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The Chicago Cubs have acquired disappointing A's starting Catcher Jason Kendall from Oakland in exchnage for Catcher Rob Bowen and minor league lefty Jerry Blevens. Kendall is on the last year of his contract, which pays him 13.4 million dollars. Kendall is clearly well past his prime with his .226 average and his awful .261 OBP. But after trading malcontented backstop Michael Barrett to San Diego (in a deal involving Bowen) Chicago didn't really have a reliable Catcher, having to play the likes of Geovany Soto, Paul Bako, and Koyie Hill. This gives the Cubbies some stability behind the plate for the stretch run. Oakland not only sheds a bad salary, it gets a solid hitter in Bowen, who could fill the gap until minor league prospect Kurt Suzuki is fully ready to lead the A's into battle. Kendall could join Chicago as soon as Tuesday night. The A's may have gotten the better of this deal, because Kendall is flat out bad right now, and Billy Beane got a decent hitting backstop and an arm. In the first July deal, score one for the Beanester.