Home » Jason Kendall rejoins the Pirates as a mentor to minor leaguers: ‘I’m back home’

Jason Kendall rejoins the Pirates as a mentor to minor leaguers: ‘I’m back home’

Jason Kendall is back with the Pirates.

Well, not quite officially. Not yet. The team hasn’t announced the hire and Kendall said he’s not even sure what his title will be, but Saturday he’ll drive from Pittsburgh to Altoona to begin his job mentoring the club’s minor leaguers.

“Put it this way, you’ll see me around,” Kendall said with a smile.

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Kendall’s top task will be working with catcher Henry Davis, the Pirates’ No. 1 prospect, who this week was promoted to Double-A Altoona. Last month, as sort of a trial run for his new gig, Kendall spent three weeks tutoring Davis at High-A Greensboro.

“If I can put a little bit of Jason Kendall in Henry Davis, I’ll be in a good spot,” Davis said on the night of his Altoona debut.

On Thursday, Kendall stepped onto the grass at PNC Park for the first time in a dozen years. A first-round pick in 1992, Kendall was the Pirates’ catcher for nine seasons (1996 to 2004) and played 15 years in the majors. He was a three-time All-Star and ranks sixth all-time with 2,025 games caught. After retiring as a player, Kendall spent seven years as a special assignment coach with the Royals.

Kendall, who’ll turn 48 next month, recently decided he’s ready to get back into the game. And, as he told The Athletic during a one-on-one conversation Thursday, there is only one place he wants to be.

“I’m back in Pittsburgh,” Kendall said. “Back where I belong.”

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You played for the Pirates, A’s, Cubs, Brewers and Royals. You’ve settled in Kansas City with your wife and four kids. Why come back to Pittsburgh?

It just feels like I’m back home. This is the team that drafted me. This is the city that watched me grow up through good times and bad times.

I’ve had other opportunities to get back in the game. I had great experiences with other organizations. When Kansas City won the World Series, I was part of that and it was neat to watch those guys jell. I know that this group of … I wouldn’t say kids … this group of men is talented, and I know the minor-league system is very talented. I want to be a part of something that is a huge part of me in some way that makes sense. I could have gone to other places, but this is where I belong.

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Willie Stargell would always come up and pop me in the side before games. Willie told me — and it might sound corny, but it’s true — he’d say, “You’ll win a championship here. If you don’t do it as a player, come back and win it in some other (role).” That always stuck with me because Willie was Pittsburgh baseball.

It’s exciting to be here today because I haven’t been here in a while and I haven’t seen all the new things. PNC Park is just as gorgeous as it was when it first opened. Obviously, outside, it’s different. But this stadium is the best in the game, without a doubt. I got goosebumps just walking up the steps (onto the field).

It feels like your homecoming with the Pirates is overdue. The previous front office wasn’t interested in making it happen. What changed to make it happen now?

When I was with Oakland, (Pirates farm director) John Baker was a catcher there, too. We’ve always kept in touch and had a good relationship. I know what he’s built with this organization in the minor leagues. It’s good, and you can see that it’s coming on.

I had a fun little run with Kansas City. I’ve had the past two years to watch my kids grow up. My dad (Fred, a former big leaguer) was gone when I was in high school, so I always told myself if I had a chance to watch my kids, I’d take it. I was fortunate enough to make some money (as a player). My dad had to work construction jobs, UPS, whatever, when he wasn’t playing.

My sons are graduating (from high school), my daughter’s a freshman and I have an unbelievable wife at home. They’re all kind of pushing me to get back in. Maybe they’re sick of me. (Laughs) No, no, they know that this is what I do. And I always said if I do get back in, I need to go back home to Pittsburgh.

How is your role with the Pirates going to work?

I’m gonna float around (the farm system). I’m not ready to do it eight months out of the year because it’s a grind and I already did that for a long time. Whatever information I can give that might help somebody, I’d be ready to (offer) it. It makes you feel good. I don’t ever want any credit or anything because my time (as a player) is over. But it’s neat to see some of what you say play out on the field.

I told the Pirates whatever they want me to do, I’ll do it. I’ll go down and watch minor-league teams and certain players. Catching is what I know, but I also can talk to the kids as someone who’s been there, done that.

Starting catcher Roberto Pérez is out with an injury, so if you want to strap on the gear tonight …

Eh, I don’t think so. The reason I retired was I couldn’t throw anymore. I’d had two surgeries, kept trying to play and then they told me the next surgery was gonna be for a metal shoulder. So the throwing part won’t work. (Pauses and laughs) But, maybe I could give them a couple of innings.

Davis said you and he “didn’t talk about swing mechanics or catching and whatnot” in Greensboro. What kinds of things have you two discussed in those mentoring sessions?

One thing I always took a lot of pride in was my body language (when) catching. You’re the only person that everybody — and I’m talking about your teammates — can actually see. So your body language goes a long way, even if you’re not knowing it. If your body language is bad, it’s going to filter down to the rest of the guys out on the field. So you have to be on an even keel. You have to be the guy who’s like, “All right, we’ve got this.” You have to have that confidence or whatever you want to call it.

I grew up in a baseball family, so I kind of knew all that going into it. But those are things that you need to teach the minor-league kids instantly. Henry’s gonna go through the ups and downs of calling the games and having good games and bad games. It’s more just the approach that he has, doing it on a daily basis and doing it to help everybody around him as well.

He’s going to be a good one. I’m really, really excited to watch him here. I watched him quite a bit over the last three weeks. You can see him getting better and more confident. It’s a day in, day out grind, as we all know, but he’s gonna be good.

I remember meeting Davis for the first time after the draft. I saw that square jaw, that body type, that no-nonsense approach and the first person I thought of was you.

People ask me who he reminds me of, and I have to say he does remind me of me sometimes. But another thing I told Henry was, “Always be your own person.” I will say, he’s not afraid to get hit-by-pitches. He’s a tough kid and he loves to play the game. I noticed that the first day I saw him.

There are only three players that I, when I saw them play for the first time, I honestly said, “That guy is gonna be good.” I said that about Ryan Braun, Eric Hosmer and Whit Merrifield. I truly feel that way about Henry Davis, too.

You always kind of epitomized a certain style of play. Some of that was from being the catcher and some of it was how you carried yourself in the clubhouse. Do you see some of that in this Pirates team?

I do see that attitude. I think to play this game, you have to have some type of attitude, some type of edge. I see that — right here, right now. And getting the experience that they’re getting now, getting their feet wet … (winning) is gonna happen real soon. This team’s gonna be one of the best in this game. I really believe that just from what I’ve seen so far, both here and in other organizations.

It’s fun watching them play. Talent-wise, they’re gonna get there, but it’s fun watching them play right now. I know that if you win in this city, people are going to come, so it’s neat to see things going in that direction. This team’s gonna be fun to watch for years to come. And the bottom line is, they’re gonna win. This city deserves that.

When we talked a couple of years ago, you seemed surprised when I mentioned you still held the record for the largest contract in Pirates history. That changed this year on Opening Day. Have you had a chance yet to congratulate Ke’Bryan Hayes on his eight-year, $70 million deal?

No, I haven’t run into him yet because I’ve been so busy. But it’s funny because I played with his dad (Charlie Hayes) here, well, at Three Rivers Stadium. (Ke’Bryan) is as good as they get and he’s gonna be another good one for a long time.

It’s gotta be neat to be able to bring your son Kuyper back here all these years later.

It is. I remember the WWE Big Show was here on one of the days that I brought him to the ballpark and (wrestler) Paul Wight held Kuyper in his hand. I don’t think Kuyper was even 1 year old yet. Now, he’s 18 and he’s gonna go to Washburn University to play baseball. He’s a middle infielder — doesn’t want to catch, and that’s all right with me. He can hit and he can pick it.

(Photo: Courtesy of the Pittsburgh Pirates)