Ned Yost media session: September 1, 2010

Kendall out for the year

Catcher Jason Kendall is out for eight to ten months with an extensive tear in his right rotator cuff.  Kendall has been playing through the pain for about six weeks.  Dr. Neal Elallatrache will perform surgery on his right shoulder Friday in Los Angeles.  The hope is for Kendall to be ready toward the end of Spring Training 2011.

Yost, a former catcher, says he is amazed by Kendall’s toughness and that he played with the injury for an extended period of time.  He talked about Kendall throwing out two baserunners on Saturday in Cleveland, though the catcher could barely raise his arm.  Kendall would have played through the injury, but the training staff recommended against it.

Brayan Pena and Lucas May will both see playing time at catcher, though Yost was not ready to name a full-time backstop.

Fields ready for KC debut

Josh Fields is back with the club after rehabbing from right hip surgery.  Yost will use Fields at third base but does not expect to play him at first base or in the outfield.

Meche in the pen

Gil Meche is also back with the club tonight after being activated from the D.L.  Meche is set to make his first bullpen appearance since 2005.  Yost said that Meche could see action tonight.  He will hold the right-hander to no more than two innings and will not have Meche pitch on back-to-back days this year.  Yost does not have a definite pitch count for Meche, but it will likely max out in the 40-pitch range.  Meche will only be used at the start of an inning, not in situational work.