Chicago Cubs News: Alec Mills’ no-hitter and what it means going forward

The ‘soft-tosser’ has been compared to the Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks

Mills has often been compared to his teammate Kyle Hendricks who established himself as one of the best starters in the league even while being labeled a “soft-tosser.” The professor is the correct term for Hendricks, not just because of his Dartmouth background, but his ability to execute his pitches and “take hitters to school” while he keeps them guessing. This led to Hendricks becoming the ERA-champ (2.16) in 2016.

Not a bad guy to learn from for Mills, who spent eight seasons in the minors after being drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 22nd out of the University of Tennessee-Martin.

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It has been a bit of an up-and-down season for the journeyman, and I think credit goes to manager David Ross who has stuck with Mills despite some bumps in the road.

“The one thing that stands out to me about Alec is that no matter what situation I’ve put him in this year, he’s answered the expectations we’ve had for him.” Ross said. “You see the adversity somebody has been through, to get an opportunity and make the most of it is rewarding from my seat.”

The story of someone like Alec Mills should be an inspiration to all, proving the right mindset and hard work can lead to anything possible.

For Mills, it has led to a spot in a big-league rotation, and larger role as October nears.