Saturday, May 12, 2007 |
Howie Swingin' It Good In The PCL
Howard Kendrick barely nicked the first pitch he'd seen in three weeks, gave his head a quick shake then stepped back into the box.Moments later, a familiar "whack" reverberated around Franklin Covey Field as line drive followed line drive. It wasn't taking long for the Los Angeles Angels' second baseman to shake the rust off his bat.
"Batting practice is a lot different than hitting in a game," Kendrick said.
Kendrick makes it look easier than most. He was hitting at a .369 clip for Salt Lake (20-15) in 2006 before finishing the season with Los Angeles.
"When you have the mechanics of a good swing, you're going to hit," Salt Lake manager Brian Harper said. "He looked like his hands felt good."
Kendrick, who was hitting .327 for the Angels early in 2007 before getting hit by a pitch and fracturing a bone in his left hand, was on the Salt Lake bench for Friday's 3-2 PCL loss to Memphis (18-18), before 5,187. Kendrick is scheduled to take hitting and fielding practice before playing a few games for the Bees.
"I used it all day today," he said of the hand. "It felt good. There's a little soreness. Hopefully, it will feel good tomorrow.
"It's tough when you can't pick up the bat. The only way only way [to get in game shape] is to get into games, that's why they sent me down here."
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