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Jason Daniel KendallAmerican Major League Baseball catcher
Date of Birth: 26.06.1974
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Jason Kendall
Jason Kendall is an American baseball catcher currently playing for the Kansas City Royals in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was born on June 26, 1974, in San Diego, California. His father, former catcher Fred Kendall, played in the major leagues from 1969 to 1980.
Kendall attended Torrance High School in California, where he set a national record for hitting in 43 consecutive games. In the 1992 MLB draft, he was selected in the first round (23rd overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He made his debut in the major leagues in 1996.
In his rookie season, Kendall achieved a .300 batting average, earned a spot on the National League All-Star team, and was named the National League Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News. He finished third in the MLB Rookie of the Year voting. Kendall also became an All-Star in 1998 and 2000.
In 1999, Kendall suffered a season-ending injury when he dislocated his ankle while running to first base in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers. On May 20, 2000, Kendall became the first player from the Pittsburgh Pirates to complete the cycle at Three Rivers Stadium, hitting for a single, double, triple, and home run in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
On November 18, 2000, Kendall signed a six-year contract extension worth $60 million, making him the second-highest-paid catcher at the time, behind Mike Piazza. In 2002 and 2005, he recorded his best at-bats per strikeout ratios, with 18.1 and 15.4 respectively. From 2002 to 2004, Kendall led all catchers in the major leagues.
In the 2004 season, Kendall was traded from the Pirates to the Oakland Athletics. In 2005, he struggled on the field, posting the lowest slugging percentage (.321) among all major league players. His batting average of .271 was the second lowest of his career. He also allowed 101 stolen bases, the most by any catcher in the league.
In 2006, Kendall made his first postseason appearance when the Oakland Athletics reached the American League Division Series. He recorded his first playoff hit in the series against the Minnesota Twins.
In 2007, Kendall was traded to the Chicago Cubs. During the season, he had his lowest on-base percentage (.261) and second lowest slugging percentage (.281), even lower than rookies in the league. He allowed 111 stolen bases, the most by any catcher in the league.
On November 21, 2007, Kendall signed a one-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2008, he prevented approximately 40% of stolen base attempts. He received a premium deal with the Brewers after appearing in 110 games in the 2008 season and remained with the team in 2009.
On May 18, 2009, Kendall celebrated his 200th career hit, becoming the eighth catcher to achieve this milestone. In the same year, he had the lowest slugging percentage (.305) among catchers in the league and failed to outperform any rookie in this category. In his two years with the Brewers, Kendall had a batting average of .244, an on-base percentage of .329, and a slugging percentage of .315.
On December 11, 2009, Kendall signed a two-year contract with the Kansas City Royals. In September 2010, he underwent shoulder surgery for a torn rotator cuff.
