Chicago Cubs: Game of Thrones and the Cubs’ Long Winter (Part 2)

Chicago Cubs: Does this guy’s facial expression or body language ever change?

Kyle Hendricks is affectionately known as “The Professor.”  He is constantly under-appreciated, underrated, undervalued, and somewhat forgotten as a main cog in this Cubs’ staff. He’s the guy who just continues to quietly do his work, not looking for thanks or glory, but putting in the work, using his head, and just figuring out how to get guys out.

He’s not necessarily going to strike everyone out, and he’s certainly not going to start throwing BBs at 95 by guys, but he will figure out what he needs to do and quietly go about his work keeping the Cubs afloat while other more spectacular guys get the credit.

Could there be anyone more appropriate to choose for Samwell Tarley? Minus the difference in body types, these guys could probably swap brains and do just fine as the other. Samwell, while he isn’t as dashing or obvious as Jon Snow, allows Jon to bounce ideas off of him, gives him other ideas, and acts as a confidant and great teammate to Jon.  His mopey mug, while different than Hendricks’ usual blank, unaffected stare, is also pretty stagnant throughout his scenes.  You rarely see The Professor change expression when he is on a baseball field.  You also rarely see Sam stop worrying about everything, and he’s almost always mopey about everything.

Just think, we haven’t even compared the way they attack their crafts. While Sam is keen on reading and studying, so is Hendricks, who is noted for his film study and attention to detail. The one guy lives in a place called the Citadel, pouring over books.  The other does his work from the mound, after countless hours of video preparation and notes. As George R.R. Martin once said, “I’d be Samwell Tarly… the fat kid who reads lots of books and doesn’t like to go up a lot of stairs.” 

Hendricks certainly does prepare and pay attention to his research, and that preparation and attention to detail enables him to become one of the most consistent and important players on the Cubs.  And, unfortunately, despite being consistently awesome, neither one of them gets the credit they deserve from the media, fans, or outside observers because of the way they go about their business. Maybe, just maybe, 2019 is a huge breakout in terms of appreciation for both men.