On The First Night Of Hanukkah...

You know how every holiday you get a gift you really don't want? Like a tie, or after shave, or argyle socks? Its a gift that you really don't want but you know, deep down, that it has a small chance of coming in handy some day?

Welcome to the Chicago Cubs, Jason Kendall, the newest nose hair trimmer that Jim Hendry has collected.

Kendall used to be a good catcher. He's not anymore. In fact, if you look at his stats, he's pretty bad. He can't hit. Can't run. Can't seem to walk anymore. I suppose the good is that he can't strke out, either.

Kendall does have one quality that made GM Pro Tempore Lou Piniella desire him.

Jason Kendall is not Michael Barrett.

That's how much Lou hated Barrett. The Cubs were/are willing to go with Jason Kendall, Koyie Hill, Geovany Soto, and Rob Bowen over Michael Barrett.

One hopes that Kendall rediscovers his 2006 season when he posted .295/.367/.342 because this year's .226/.261/.281 is putrid.

Maybe we'll get lucky. Maybe Kendall isn't a can of Simonize. Maybe he's a Big Toe?