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I have written many times about my respect for the management team of GM Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo. I’ve never really considered D’backs owner Ken Kendrick on that same level. Kendrick has mostly been on my radar as the guy arguing for public money to upgrade Chase Field and lightly threatening to relocate the team if he doesn’t get it. Kendrick has, however, mostly kept his team’s payroll ranking at or above the level of his team’s market score (18th in the current CBA). He authorized a top-15 payroll last year, including those Rodriguez and Montgomery contracts, even knowing his team wouldn’t have a local-TV deal, and has followed up now with the Burnes signing. The Burnes contract is the largest commitment made this winter by any team with an uncertain local-TV situation. In a moment when so many owners are sitting on their hands, and many have at least some argument for doing so, Kendrick is writing big checks.
