After 17 seasons, Jeff Kent has decided to hang it up. Kent is a potential Hall of Famer who holds a record 351 home runs for a second baseman. Despite his slugging ability, Kent’s intense desire to win and no-nonsense approach to the game often alienated him from teammates, most notably Barry Bonds.
He will retire with a .290 career batting average, 377 home runs, 1,518 RBIs and a .500 slugging percentage. His 351 home runs hit as a second baseman are 74 more than the next closest second baseman, Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg.
The 2000 National League MVP, Kent was a five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger. He drove in more than 100 runs eight times (a record at the position), scored at least 100 runs three times and had at least 20 home runs 12 times. In 2008, he passed Ralph Kiner, Gil Hodges and Carlton Fisk on the all-time home-run list and passed Billy Williams, Dave Parker and Mickey Mantle on the all-time RBIs list. He’s tied with Eddie Murray for 20th on the all-time doubles list with 560
Following the 2008 season, Kent was eligible for free agency and Dodgers management, anticipating his retirement, moved Blake DeWitt to second base after re-signing Casey Blake. DeWitt had replaced Kent at the position after the surgery.
Early in his career, Kent developed a reputation for his work ethic and no-nonsense commitment to winning, although he received at least as much media attention for his intolerance of teammates who didn’t share his intense approach. He had run-ins with Bonds, as well as Dodgers teammate Milton Bradley.
In 2007, he aired his frustration to reporters after the Dodgers had fallen out of the division race and the resulting dust-up fueled stories about a clubhouse divide between old and young players that hastened the departure of manager Grady Little.
In recent years, Kent has been critical of players who used performance-enhancing drugs, while advocating more widespread testing to ensure a level playing field.
Say what you will about Jeff Kent, the guy always had one of the best swings in the league. Up at the plate, he exercised the type of fail-safe mechanics you learn in little league. Growing up as a Dodger fan, I hated facing him on the Giants. I never thought he would strike out. He and (archrival and teammate) Barry Bonds were a pair of Dodger killers. When the Dodgers signed him in 2005, Los Angeles breathed a sign of relief. He continued to be productive until last year, when a knee injury rendered him practically unusable during the postseason.
His persona was somewhat confusing. One could never tell if he sought to emit a positive or negative energy. During Dodger games, he would just sit on his end of the bench and speak to nobody, transfixed on the game in front of him. Nevertheless, the guy always worked a good count and gave everything he had at his position. The fact that he criticized younger players for not trying hard enough and voiced disgust for individuals who used performance enhancing drugs proved his passion for the game. However, the way he addressed his views always came off bitter and uninspiring. No one ever took Kent’s side, not that he cared.
Still, Jeff Kent set the precedent for the power-hitting second baseman. Out of all active players at that position, Chase Utley is the only one likely to break any of Kent’s records. Like Greg Maddux, Kent is retiring before his career could become embarrassing. The way things are looking, he’ll make the Hall of Fame before Barry Bonds, and that has to make him smile.
