On this day in 2007, the Brewers signed veteran catcher Jason Kendall to a one year, $4.25 million deal with a vesting option for 2009. He was coming off a pretty poor 2007 season, where he hit .242/.301/.309 in 137 games split between the Cubs and A's. Those numbers weren't an aberration: Kendall had a .325 slugging percentage over the last three seasons.
As a Brewer, Kendall continued to be a non-contributor offensively. He hit .244/.329/.315 in two seasons in Milwaukee, but that didn't keep him from playing nearly every single day. Kendall set a Brewer franchise record by catching 149 games in 2008, making enough appearances to earn an extra million dollars in contract incentives and vest his 2009 option at $5 million.
Following the 2009 season, Kendall left the Brewers as a free agent and signed with the Royals. He's still only 37 and a free agent this winter but he missed the entire 2011 season with a shoulder injury, so his future is uncertain at this point.
With help from the B-Ref Play Index, happy birthday today to 2003 Brewer Enrique Cruz. He turns 30.