Chicago Cubs: Kyle Hendricks has his thinking cap on

The Chicago Cubs and Kyle Hendricks had some pretty distorted numbers in home runs. So what are they going to do about it? ‘The Professor’ to the rescue.

The Chicago Cubs and Kyle Hendricks had some pretty crazy numbers in home runs. In home starts, Hendricks went 6-2 in 14 starts with a 2.04 ERA.  But it escaped him on the road, where he finished with a 5-8 record with a 5.02 ERA. Yikes. So whats he, and the staff, going to do about it?

And it’s not just him. In a sign of regression, they were 33-48 on the road. At home? 51-30. Obviously, that’s a big difference. Any indication of how to fix it? He’s got thoughts per Paul Sullivan’s article.

“I can only speak for myself, but at Wrigley I’m so comfortable in the setting and the environment, the look of home plate, the look of the backdrop and all the stuff. h/t Paul Sullivan, Chicago TribuneMore from Cubbies CribCubs should keep close eye on non-tender candidate Cody BellingerCubs starting pitching has been thriving on the North SideMake no mistake: the Cubs are very much about power hittersCubs are giving pitcher Javier Assad a deserved shotCubs: It’s time to start thinking about potential September call-ups

Wait, what? So you can stand there on the mound, and look out at it and ‘get a feel for it?’ Is this possible?  Really?

“Possibly, yeah,” he said. “The grounds crew doesn’t love it. When we first get there to start the series, show up day one, and a couple pitchers mosey out and just kind of take it in, see what it looks like.

Well, then. Apparently, it makes him ‘more aggressive’ and did a more effective job at home. Speaking of Hendricks, he supports Yu Darvish or Jon Lester for an Opening Day start. He’s allowed three hits and one run over nine innings with eight strikeouts and one walk. Understandably so, he doesn’t think he’s in the mix.

“I’m just grateful to be part of this staff and lucky to have a clean slate and another opportunity with these five guys,” he said. “We’re going to have to really try to make a run. We’re worried about where we are at the end of the year, not the first game.”

He was very good at home, allowing a slash of .206/.246 /.309 with an OPS of .556. That was not the case on the road. He allowed a slash line of .290/.331/.481 with an OPS of .812. He also allowed a .325 BAbip compared to his .255 at home. If Hendricks opens at home, which he should,  you know he’s not going to rest on his laurels.