Levine: Hendricks Gearing Up For April 10 Start
By Bruce Levine--
MESA, Ariz. (CBS) -- The way Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks goes about his business has been impressive to new manager Joe Maddon.
Hendricks, who will be the Cubs' fourth starter out of the gate, should make his first 2015 start on April 10. That outing will be against Colorado in the Rockies' home opener, barring injuries or postponements.
Hendricks came out of obscurity last season and won seven of his nine decisions, posting a 2.46 ERA in his first major league trial. Since being acquired from Texas for Ryan Dempster in 2012, Hendricks is a combined 31-11 at various levels.
"Let's not compare him to any great pitcher yet," a longtime National League scout said. "You can compare him to some pitchers who came to the big leagues with 24-year-old bodies and 30-year-old brains. When you top out at 88 mph, you better have great command. So far, this young man has done just that."
Maddon has gotten his first glimpse of Hendricks this spring. A 25-year-old California native, Hendricks went five innings in a B game at Sloan Park on Thursday. He allowed three runs on five hits, including a two-run home run to the Angels' Kyle Kubitza.
"The thing about Kyle is everybody is going to play the gun," Maddon said. "With him you take his velocity and combine it with location and then you define the real effectiveness of the pitch. People will not project him highly only because he is not lighting up the gun. He does light up the location. Ask a hitter he faces what he thinks. We know how the hitter thinks by the way they react to his pitches."
Hendricks progressed well once he was picked up by Chicago. He was the organization's Pitcher of the Year in 2013, putting up a combined 13-4 record and a 2.00 ERA. The cool, confident way he handles himself isn't about arrogance but more determination and work ethic.
"I always wanted to do this from the time I was a little kid," Hendricks said. "I am very confident going out on the mound with the routine I have every game."
Some people doubt that Hendricks will put up similar numbers in his second season as he did in his rookie campaign. The naysayers don't really seem to impact the pitcher much.
"The hitters have learned a lot about me, and at the same time I have learned a lot about the hitters," he said. "I am not a goals-oriented guy, but I do have a goal of pitching 200 innings. If I can do that, I think things take care of themselves. I pitched 185 last year, so going up 15 more should be attainable."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
