Kyle Kendrick

Kendrick was a valuable innings eater for the Phillies last season, but he did little to help fantasy owners in most formats. He works in the high-80s with his sinker and complements that pitch with a cutter, splitter and curveball, but none of those pitches are true plus offerings. Kendrick hit free agency for the first time in his career this offseason, signing with the Rockies on a one-year commitment. Since Kendrick puts the ball in play quite frequently, it wouldn't be a surprise if his numbers dropped off further with the move to Coors Field.

Kendrick was hyped as a bit of a breakout candidate last season after a very strong second half in 2012. He put together a very nice April and a solid first half in 2013, before things started going down hill in July. His year ultimately ended early when he was shut down in September with tendinitis in his right rotator cuff. It is possible that injury was affecting Kendrick for some time before he was diagnosed it. His second-half struggles could also be partially attributable to luck, as his BABIP rose to .368 after the All-Star break. Expectations for Kendrick in 2014 should remain similar to the past. He will be a decent option at times, but his low strikeout rate leaves him susceptible to bad outings.

Kendrick began last season in the bullpen, but injuries and the trade of Joe Blanton to the Dodgers helped Kendrick earn 25 starts. He made the most of his opportunity, especially in the second half of the season where he went 9-4 with a 2.64 ERA. Kendrick finally found comfort with his change-up last season, which helped him bump his K/9 up past 6.0 for the first time in his major league career. If he can maintain that ratio, there is a good chance Kendrick can be a decent back-of-the-rotation starter this season. He's not the kind of pitcher that can anchor a fantasy staff, but he could prove to be a useful matchup play.

Kendrick opened last year slotted into a long relief role, but injuries to Joe Blanton and Roy Oswalt allowed him to make 15 starts for the Phillies. Kendrick was his typical self, relying on his sinker while struggling to rack up strikeouts. He also benefited from a .266 BABIP that will likely correct itself this season. The Phillies have kept him around and expect to have him open the year back in long relief. He will be the first option to join the rotation should injuries strike, but we would be hesitant to roster him unless your ratios can take a bit of a beating.

Kendrick spent the majority of last season in the Phillies' rotation before eventually losing his job to Vance Worley at the end of the year. Kendrick relies on his sinker to get outs and when the pitch is working for him he can be successful. If it isn't, he gets hit pretty hard as he doesn't have the stuff to put hitters away by missing bats. He will be competing with Worley and perhaps a veteran pitcher or two this spring for the fifth spot in the Phillies' rotation. We expect him to earn the job, but recommend that fantasy leaguers avoid rostering him.

Kendrick spent the majority of last season at Triple-A where he was asked to work on adding a changeup to his repertoire. He made some strides with the pitch and found himself back in the majors in August working out of the Phillies' bullpen. Kendrick generally relies on his sinker to get outs and if the pitch is working for him he can be successful. If it isn't, he gets hit pretty hard as he doesn't have the stuff to blow hitters away. The Phillies were likely happy enough with what they saw from Kendrick over the final two months of the season to give him another shot at winning a spot in the back of their rotation this spring.

Kendrick, who served as Philadelphia's No. 5 starter for most of the 2008 season but was stripped of his role in mid-August. He posted an awful 7.59 ERA and 1.92 WHIP in his 12 appearances (11 starts) after the All-Star break and was not given a chance to pitch in the postseason. He'll have a chance to reclaim the No. 5 spot in Philadelphia's rotation, although he'll have to outperform J.A. Happ, Carlos Carrasco and Andrew Carpenter to do so. Given his poor strikeout rate, fantasy owners should probably avoid Kendrick even if he is able to win a spot in the rotation.

Kendrick wasn't scheduled to make his major league debut last season, but the Philadelphia rotation was reeling from Brett Myers' move to closer on top of getting nothing from Freddy Garcia and watching Adam Eaton struggle every fifth day. Despite being thrown into the fire without much warning, Kendrick only had one start that didn't go longer than five innings. He's not really a power pitcher (just 49 strikeouts) but he should miss more bats as he rolls up big league innings. There's a good chance he'll return as the Phillies' No. 4 starter in 2008, but tread carefully here and don't buy into last year's 10-4 record.