Kyle Hendricks usually takes a few months off after a season before picking up a baseball. There was nothing typical about last year, though, so the Cubs rotation leader changed his schedule off-season.
With fewer miles on his arm during the shortened 2020 season, Hendricks rested for just a few weeks before resuming throwing every few days. No one really knows what a toll this season’s incoherent campaign could take on the pitchers’ arms, but Hendricks feels well positioned for a return to the 162-game norm.
“I think I’m ready to take on a full load again,” Hendricks said on Wednesday via Zoom. “I know what it’s like to go through a full season, so I can rely on that experience.”
Hendricks may foresee a normal workload for the season, but manager David Ross said he and pitching coach Tommy Hottovy will be careful.
“We have to be careful about that,” Ross said. “I think Kyle is a man who stays in top form; he’s very durable and we trust the innings he can give us. But we’ll be smart. We’re going to take the player’s feedback. These guys are important. And then the data will give us some information as we go through the season. ”
The back of Hendricks’ baseball card showed a 2.88 ERA in 81 1/3 innings last season, marking the third most innings in the Majors. That does not include innings recorded by the righthanded person in Spring Training, during the shutdown period or in Summer Camp.
All told, Hottovy estimated this off-season that Hendricks innings total was “closer to 120” for 2020. Looking at Hendricks’ career, he recorded 139 2/3 innings in ’17 and had no problem getting to 199 frames to jump in ’18. In 2016 and ’18, the right-wing 200 innings were at the top if you count the postseason.
Right now, Hendricks wants to be the number 1 starter for the Cubs, with Jake Arrieta and Zach Davies behind him. Weapons like Trevor Williams, Alec Mills, Adbert Alzolay and Kohl Stewart will also be looking for jobs. Every pitcher has question marks, so Hendricks wants to be a source of stability.
“I just want to be there,” said Hendricks, “be that constant force to these guys, get the ball every fifth day and they know what they can get out of me.”
And while Ross plans to be careful about Hendricks’ workload, the manager also knows what to expect.
“He threw a complete game on Opening Day last year,” said Ross. “So I have a lot of faith in Kyle.”
Hughes, Mowins and Myers join the Marquee team
Marquee Sports Network announced on Wednesday that Pat Hughes, Beth Mowins and Chris Myers will assist with play-by-play coverage of Cubs games during the 2021 season. The trio will help fill in when Jon “Boog” Sciambi comes out of the TV room.
When Mowins calls for her first game, she becomes the first female play-by-play announcer for the Cubs in team history. She has served as a broadcaster for ESPN since 1994, citing mostly collegiate sports for men and women.
“It is an honor and privilege to partner with such a beloved and historic franchise as the Chicago Cubs,” Mowins said in a statement. “I am thrilled to be part of the Marquee Sports Network team and look forward to partnering with some of the best in the industry this season.”
Hughes, who has long been the radio play-by-play voice for the Cubs on 670 The Score, is entering his 26th season calling out games for the ball club. Myers has been a broadcaster at FOX Sports for over 30 years and hosts the show “Chris and Tell” on Marquee.
Worth nothing
• Ross noted on Wednesday that intercostal injury reliever Rowan Wick is currently dealing with the left angled setback that ended his season in September. There is no timetable for Wick’s return when camp opens.
“It felt better and then he started throwing. It just feels a little uncomfortable,” said Ross. “There is literally no reason to rush anything at this point, and we want that man to be healthy.”
• Marquee Sports Network plans to broadcast all 14 Spring Training home games of the Cubs at Sloan Park, Arizona. Chicago starts its Cactus League slate on March 1 against the Padres on the road and starts at home on March 2 against Kansas City.
Quotable
“As a fan, you fall in love with players. But there are also opportunities when there are no great players who move on. There is a chance for the next famous name, the next person, the next to make its mark on the Cubs and the organization and “I don’t know who that guy is. We have ideas about who those great players could be, but they have to go out and prove it, and I think that’s exciting.” – Ross