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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Howie Kendrick stated this months ago: He鈥檒l be ready for spring training.
He said it toward the end of last season. Kendrick was walking gently at that point, just a few months out from a surgery to repair his torn Achilles tendon. On May 19, Kendrick was on the seat of his white pants on the warning track. He no longer had control of his foot. Kendrick knew the year was over.
Various members of the Nationals would mention him the rest of the season. Davey Martinez always added Kendrick if someone rattled off the list of injured players and forgot to include the 35-year-old. Mike Rizzo brought it up in public and private. Gone was a veteran who could play two infield positions and left field, as well as handle any situational hitting in his 13th season. Gone was a veteran who would use directness in the clubhouse when necessary. Both became factors in a middling season.
鈥淲hen Howie was available and playing every day, he was doing really well,鈥� Martinez said. 鈥淚 could hit him anywhere in the lineup — at second, at first, at outfield. He was doing really well. But, what people don鈥檛 realize, is Howie in that clubhouse is the constant. He鈥檚 the guy where if he thinks something is not right, or you didn鈥檛 do this, you didn鈥檛 do that, he鈥檇 be the guy to say, 鈥楬ey, you鈥檝e got to be the guy to run the balls out. Let鈥檚 go.鈥� Or if he鈥檇 see somebody down, he pats them on the back.鈥� C鈥檓on, man. Let鈥檚 go. We鈥檒l get this done.鈥� But he was that constant guy.鈥�
Kendrick鈥檚 back now, like he said he would be, taking ground balls at second base along with newly signed Brian Dozier during the Nationals鈥� first full squad workout of spring training Tuesday. Kendrick worked in Arizona last season and in the offseason to get to this point. He followed protocols from the Nationals鈥� medical staff and his personal trainer, helping Kendrick evolve from scooter-dependent to walking slowly to running to sprinting. Once in West Palm Beach, he was unrestricted, as promised.
鈥淓verything has been good,鈥� Kendrick said. 鈥淚 told them last year when I left, I told them my goal is to be ready for day one of spring training, and I’ve been running for about three weeks now, sprinting and stuff, simulating running the bases and things like that.鈥�
Rizzo entered the offseason by saying the team was comfortable with a platoon of Wilmer Difo and Kendrick at second base. He later signed Dozier to a one-year deal, chasing the pop of his bat and expecting a bounce back season. Dozier is right next to Kendrick in the clubhouse. The move pleased Kendrick. It could have irritated him because of its clear influence on his playing time.
鈥淲e’re trying to win ball games, I don’t really think about it,鈥� Kendrick said. 鈥淚 know Brian, I played against him over in the AL. He’s a great player, great defender, a lot of power, you know I’m excited to have him here. My role on this team hasn’t changed, I’m going to play everywhere like I did in the previous couple years, and you know I look at it like that. The at-bats I get are the at-bats I get, I’m not here to complain about anything, I’m here to play baseball, try to help guys get better and try to win ball games.
鈥淎t the end of the day I think that’s really important. As far as Dozier, he’s the second baseman. Guy can play.鈥�
Kendrick鈥檚 time in the game is dwindling. He鈥檚 coming off major surgery. The market for 36-year-old second baseman/outfielders is extremely limited. If others value what Martinez and Rizzo do, maybe Kendrick finds another contract, which prevents him from graduating to full-time coach status for his kids. In the interim, he鈥檚 healthy in West Palm Beach.
Read more Nationals鈥� spring training coverage .
