Marlins (Cabrera) vs Cubs (Hendricks): 4/21/24, 1:20pm, Marquee

[Southpaw19]

Few players have had a more difficult start to 2024 than Kyle Hendricks. The Cubs righty has been rocked for 24 runs over his first 17 innings. He has surrendered an MLB-high seven home runs.

It would REALLY be nice if The Professor™ showed up tomorrow and gave us a start similar or greater than the one versus the Giants last summer.

Though at this point, I'd settle for 5-6 IP, 1 HR, 5K, 2 BB and getting out with a DUB.
With all the bullpen usage this week... it'd be nice if he could harness 2016 Kyle, but I don't see that happening.

 

 

GO CUBS - WIN THE SERIES!

[UMFan83]

Kyle Hendricks started the game the Cubs won to win the Pennant and the game the Cubs won to win the World Series. That is all. 

 

[Bertz]

I think Kyle pretty much has to have a good day today or you have to IL him to clear his head.  I am strongly of the mind that HR/FB rates are noise, but things that are 100% true in the fat part of the curve are not necessarily true at the tails.  And Kyle being the softest tossing SP in the league definitely lives in the tail.

[CubinNY]

17 minutes ago, Bertz said:

I think Kyle pretty much has to have a good day today or you have to IL him to clear his head.  I am strongly of the mind that HR/FB rates are noise, but things that are 100% true in the fat part of the curve are not necessarily true at the tails.  And Kyle being the softest tossing SP in the league definitely lives in the tail.

Generally agree but not in this instance. The key to his success is location. He’s not located well enough. The Dodgers were just teeing off on his change and there was a bit of tip of the cap on hitting good pitches hard. But since, he’s been unable to throw where he wants to throw. 

[thawv]

9 hours ago, UMFan83 said:

Kyle Hendricks started the game the Cubs won to win the Pennant and the game the Cubs won to win the World Series. That is all. 

 

This is 2024

[Outshined_One]

18 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

Generally agree but not in this instance. The key to his success is location. He’s not located well enough. The Dodgers were just teeing off on his change and there was a bit of tip of the cap on hitting good pitches hard. But since, he’s been unable to throw where he wants to throw. 

It's been covered ad nauseam elsewhere, but you guys are both right. He's not locating and his stuff has regressed from last year.

Granted, my vague recollection of Kyle's career is that he is usually a slow starter each season. The problem this season is, with his regression, that now means he's killing the bullpen in the early going since he's lucky to go 5 IP.

[Derwood]

If the umpire doesn't give Kyle the bottom of the zone, he's screwed

[Southpaw19]

Cubs Lineup:

Hoerner, 2B
Bellinger, CF
Morel, 3B
Busch, 1B
Swanson, SS
Cooper, DH
Tauchman, RF
Amaya, C
Canario, LF

[WhyCantWeWin]

Whenever Hendricks pitches 

[chibears55]

Just now, Southpaw19 said:

Cubs Lineup:

Hoerner, 2B
Bellinger, CF
Morel, 3B
Busch, 1B
Swanson, SS
Cooper, DH
Tauchman, RF
Amaya, C
Canario, LF

Haven't seen anything on Happs injury, as in regard to how bad it is, I hope this isn't something they're giving a few days to see if it gets better but then end up putting him on the IL for a month.

[Southpaw19]

2 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Haven't seen anything on Happs injury, as in regard to how bad it is, I hope this isn't something they're giving a few days to see if it gets better but then end up putting him on the IL for a month.

Being out in this chilled April air for the past few days wasn't going to help him regardless.
I'm sure we'll get an update sometime between the end of the game today, and prior to the next series starting.

[chibears55]

So, seriously,  If Hendricks can't get through 5 today without looking like he's tossing BP, then tomorrow they seriously need to IL him and see if they can figure out how to help him be at least a guy who can get them a few good starts the rest of the season.

[Rcal10]

I am not sure it is that easy to just IL a guy. Didn’t MLB come down on a team for doing that? I think they are watching that a little closer than in the last. So for me, if he sucks again they may need to think about releasing him. Hate to think about that, because I really like Kyle and he was a big part of the championship team. But like thawv said, this is 2024. Have to do what is needed to win now. 

[17 Seconds]

27 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Haven't seen anything on Happs injury, as in regard to how bad it is, I hope this isn't something they're giving a few days to see if it gets better but then end up putting him on the IL for a month.

 

[Brian707]

2 hours ago, thawv said:

This is 2024

Yes but if anyone deserves the benefit of the doubt it's Kyle. 

[Andy]

38 minutes ago, 17 Seconds said:

 

Ah, the old Kris Bryant "could be available in an emergency" designation that always ends with us having the backup catcher taking a 9th inning AB down 1 while we all wonder what the hell constitutes an emergency

[spaincubsfan]

1 hour ago, chibears55 said:

So, seriously,  If Hendricks can't get through 5 today without looking like he's tossing BP, then tomorrow they seriously need to IL him and see if they can figure out how to help him be at least a guy who can get them a few good starts the rest of the season.

I don't know if that will be even possible if he gets shelled by tossing BP today. If he flops then a DFA might be around the corner. I think the only way he stays on life support in the rotation is if he gives upmammax of 4mruns and goes at least 5. We need to see what we have in Brown long term, plus with Taillon back we have the hope he has turned it around as per the article posted.

[Randall Simon]

2 hours ago, Outshined_One said:

It's been covered ad nauseam elsewhere, but you guys are both right. He's not locating and his stuff has regressed from last year.

Granted, my vague recollection of Kyle's career is that he is usually a slow starter each season. The problem this season is, with his regression, that now means he's killing the bullpen in the early going since he's lucky to go 5 IP.

For this reason, I expected CC to hold Brown for today.

[spaincubsfan]

For those interested and with access, today's game is free on MLB.TV.

[squally1313]

Justin Steele is still not really anywhere close to returning, Ben brown has never thrown more than 100 innings in a year, and we’ve got a serious weakness in the bullpen that is at least exasperated by the fact that guys like Brown and Assad were forced into the rotation due to injuries. Feel like everyone has decided to take every chance to pile onto Kyle after 5 (horrendous) starts coming off a 2.5 fWAR year, but it’s not exactly like we’re just overloaded with healthy effective pitchers at the moment.

Do we want Colton brewer pitching the innings brown threw last night? Who replaces brown in the rotation when he maxes out in 2 months? Feel like we should at least consider those questions before eating $13m. 

Edited April 21, 2024 by squally1313
Spelling

[Irrelevant Dude]

Looks like Hendricks isn't calling his own pitches anymore.  So far so good.

[Southpaw19]

According to Counsell via Jesse Rogers, Adbert won't close today if the opportunity comes up.

[KCCub]

2 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Looks like Hendricks isn't calling his own pitches anymore.  So far so good.

Yep, just let him go out and pitch and not overthink it. I like the change 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

38 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Justin Steele is still not really anywhere close to returning, Ben brown has never thrown more than 100 innings in a year, and we’ve got a serious weakness in the bullpen that is at least exasperated by the fact that guys like Brown and Assad were forced into the rotation due to injuries. Feel like everyone has decided to take every chance to pile onto Kyle after 5 (horrendous) starts coming off a 2.5 fWAR year, but it’s not exactly like we’re just overloaded with healthy effective pitchers at the moment.

Do we want Colton brewer pitching the innings brown threw last night? Who replaces brown in the rotation when he maxes out in 2 months? Feel like we should at least consider those questions before eating $13m. 

Yeah I think there's a weird tension where Hendricks is not currently one of the 5(or 6) best available starters, but odds are that injury/availability and improvement from Hendricks make that not true later this season.

[UMFan83]

Terrible AB by Morel after the first 2 reach