Chicago Cubs ace Kyle Hendricks was described as “so under the radar” as he took the mound for game seven of the World Series. “No one talks about him” the FOX announcers said. Well, I decided then to try and take measures into my own hands, to try and prevent this stellar pitcher from continuing to toil in obscurity.
I’m going to try and help him escape from the status Mr. Cellophane status he currently is relegated to.
https://twitter.com/PaulMBanks/status/793982087439249408
Yes, I understand, he doesn’t have a sexy nickname- “The Professor.” Nor does he have the dreamy eyes of Kris Bryant. Hendricks also didn’t enter the league with the “OMG! He’s the second coming!” kind of hype that Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Jorge Soler, Albert Almora, Kyle Schwarber or Javier Baez had.
The Dartmouth grad (just the second Ivy Leaguer to ever pitch in the World Series) doesn’t have the accomplishments and awards on his resume that Jake Arrieta does (although it could be coming).
Hendricks also doesn’t have the Civil War era facial hair of Arrieta. Obviously, he does not club Ruthian or Reggie Jacksonian style home runs like Schwarber does, a trait that naturally has major mainstream appeal.
He’s not all that exciting of a soundbite. He doesn’t showcase a zany personality publicly. I understand why people don’t talk about him all that much. However, if you want to learn more about Kyle Hendricks you have come to the right place. There is a limit to what I can tell you about him and that will soon be exhausted.
However, I can point you in the direction of one of the world’s foremost Hendricks experts- Rian Watt of Baseball Prospectus Wrigleyville.
You should start by reading his Kyle Hendricks player profile at this link. Then you can move on to this feature on Hendricks’ change-up. Read Watt’s piece on how cerebral Hendricks is (I knew I was drawn to this player for some reason). Conclude your reading with this link from August of 2015.
There now you’re all up to speed!
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.