He was regarded as having above-average control, average pitch movement, below-average power, and a good pick-off move.

Wendell played his summer baseball during college with the independent Dalton Collegians and in 1987 with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod League.

[6] After the 1994 season, Wendell moved permanently to the bullpen and began making regular relief appearances for the Cubs.

[7][8] In the middle of a disappointing 2001 season, the Mets traded Wendell and fellow veteran reliever Dennis Cook to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for pitcher Bruce Chen and a minor league prospect.

"You can't take the heart of your bullpen out of there without thinking they're throwing in the towel,' Wendell said regarding the Mets' decision.

[9] Wendell also expressed excitement at the opportunity to join the Phillies, who were in the midst of an ultimately unsuccessful playoff race at the time.

"[10] After missing the entire 2002 season due to an elbow injury, Wendell returned to pitch in 56 games for the Phillies in 2003, with a 3–3 record and a 3.38 ERA.

As a pitcher for the Colorado Rockies in 2004, Wendell became the first major leaguer to publicly accuse Barry Bonds, whose trainer had just been indicted for providing steroids to players, of using performance-enhancing drugs.

"[13] In March 2006, Wendell was quoted by the suburban Chicago Daily Herald as saying that former Cubs teammate Sammy Sosa "of course" used steroids.

[14] He also stated that "everybody in baseball" (including coaches, managers, and owners) knew about steroid use by players such as Sosa, and that he agreed with the information in José Canseco's book Juiced.

When informed that the Major League Baseball Players Association would not allow him to play for free, Wendell said, "then I'll drop out of the union when the time comes.

He said he was so inspired by the trip that he enlisted in the Army upon return but was denied active combat duty eligibility because he is color-blind.

[24] His daughter, Dakota, plays collegiate soccer for the Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks.