SPRINGDALE — Catcher Jason Kendall needed just two games, three at-bats and two throws to second base to realize he’d had enough.
Kendall announced his retirement Tuesday afternoon at Arvest Ballpark, just four days into a rehab stint with the Class AA Northwest Arkansas Naturals. The announcement ended Kendall’s 15-year major league career, which was cut short by a right shoulder injury that required two surgeries over the past two years.
Kendall last played in the major leagues in August 2010 with the Kansas City Royals. He was attempting a comeback with the Royals after missing all of 2011 and half of this season because of the shoulder injury.
Kendall went 1 for 2 Friday in the Naturals’ 6-3 loss to the Springfield Cardinals, his first minor-league game in 17 years. He went 0 for 1 against Springfield in his next game Sunday but felt pain in his shoulder while testing his arm. Two players stole second base in the first three innings against Kendall, who was charged with an error on the second attempt.
“I’m done,” Kendall said. “I’m going to go home and talk to my kids. I found out some things I needed to find out over the weekend. My arm didn’t bounce back like I thought it would.”
Tuesday’s news conference was called to mark Kendall’s first home game with the Naturals, but Kendall informed Naturals Manager Brian Poldberg of his decision to retire shortly before the news conference.
“I went to throw today and I felt that burn in my shoulder again,” Kendall said. “When I felt that burn, that’s when I told Poley.”
A three-time National League All-Star with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kendall batted at least .320 with 22 or more steals each year from 1998 to 2000. He missed half of the 1999 season after sustaining a compound fracture in one of his ankles, but bounced back to hit .320 with a career-high 14 home runs the next year.
Kendall has served in an unofficial advisory role with the Royals in Kansas City for most of this year and said he plans to continue doing so for the rest of the season.
At a glance
AGE 38 POSITION Catcher MAJOR-LEAGUE SEASONS 15 CAREER STATS .288 batting average, 75 home runs, 744 RBI, 2,195 hits, 189 stolen bases. MAJOR-LEAGUE TEAMS Pittsburgh Pirates, Oakland A’s, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals NOTEWORTHY Last appearance in the majors came in August 2010, when he was sidelined with a should injury that required two surgeries. ... Fifth on the major-leagues’ career list for games played by a catcher (2,205). ... Threetime National League All-Star. ... In 1998, hit .327 with 12 home runs, 75 RBI, 95 runs scored and 26 stolen bases while playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates. ... Hit .256 with 37 RBI in 434 at-bats for Kansas City in 2010.
Sports, Pages 23 on 07/25/2012