With the major league baseball playoffs approaching, and with the Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen sporting more question marks than Frank Gorshin’s old Riddler costume, Mount Vernon’s Kyle Kendrick has pitched himself into the conversation about the team’s postseason roster.
Kendrick has gone 3-1 with a 2.66 earned run average in 23 2/3 innings, which has included two starts and six relief appearances.
Still, he has to be considered a longshot. Even with closer Brad Lidge’s struggles, it’s hard to envision him not making the roster unless he’s injured. Ryan Madson has been the part-time closer, so he’s in. Clay Condrey may be the team’s most consistent reliever, so he’s in, and Chad Durbin, though he has struggled, is a veteran with solid credentials. All four, like Kendrick, are right handers.
Two spots will likely go to lefties. If the team moves rookie J.A. Happ from the rotation, he will get one. J.C. Romero and Scott Eyre could fight for the other one, or both go.
If there is still a seventh spot, Kendrick could be in the hunt. Tyler Walker has pitched well in 32 1/3 innings, and he has closer experience, but has given up two runs without getting an out in each of his past two appearances. Chan Ho Park and Brett Myers, if healthy, are more likely options, but potentially riskier too and neither has pitched in a major league game in the past two weeks.
Kendrick is in the opposite position that he was a year ago. Last year, after holding down a starting spot most of the season, he struggled down the stretch and was left off the postseason roster.
This year, after toiling most of the season in Triple-A, he has emerged in September as one of the team’s most reliable arms. He got the win with three scoreless innings of relief Wednesday in the division-clinching victory over Houston.
Kendrick does have one postseason appearance to his credit, taking the loss in Game 2 of the 2007 divisional series. He allowed five runs in that contest, though three came on a home run after he was removed from the game.
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Kendrick a postseason longshot

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