Kyle Hendricks Appreciation Thread

[Irrelevant Dude]

As probably one of the biggest Kyle Hendricks supporters on this site, I felt it was my responsibility to create the Kyle Hendricks Appreciation Thread.

It was amazing to see him (likely) finish his Cubs career today in vintage Hendricks form and it brought back memories of several of his performances in critical games.  Kyle dominating the Dodgers and defeating Clayton Kershaw to lead the Cubs to the World Series was almost certainly his definining moment.  Of course there was also Game 7 of the World Series, where maybe he was taken out too early, but I have come to see Maddon's side as well, so who knows what the right move was.

I don't think Kyle has ever got the same level of credit as guys like Bryant, Rizzo, and Baez (and even Lester and Arrieta), but he was every bit as important to that team winning the World Series as anyone else on the roster.  It was awesome to watch him get his moment today and get to take in the appreciation from a surprisingly large crowd at Wrigley.  I have flip-flopped between favorite 2016 Cubs over the years, from Bryant to Baez, with Rizzo always being right up there as well, but in recent years I have come to realize that Kyle has really been my favorite out of all of them.

We will see what happens in the offseason, but is appears highly unlikely that he will be back with the Cubs next year.  I think he has shown enough over the last few months of the season that there will be at least one team that is willing to give him a Major League deal for 2025, and that team almost certainly won't be the Cubs.  As much as I would love for him to come back and be insurance for the rotation, I recognize that the Cubs have many other priorities this offeason and it is time for both sides to move on.

Whatever happens, thank you Kyle for everything, and I look forward to seeing you back with the Cubs in some form (coach, broadcaster, team representative) in the future.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

He was so horsefeathers nasty in that 2016 NLCS, and I still disagree with Maddon taking him out in game 7.

[Derwood]

1 minute ago, Ding Dong Johnson said:

He was so horsefeathers nasty in that 2016 NLCS, and I still disagree with Maddon taking him out in game 7.

Yep. Hendricks pulled followed by Chapman blowing the save looked like an all time managerial blunder

[Irrelevant Dude]

https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/ian-happ-honored-kyle-hendricks-with-a-touching-tribute-in-cubs-clubhouse/

[Bertz]

He's probably got a decent argument for the best Cubs pitcher since Maddux, right?

Zambrano is ahead of him WAR-wise, but feels like not by enough to outweigh the postseason heroics?  And honestly when you add in the playoff stuff Kyle's probably not *that* far behind Maddux (purely as a Cub obviously).

[JHBulls]

Kyle Hendricks was just one of the players that gave a long suffering fan base hope, and he delivered time and time again. 2016 was something special. He nearly won the Cy Young awards. He was amazing that year. 
 

22 minutes ago, Ding Dong Johnson said:

He was so horsefeathers nasty in that 2016 NLCS, and I still disagree with Maddon taking him out in game 7.

Yep, totally disagreed with that move from Joe Maddon. That series, as a whole, was wild.

It contained two chokes (Cubs going behind 3-1 after a 103 win campaign and Cleveland losing it from 3-1 up), the better team (IMO) almost running away in the final two games (9-3 win and 5-1 lead) and then a nearly choke as the final act (5-1 and 6-3 lead in Game 7 before needing extras). 
 

[CubinNY]

Kyle was consistently good as a Cubs pitcher longer than anyone I can remember. Obviously Maddux and Fergie are HOF, but they spent some of their best years elsewhere. Last 40 years, he’s the Cubs best pitcher factoring in longevity. 

[Post Count Padder]

I'd love if he could retire spending his whole career here. He was mostly bad this year and the magic is gone but definitely one of the best Cubs pitchers in my lifetime. Meant so much to the organization and fans. He has every right to seek another deal but I hope he doesn't go somewhere else, get lit up in 5 starts, get DFAd and then retire. 

[PackLandVA]

If anyone is interested in a trip down memory lane, here's the  Link to the Topic on NSBB from the trade on July 31, 2012.  I started reading around page 124, got to the actual trade announcement on page 130 and read/scanned the next 8-10 pages.  

 

Definitely some interesting (hot) takes, but most seemed at least somewhat pleased with the return. A few things of note:

-Just prior to the trade, the two prospects most coveted were Allen Webster (BOS) and Randall Delgado (ATL). 

-Cubs ended up getting Webster a few years later, and while he was a strong prospect before landing with the Cubs, he was pretty much a bust as a big leaguer.

-Webster's MLB WAR is/was -2.4; Delgado's MLB WAR +2.4

-Christian Villanueva was the centerpiece of the trade. Seems like a few people mentioned Mike Olt (who the Cubs also ended up getting eventually) as the better prospect in the Rangers system.

-Not a lot of love for Kyle (and ironically from poster Kyle) if he regularly throws <90 mph; but definite appreciation for his command.

 

As we are all very aware, Kyle Hendricks was clearly the best MLB AND MiLB player in the trade. And the Cubs clearly came out on top of this deal.  

 

Dempster's MLB WAR 18.6

Webster's MLB WAR  -2.4

Delgado's MLB WAR 2.4

Kyle Hendricks MLB WAR 21.3

Thanks Theo!!!!

Edited September 29, 2024 by PackLandVA

[Cubs70]

On 9/28/2024 at 8:23 PM, Bertz said:

He's probably got a decent argument for the best Cubs pitcher since Maddux, right?

Zambrano is ahead of him WAR-wise, but feels like not by enough to outweigh the postseason heroics?  And honestly when you add in the playoff stuff Kyle's probably not *that* far behind Maddux (purely as a Cub obviously).

For long term I'd say yes, but for a couple years Arietta was so dominate

[BigSlick]

Few players have done more with less than Kyle. What a dope ass player to follow. Nothing better than a pitcher who baffles and succeeds through smoke, mirrors, grit, and a brain. 
 

also helps he’s almost the exact age as me so I’ve grown up through his career. Hats off Kyle!

[Andy]

One of my favorite things about Kyle was how at his peak he was shutting everybody down but every opposing fan base (especially St. Louis) was constantly complaining about why their guys couldn't hit this soft-tosser. One of the all-time outlier success stories. Something feels narratively correct about such an outlier being the one who outlasted all the other 2016 Cubs.

I'm going to miss him a lot.