't easy given Kendall's rapport with Oakland's promising collection of young pitchers, headlined by Dan Haren, Joe Blanton and Chad Gaudin, but noted that rookie Kurt Suzuki appears ready for "baptism by fire."
"We've always been an organization that's given young guys a chance, and we think Kurt deserves a chance right now," Beane said of Suzuki, who was batting .269 in 10 games with Oakland through Sunday.
"And at the same time, this gives Jason, whom I have nothing but respect for, a chance to go somewhere he can play every day -- and play for a very good team with a good chance of making the playoffs.
"I think this works out well for both sides."
Acquired in a November 2004 trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kendall batted .271 in his first season with the A's and batted .295 in 2006 while helping Oakland reach the American League Championship Series by hitting .323 with 50 runs scored in 70 games after the All-Star break.
Scheduled to make more than $13.4 million this season -- the Pirates are reportedly paying $5 million of it -- in the final year of his contract, Kendall was batting .226 with two homers, 26 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .261 through Sunday.
link
Should be in uniform tomorrow night.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:42 am
by Howling Mad
Woooooooohooooooooooooooooooo
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:42 am
by Jo Jo English
Nice. This will add a very dependable bat to the lineup. Nice move Hendry.
Was Bowen all they gave up?
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:43 am
by Gene
A minor league prospect, I didn't catch his name.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:43 am
by SportsWorld
Bye Rob Bowen! Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:44 am
by Gene
Yeah Bowen was pretty rotten.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:45 am
by fins1
nice pick up. They also gave up a minor league pitcher.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:49 am
by 2poor
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:52 am
by SportsWorld
It wasn't such a bad trade. Just another veteran bat.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:54 am
by 2poor
name confusion.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:55 am
by MickeyDavis
33 years old batting .226, 2 HR's, 22 RBI's. Congratulations.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:57 am
by Howling Mad
MickeyDavis wrote:33 years old batting .226, 2 HR's, 22 RBI's. Congratulations.
Is that smiley face choking?
Didn't expect a comment like this from a mod. But hey choke away smiley face.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:58 am
by SportsWorld
MickeyDavis wrote:33 years old batting .226, 2 HR's, 22 RBI's. Congratulations.
Better than anything we have now.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:59 am
by 2poor
He's having a down year, but I'm confident that a change of scenery and a return to the NL will do him some good. Sure as hell is better than our other options at catcher right now...and last I checked, ex-Pirates have done us some good.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:02 am
by Howling Mad
Career .298 hitter
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:07 am
by 2poor
Okay, I think we got the names mixed up.
Jerry Blevins.
http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/pl/460/460283.html
I still like the deal, he doesn't seem like anything too special at this point, but so far he's having a good year.
Blevins, a 6-foot-6 left-hander, was 3-2 with a 1.02 ERA for Class A Daytona and Double-A Tennessee this year, appearing in 38 games.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:08 am
by 2poor
BTW, Kendall is hitting about .300 over his past 25 games, so we're getting him while he's hot.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:09 am
by Howling Mad
2poor wrote:We didn't give up a promising young prospect or anything.
Check this out:
Two days after signing C Joe Girardi, the Yankees send back-up catcher Jim Leyritz to the Angels in exchange for minor leaguers Ryan Kane and Jeremy Blevins
Date: December 5th, 1996
Its Jerry Blevins and a 1.44 era with 174 so in 149 innings is real real real good.
Please god don't let this haunt us.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:11 am
by 2poor
I think we'll be alright. 17th round pick, not the first promising young pitcher that has come up through our system, and certainly not the last.
I'm excited for Kendall.
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:15 am
by Howling Mad
Don't let the adrenaline confuse your judgment 2poor we let guys like this go all the time and then BAM it smack us in the face.
