The Anaheim Angels drafted Howie Kendrick back in 2002. He made his major league debut with them in 2006. After an impressive 15 year run in the league, Howie Kendrick is hanging up the spikes.
Kendrick spent the majority of his career in Los Angeles where he had his best seasons. One of which included an All-Star Game appearance in 2011. Throughout Kendrick’s career he accounted for a career WAR of 34.7, had 1747 hits, 127 home runs, and a career batting average of .294. Kendrick had a career high 18 HR’s in his All-Star 2011 season. Kendricks career stat line does not define who he was as a player. He was very respected by players and coaches in the league and made an impact in every locker room he stepped foot in. He was one of those gritty, clutch, dependable players that opposing pitchers hated seeing step into the box.
Howie Kendrick will most likely be remembered for his part in the 2019 postseason when he did something that no one has ever done before, which was win a World Series for the Washington Nationals and the people of Washington D.C. Kendrick had an insane postseason, hitting two of the biggest home runs in franchise history. Kendrick’s dramatic grand slam in the NLDS that went dead center over Cody Bellingers head in the 10th inning broke the hearts of every Dodgers fan in the world. It is something that will never be forgotten and should be on every postseason highlight video ever made from now on. Kendrick then went on to be the NLCS MVP when the Nats swept the Cardinals in 4 games. He batted .333 with 4 doubles and 4 RBI’s. Then just when Nationals fans were thinking to themselves, “what else could this guy do in the postseason?”. Howie stepped up to the plate in Game 7 of the World Series and hit an opposite field 2-run HR off the foul pole to give the Nationals the lead, solidifying himself as a Nationals’ postseason legend. The 2019 postseason was no doubt the highlight of his long career.
Howie Kendrick was a very respected player in Major League Baseball and the baseball community is going to miss seeing him play. Congratulations to World Series Champion Howie Kendrick on an exceptional 15 year career.
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