Howie Kendrick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Howie Kendrick |
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Kendrick with the Nationals in 2019
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| Second baseman | |||
| Born: July 12, 1983 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 26, 2006, for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 5, 2020, for the Washington Nationals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .294 | ||
| Home runs | 127 | ||
| Runs batted in | 724 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Howie Kendrick (born July 12, 1983) is a former American professional baseball player. He was an infielder, meaning he played positions like second baseman, first baseman, and left field. Howie played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB). These teams included the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Washington Nationals. He was a very important player for the Nationals when they won the 2019 World Series. In 2011, he was chosen to play in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. After he stopped playing, he became a special assistant for the Philadelphia Phillies' general manager.
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Howie's Early Life and Baseball Start
Howie Kendrick grew up in Callahan, Florida, with his two sisters. His grandmother raised them while their mother was serving in the US Army. When Howie was 12, he moved in with his mother. Later, he lived with another family.
Howie went to West Nassau High School in Callahan. He was smaller than many other players, standing about 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing around 110 pounds. He didn't play for special "travel ball" teams. College recruiters didn't show much interest in him at first.
How Howie Got Discovered
Howie went to St. Johns River Community College in Florida. There, he was named the Conference Player of the Year. A scout for the Angels, Tom Kotchman, found him by chance in 2002. The scout was amazed by how well Howie hit the ball. He couldn't believe other scouts had missed him!
Howie's Professional Baseball Career
Playing for the Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim picked Howie in the tenth round of the 2002 MLB draft. Experts at Baseball America said he was the best young player in the Texas League in 2005. They also called him a top prospect in 2006.
Howie played his first MLB game on April 26, 2006, as the Angels' starting second baseman. He got his first hit on May 1. His first home run was on July 26. That season, he hit for a .285 batting average with 4 home runs.
Howie even had a funny moment with actor Ben Affleck during a game! A foul ball went into the stands, and Howie caught it before Ben Affleck could. Fans cheered Howie and booed Ben! Howie's picture even appeared in People magazine because of it.
Howie became the Angels' main second baseman in 2007. He continued to hit well, batting over .300 in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, he struggled at first and was sent to the minor leagues. But when he came back, he played much better, hitting .358 in the second half of the season.
In 2011, Howie started playing other positions, like first base and left field, in addition to second base. He was chosen to be an American League reserve player in the 2011 MLB All-Star Game. He joined two of his teammates at the game in Phoenix, Arizona.
In 2012, Howie signed a new four-year contract with the Angels. He had a strong season, hitting .287 with 8 home runs. On July 30, 2013, he got his 1,000th career hit! He had an even better year in 2013, batting .297 with 13 home runs. In 2014, he hit .292.
Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers
In December 2014, the Angels traded Howie to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He got a hamstring injury in August 2015, which bothered him for the rest of the season. He played in 117 games that year and hit .295.
Howie re-signed with the Dodgers in 2016. He played mostly in left field but also spent time at third base and first base. He played in 146 games and hit .255.
Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies
Howie was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in November 2016. In April 2017, he had to go on the disabled list because of a strained abdomen.
Playing for the Washington Nationals
On July 28, 2017, the Phillies traded Howie to the Washington Nationals. On August 13, Howie hit his first grand slam, which was a walk-off hit in the 11th inning! He finished that season batting .293. He mostly played left field.
He signed a new two-year contract with the Nationals. In May 2018, Howie tore his Achilles tendon, which ended his season early. He still hit .303 in the games he played.
In 2019, Howie played in 121 games. He had a great batting average of .344 and hit 17 home runs, which was his second-highest total ever. He mainly played first base.
Howie's Big Moments in 2019
On October 9, 2019, in Game 5 of the National League Division Series, Howie hit a grand slam in the 10th inning. This gave the Nationals a 7-3 lead, and they won the game! This win sent them to the National League Championship Series. It was only the second extra-innings grand slam in MLB postseason history.
In the National League Championship Series, Howie played incredibly well. He hit 4 doubles and had 4 RBIs as the Nationals swept the St. Louis Cardinals in four games. Because of his amazing performance, he won the National League Championship Series MVP award!
In Game 7 of the 2019 World Series, Howie hit a go-ahead home run. This home run helped the Nationals win 6-2, giving them their first championship ever! Howie also won the 2019 Heart and Hustle Award.
Howie became a free agent after the 2019 season. But he signed a new one-year deal to stay with the Nationals. In the 2020 season, which was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he hit .275. He became a free agent again after that season.
On December 21, 2020, Howie Kendrick announced that he was retiring from professional baseball.
Howie's Life After Playing Baseball
On November 16, 2021, Howie Kendrick was hired by the Philadelphia Phillies. He became a special assistant to the General Manager, Sam Fuld.
Howie's Personal Life
Howie Kendrick married his wife, Jody, on January 6, 2007. They have two sons and live in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Howie enjoys collecting vintage watches. He is also a big fan of photography and uses Leica cameras.
