The Los Angeles Dodgers are getting the band back together in 2016. The club has reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with second baseman Howie Kendrick pending a physical, confirmed by Yahoo Sports' Tim Brown.
From a performance standpoint, the move makes sense. Kendrick is about as consistent as they come at the plate. Over the past five seasons, he's posted batting averages between .285 and .297, and on-base percentages ranging from .325 to .347. That level of certainty is valuable, and makes Kendrick a upgrade over the Dodgers' current options at the position.
The move does create somewhat of a quandary for new manager Dave Roberts, though. Kendrick should be the every day starter, and that moves both Chase Utley and Enrique Hernandez to the bench. Given his age and production, the 37-year-old Utley was likely going to be a part-time player in 2016 anyway, but now it might be harder to find playing time for him.
The 24-year-old Hernandez impressed in a small sample last season, and probably deserves to prove himself this year. With Kendrick back, that's much more difficult. Hernandez can play multiple positions, but he's not going to start at short or third, and won't displace any of the team's current starters in the outfield. His versatility should still make him a useful player, but he probably loses the most from the signing.
Having three players who can play the same position isn't a bad thing. The bigger challenge will be trying to keep everyone happy while splitting up playing time. Egos have played a big role with the Dodgers over the past few seasons, and may led to coaches being fired and players being shipped out in trades.
Utley, Hernandez and Kendrick don't have those types of reputations, but the logjam could still create some issues for Roberts. From an on-field standpoint, the Dodgers are a better team with Kendrick back. Now. it's up to Roberts to make every thing work in the clubhouse.
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