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Liam Hendriks

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Liam Hendriks
Hendriks with the Minnesota Twins
Oakland Athletics – No. 31
Pitcher
Born: (1989-02-10) 10 February 1989 (age 35)
Perth, Western Australia
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
6 September, 2011, for the Minnesota Twins
MLB statistics
(through 2015 season)
Win–loss record8–15
Earned run average5.15
Strikeouts194
WHIP1.43
Teams

Liam Johnson Hendriks (born 10 February 1989) is an Australian professional baseball pitcher for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played for the Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals, and Toronto Blue Jays.

Background

Born and raised in Perth, Australia, Hendriks began playing tee-ball when he was 5 rather than the traditional Australian summer game of cricket, before transitioning to baseball at the age of ten. He also played Australian rules football.[1][2] and at one stage made both the All Australian football and All Australian baseball teams in the same year. Hendriks continued playing both baseball and football through high school at Sacred Heart College in his hometown of Perth.

Hendriks' grandfather and father both played football in the Western Australian Football League and Liam was eligible to be drafted by the Weast Coast Eagles under the Father/Son draft rule had he decided to pursue a career in football. At sixteen Hendriks was forced to make a decision as the two sports began to clash. Deciding on baseball he was signed by the Minnesota Twins on his eighteenth birthday.

Professional career

Minnesota Twins

Hendriks debuted for the Twins in 2007 pitching for the Gulf Coast League Twins. He led the team in strikeouts with 52. He was also named as a Twins Top 50 prospect.[3] He pitched for the Perth Heat in the 2008 Claxton Shield and went 3–0 with a 1.90 ERA and 25 K's, a competition high. Liam was then added to the Australian national team for the 2008 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament pitching five innings of work while only allowing one unearned run alongside two hits and a walk while striking out six. Hendriks underwent back surgery that prevented him from playing in the minors in the 2008 season, but made the 2009 World Baseball Classic roster, the youngest Australian player in the Classic.[4]

In 2009 Hendriks spent the season with the Class-A Beloit Snappers of the Midwest League and the Rookie-Level Elizabethton Twins of the Appalachian League. He went a combined 5–5 with a 3.55 ERA in 14 games, all starts. In 2010, Hendriks was selected for the 2010 All-Star Futures Game, but developed appendicitis and was forced to miss the game.[5] Hendriks earned a Futures Game invitation in 2010.[6] On 5 September 2011, Hendriks was called up to the Minnesota Twins from Triple-A Rochester. He went on to finish the season with an 0–2 record. At the end of the 2011 season he was named the Minnesota Twins' Minor League Pitcher of the Year.[7] He was an All-Star for the New Britain Rock Cats in 2011, and named an organizational All-Star for Minnesota at the end of the season. He also earned his second invitation to the Futures Game.[6]

After a successful spring training (3–1, 2.84 ERA, 8 games/4 starts), Hendriks was named as one of the Twins' starting pitchers for 2012.[8] On 19 September 2012, Hendriks earned his first Major League victory in a 6–4 win against the Cleveland Indians. On 5 December 2013, the Twins designated Hendriks for assignment, after the signing of pitcher Phil Hughes.[9]

Toronto Blue Jays

On 13 December 2013, Hendriks was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs.[10] Ten days later, he was claimed off waivers again, this time by the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles designated him for assignment on 19 February 2014 to make room for Ubaldo Jiménez on the active roster.[11] The Toronto Blue Jays claimed Hendriks off waivers on 21 February 2014.[12] On 10 March 2014, he was optioned to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. Hendriks compiled a 5–0 record with an ERA of 1.46 through nine games (seven starts) with the Bisons, before being called up to the Majors on 23 May 2014.[13] He made his Blue Jays debut that day, picking up a 3–2 win over the Oakland Athletics. Hendriks started the game and allowed 3 hits, 1 earned run, 3 walks and struck out 3 over 52⁄3 innings.[14] After 2 starts for the Blue Jays, Hendriks was optioned back to Triple-A Buffalo on 1 June 2014. He posted a 1–0 record with a 2.31 ERA and 8 strikeouts in his 2 starts.[15] Hendriks was called up on 20 June to start against the Cincinnati Reds, and was sent back down to Buffalo the following day after he pitched only 12⁄3 innings and surrendered 6 earned runs.[16] Hendriks was named as the starter for the International League in the Triple-A All-Star Game after posting a 7–1 record with a 2.19 ERA in 16 starts.[6] In being named the starter, he became only the fourth pitcher from the Bisons to start the All-Star Game.[17] Hendriks was named the Top Star of the game.[6]

Kansas City Royals

On 28 July 2014, Hendriks, along with Erik Kratz, was traded to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Danny Valencia.[18] He was recalled from the Omaha Storm Chasers on 27 August to make a start for the Royals against his former team, the Twins.[19] He was designated for assignment on 24 October when Moises Sierra was claimed on waivers.[20]

Return to Toronto

On 30 October 2014, Hendriks was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for Santiago Nessy.[21] Hendriks pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in 2015, and appeared in a career-high 58 games. He would pitch to a 5–0 record, 2.92 ERA, and 71 strikeouts in 642⁄3 innings.[22] In the playoffs, Hendriks broke an 85 year old record in game four of the American League Championship series on 21 October 2015. He finished with 13 outs from 12 batters faced, breaking the playoff record for more-outs-than-batters-faced performances. Jim Lindsey previously held the mark with eight outs from seven batters faced way back in 1930, while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.[23] For his performance in 2015, he was named the Male Player of the Year by Baseball Australia,[24] and a finalist for the Western Australian Sports Star of the Year.[25]

Oakland Athletics

On 20 November 2015, the Blue Jays traded Hendriks to the Oakland Athletics for Jesse Chavez.[26]

International career

Claxton Shield

Hendriks pitched for the Perth Heat in the 2008 Claxton Shield and went 3–0 with a 1.90 ERA and 25 strikeouts, a competition high. He was named the Rookie of the Year for Claxton in 2008.[27]

World Baseball Classic

Hendriks underwent back surgery that prevented him from playing in the minors in the 2008 season, but made the 2009 World Baseball Classic roster, the youngest Australian player in the Classic.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ Gregorian, Vahe (27 August 2014). "Australian pitcher Liam Hendriks is an unlikely hero in Royals' victory". kansascity.com. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  2. ^ "Aussie Liam Hendriks earns praise for latest MLB performance and fans want him to pitch more often". foxsports.com. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  3. ^ Weiss, B. (1 November 2007) Twins Top Prospects
  4. ^ a b Baseball Reference Bullpen
  5. ^ Miracles Hendriks Undergoes Appendectomy, will miss Futures Game Naples Daily
  6. ^ a b c d "Liam Hendriks Stats, Highlights, Bio". MiLB.com. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  7. ^ Brian Dozier and Liam Hendriks named 2011 Twins Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year
  8. ^ Hendriks' strong start secures spot in rotation
  9. ^ Twitter / Twins_morsecode: To make room for Phil Hughes, the @Twins have designated Liam Hendriks for release or assignment. Roster at 40.
  10. ^ Twitter / Cubs: #Cubs today claimed RHP Liam Hendriks off waivers from the Minnesota Twins.
  11. ^ Orioles Designate Liam Hendriks For Assignment
  12. ^ Fisher, Matt (21 February 2014). "Liam Hendriks claimed by Blue Jays". fansided.com. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  13. ^ Davidi, Shi (22 May 2014). "Jays to call up Hendriks, will start Friday". Sportsnet. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  14. ^ Chisholm, Gregor (23 May 2014). "Blue Jays keep rolling in Hendriks' debut". MLB.com. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  15. ^ Dakers, Tom (1 June 2014). "Blue Jays Option Liam Hendriks to Buffalo". bluebirdbanter.com. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  16. ^ "Blue Jays recall Rasmussen, option Hendriks". Sportsnet. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  17. ^ Sarro, Joe (15 July 2014). "Hendriks prepared for test". MiLB.com. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  18. ^ "Jays send Hendriks, Kratz to Royals for Valencia". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  19. ^ Kaegel, Dick (27 August 2014). "Royals option Crow; move likely temporary". MLB.com. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  20. ^ "Royals claim Sierra off waivers from White Sox". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  21. ^ "What's old is new again: Blue Jays acquire Liam Hendriks from Royals for Santiago Nessy". bluebirdbanter.com. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  22. ^ "Liam Hendriks Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  23. ^ "Liam Hendriks breaks longstanding MLB playoffs record with impressive pitching performance for Toronto". foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  24. ^ "2015 Australian Baseball Gala Diamond Award Winners". baseball.com.au. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  25. ^ Miller, Dale (5 December 2015). "Tough at the top for WA sailing star Wearn". au.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  26. ^ Davidi, Shi (20 November 2015). "Blue Jays reacquire righty Chavez in exchange for Hendriks". Sportsnet. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  27. ^ Redmond, Spencer. "Blue Jays Liam Hendriks - Where Have You Been?". jaysjournal.com. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
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