welcome into a special edition a very special
edition of our Cubs recap podcast the presentation of our recap YouTube channel available Audio Only
everywhere you get your favorite podcast with my partner Gordon Whitten Meer I'm David Kaplan and
one of my all-time favorite people to deal with let alone player is cubstar K Hendrick who gave
us all the greatest Thrills of our Cub's fandom life beating the Dodgers to go to the World
Series never thought I'd live to see that and then game seven to win the World Series Kyle
thank you for taking time for us man how are you oh doing great cap and all that right back at
you man it's it's good to see you and good to talk to you it's been too long but I appreciate both
of you and everything you guys have done for me so just excited to be on here and join you guys
appreciate you so as we get to the end of this season you look at where this team is and you know
I remember Dansby saying in June relax it's only June well here we are now late August and you're
still alive but it's an uphill fight what's your Takeaway on your team yeah it's been a battle all
year you know and it's still an uphill fight for us but it's just been a little inconsistent we've
gotten on some hot streaks and then just haven't been able to really sustain for a while you know
so the national league has been just crazy this year so we know we're still right in the thick of
it and we still got a chance with a month left you know we have to take care of our own business but
at the end of the day just like Dansby said man we have so many pros and so many great players in
that clubhouse that that's where it starts and so I know we're putting in the work every single
day it's it's the focus on winning every single day when we go in there we know how important each
and every game is at this point so yeah that's our Focus it's on the day to-day block out the noise
win as many ball games as we can and see where we end up but obviously especially after last year
just coming up a little short man we really want to put together a good hot streak here when we
do everything right you know and play we can play unbelievable baseball together as a team so
we know the potential is there we just got to put it all together Kyle I could I could probably say
this about a lot of guys on that team but it seems to me that if you guys pull this off you you're
probably gonna be right in the middle of it I mean you're you're gonna have an outsized say in this
it seems to me do you feel like uh kind of it's it's in your hands as much as the team's hands
as you go down stretch yeah 100% Gordon you said it and you just have to get in you know that's it
so if we can get in man with the guys that we got like you said the starting pitching that we've
had going shoda Steely J Mo Javi I mean all four of them have been unbelievable all year long so
consistent what the bullpen doing right now top of the league they have been for about two months
you know it's been crazy what they've been doing out there so you win with pitching in defense And
Timely hitting especially in the postseason so the pitching our defense has been unbelievable
we've been at the top of the league there lately too so like I said we have the fundamentals we
have the right players to do it we just yeah we really need to go on a hot streak and we know if
we can get in then we're going to have a really good chance but it's been what I'm getting that
it's been a process for you this year you got some stuff figured out and historically you're
a strong finisher yeah thank you I appreciate it definitely it was a rough rough start for me this
year uh probably the worst you know worst time in my career that I've had which was unfortunate
I'm so grateful and so lucky that they just kept handing me the ball uh moved to the bullpen to try
and find some better situations but now that I've been starting again yeah I've been feeling so much
better the last two months or so been feeling more like myself so yeah I'm just trying to be that
reliable guy go out there every fifth day and give my team a chance to win but of course you know you
live a pitch in in late September in a playoff run and into the playoffs so I know I'm geared up for
that myself personally Al I'm feeling the best I felt all year so hopefully I can go on a run
and do my part yeah for this team so I talked to Tommy hadavi while you were struggling and then
I picked up the phone and I called Chris basio your former pitching coach and both guys said to
me I'm telling you there's a lot inside that guy listen to me yes he's struggling right now we've
got to make some adjustments is what Tommy told me Chris said Kyle is more if his mechanics are
off his back leg is is two Ines too high or too low that really is a problem for him he's got to
be locked in mechanically so what did you do to fix it because you looked a lot more like yourself
yeah definitely those two guys know me probably better than anyone man and especially Tommy lately
he's probably seen every pitch I've thrown you know in a bullpen and in games in the big leagues
so I rely on those guys so much I thank them so much boss couldn't be more right I just I really
do have to get mechanically right and once I find it and it clicks I seem to kind of run with it and
really hit a Groove um that sometimes maybe that's why I'm a slow starter this year was historically
bad so we really had to get in the lab get to work Tommy and I and the rest of the pitching guys and
I was just up in the zone everything was flat um so the action of everything I really need to be
down in the zone having everything work off of my fastball and that command so that's really
where we put our focus and it it was a slow process it really took me a while I had to put
a ton of work but finally I started getting to the bottom of the Zone started getting angle my
mechanics started to syn up with all of that um I was really hitting my balance point getting
out front getting over the baseball and those are huge keys for me so I really started to feel
that like I said about two plus months ago and now it's I really feel like I am in somewhat of
a Groove still finding like that exact sweet spot but at least I'm going out there giving my team a
chance to win and I feel like uh we can win a lot of ball games with performing now you know that
kind of makes me uh think you you're you're 34 you're a young man especially like compared to
everybody else on this H podcast um but I mean even in a baseball sense you're still very but
this was a year as you said you had to figure out some stuff and it's also a contract year so
that's always a big deal for a veteran pitcher um so I got kind of two things I I wondered um as
you were going through the worst of but there were some times when you showed a little emotion post
game and I wondered if you heard some of the noise on the outside and how and and and whether any
thoughts started creeping in your head and then now that you're going so well have you started
I mean I'm sure you have your agent has anyway started thinking about what comes next you know to
be honest with you at the end of the day of course I know where I'm at in my career and what's ahead
of me but that you really don't have much control over that you know the only way to set yourself
up for all that is just to pitch and Pitch well so my focus truly has always been on my team
my teammates and wanting to win that's I just love baseball I love to pitch I love taking
the ball every fifth day and being able to be that consistent guy for my teammates you know we
we're such a close-knit family we spend so much time with each other throughout the season day in
and day out so to be honest with you no I I really don't think too much about all that I really try
and stay in the moment when things were going bad and I was showing frustration the beginning of the
year it was just because I was Los I was losing ball games personally for my team and that really
hurts me you know I I know how much work all of our guys put in and myself included and to go out
there and just not give us a chance you know it it was really killing me inside so that's where
all that was coming from and then to come out of that now like I said I just want to be that
reliable guy that my teammates look at they know what they're going to get every fifth day they can
go out there and do their job too and then youn a lot of ball games winning is just so much fun
in the big leagues and when you're losing that's the frustration Creeps in for sure because we put
in so much work and it's just so many hours the sacrifices your family makes all of it there's so
much that goes into it so I really try and keep the focus simple keep it on my teammates my family
the people that I'm really doing it for there and I know the rest will take care of itself of course
I want to play this game as long as I can I feel I feel completely healthy which is huge and
great for me right now that's a big key but that's always number one and going forward with
that as long as I'm healthy I just want to play this game as long as I can because I love it do
you see a scenario Kyle where you've made a good amount of money but you're a professional man this
is how you are going to take care of your wife and your kids and everyone close to you for the rest
of your life do you see a scenario where I take a little less to stay with the Cubs or I'm going
to go out and I'm just going to take the best opportunity for me yeah I definitely think based
on you guys know me too it's never been about top dollar about the big money I feel like I've been
so blessed and lucky already for the money I've made for my family in this game I I'm completely
set up I'm not worried about any of that so yeah my focus is more on the happiness The Joy my
family they're they're being a good situation so I have been so grateful and blessed to be able to
play at Wrigley Field and playing front of those Cubs fans man for 11 Seasons now that's it's crazy
to say that and to be able to think back to all the memories seeing all the players that have come
in from other teams also you just hear all the stories about other organizations they're really
there really is no better place than Chicago and Chicago Cubs so of course I would do anything to
stay there and to be there longer I'm just trying to do my part to make sure I can be a reliable
force and add value to that team you know that's where my my priority is and then whatever they
happen to see in me I I'll be I'll take it all right so I want to take you back I went up to you
and said hey we do this show on TV on NBC Sports Chicago called inside look this was in early June
of 2016 Cubs are rolling they look really good but again it's been 108 years so why should people
believe it's going to end any differently and you and I sat underneath the left field bleachers
and we did an interview and I I still remember it like it was yesterday I said okay give me one last
thing how does this whole thing end in your mind and you looked dead in the camera at me and you
said the Chicago Cubs win the 2016 World Series and you had this big grin and I I left there I
called my mom and my brother and I'm like we're winning the World Series this year I'm telling
you there's something magical going on and talking with you did you feel it then you know I I truly
did but the only reason I felt it at that point was because like you said that was June this thing
it started in February and so when we showed up in February with the group of guys that we had that
specific year it was such a special blend of the veteran guys and young guys coming up you know
with fresh eyes I was one of those young guys I didn't know what the heck was going on I didn't
know where I was it took all those older guys man we leaned on them so much they were such a huge
driving force leading Us in the right direction they were speaking it into existence like that
you know so by that point in June yeah I truly believed it that's all we were ever talking about
Joe Madden from day one in spring training he was having meetings telling us to embrace the target
all these different things that we could lean on and rely on because we knew that the Target have
been painted on us we were picked as the best team that year and everyone was going to be coming for
us and giving us their best so yeah we had to take each each and every day huge but those veteran
guys man the confidence they had the experiences they've been through just winning teams they had
already won World Series they knew what it was like it was easy to listen to them and follow
follow them and I can I think I can speak for the rest of the young guys that we really followed
their lead and whatever they said we just bought and we believed in it and then we regurgitated
it you know to everybody else you know when you brought up spring training it reminded me a lot
of people probably forget this yeah you guys won 97 games a year before yeah you were everybody's
popular pick to win the World Series but Dexter Fowler had signed with the Orioles until all of a
sudden he shows up in spring training surprise and uh is was that how much was that like part of just
launching the whole emotional thing that year yeah that's a great Point Gordon that was a huge moment
for us you can see what Dex did for that team in general for the few years that he was there he
was the engine man leading off for us the bats he put together he started that game it was weird
crazy when we were playing at home at Wrigley in front of those fans man deck seemed like he got
on every time in the first inning and then we rolled we'd score two three four runs right away
in the first inning and get that lead and the game seemed like it was over like our confidence was
so high and it really started with that with deck coming back the energy he brought how he led our
team from that leadoff position it's just a huge spot in the order and he put together such great
at bats all year long man had a huge year for us but yeah showing up the spring training like he
was we felt like we were missing something and we saw that we thought he'd signed in Baltimore
we were like everybody was bummed everybody was down then all a sudden he comes running out on
the field when we're doing pfps and do doing team defense out there and the you saw the reaction
from the from the team I think that just says a lot about who Dex is as a teammate and a person
and what he gave to that team so if you go back to 2016 as you talked about Joe Madden embraced the
target I remember seeing davo swinny the Clemson coach and after you won it he was at Wrigley the
next year and I'm talking to him and it started to rain and they brought him into your Clubhouse
and he went to Joe and said um can I steal that embrace the target thing because my team is pick
number one and Joe said have at it Gordon who just interviewed Lou penella a few weeks ago Lou has
told me the biggest mistake I made in ' 08 was I did not address something effed Up's going to
happen there's be something Goofy and how we handle it will determine if we take the next step
in ' 08 it didn't work out Joe Madden did not run from that going into the postseason at 16 correct
oh 100% man Joe was such a huge leader just the way he looked at the game how he treated people
how he approached everyone he was just such a lovable human being you wanted to play for him you
wanted to succeed for him um when he would come in the room and run his meetings you were lock walked
in on every word you know he's definitely an eccentric interesting human being and just the way
he looks at things and the way he voices it the words he uses it just really draw drew Us in you
know Drew us into that team concept it got gave us something to Rally around really and he would go
back to it you know throughout the entire season so when things were hitting the fan and things
were going wrong we could look back we knew that what our Staples were what our foundations were
and it was setting place by him there starting in spring training with whether it was a phrase just
a single word he could say one thing and it could get us right back on track I I I've always had
this thought and cap and I have talked about this like it turned out in my mind it was an advantage
that you guys up opened on the road in the world series and the and the reason I thought that was
because the team was so young you had a couple of years under your belt but you know the the
Russell and the KBS and the bases of the world uh very young team very young core hitters and
the one thing Madden did was like like deflect all this pressure you're talking about but what
happened when you guys got back there for game three the the cops are on Horseback that it's 6
in the morning Wrigleyville is full of people all the bars are filled that's a site no none of those
guys had seen and maybe we hadn't seen in decades and and had that been one of the World Series
without actually throwing a couple punches already uh then maybe maybe it's a little different
totally totally it definitely could have changed the course of things or changed it up or changed
the energy in some way but I have to go back to just the the veteran leaders we had the veteran
leaders we had on that team it seemed like no matter what situation we were in they got us ready
and they phrased it in a way where the pressure this was one of Madden's phrases pressure is a
privilege you know we looked at all everything as a positive so even all the all that energy all
the people around Wrigley we knew it had been 108 years but we didn't feel all that pressure to
be honest with you all that weight was not we were just having so much fun we knew how good we
were as a group and the confidence level was so high and it was based on those veteran guys the
veteran guys walked us through every step of it knew what to say the right thing at the right time
kept our confidence high so to be honest with you yeah it could have changed some energy in that
but I think we would have had the right guys to rephrase it to look at in the right way and go
attack that situation because we we wanted the pressure we wanted the pressure in the time but
you're you're always that guy I mean I looked at your postseason numbers just to remind myself
today the deeper into the postseason you went the better your numbers got it was like the I
mean literally the the higher St I mean I don't know that a gift I mean a state of mind I I don't
know what that c can you explain like some does that come from it's a state of mind I think for
sure it's a state of mind and I swear I had myself tricked like you have to trick yourself and that
goes back to relying on your teammates you know you're not going out there all by yourself is the
first thing you know so you know who's behind you you know how good all these guys are so
even if you were to slip up for a second you know they can make up for you you know they
can make up for anything here and there just based on the talent and just how good of baseball
players they were and how bad they wanted it everybody on that team really you could just tell
was so bought in wanted it so bad was playing for something bigger than themselves we didn't we NE
we didn't necessarily feel the weight of the 108 years but we wanted to accomplish that goal so
bad for all the Cubs fans and that meant so much to us so playing for something that big you know
outside of just ourselves and our family that's what meant so much to us so no maybe we didn't
see the pressure we saw the opportunity of the positive that could come out of this and the
generations of cubs fans that we could affect and so yeah in a way I think pitching in playoff
games and all that you do have to psych yourself out and trick yourself and just it's one pitch
at a time still one pitch at a time it doesn't matter what game this is it doesn't matter that
it's October still one pitch at a time I have all these studs behind me still all these guys
we got the best lineup in the game our Bullpen was unbelievable at the time and our starters
you know we would we would get it the next day if something went wrong today so I remember like I
know this is what I do for a living but I grew up a Cubs fan I was a vendor at the Ballpark I mean
my heart was right out there beating on the field because oh man and I remember going up to Theo
and going dude is this ever going to happen he said well if I were you I'd lose a little weight
I'd eat right and give me some time and I'll get this fixed and we will win it for you and so game
three I get to the ballpark early and the wind is howling out howling it's you against Josh Tomlin
and I remember Joe Buck said you struck out the first batter and Joe Buck I'm sure you've heard
him say it in the video where he goes I don't know man he looks completely overwhelmed by the moment
kiddingly and then there was uh I think Lindor at first and you picked him off and it was a talent
a bang bang out got him got out of it and the game ended up like a two to one bargain crazy with the
I mean I thought it was going to be nine to eight take us back to looking at those flags pulling
up in your car and then going oh God yes I think Wrigley as you know man it can play so different
day to day the wind can be blowing howling out 20 plus miles hour then it can the next day it can be
howling in at the same rate so yes when you show up to the ballpark you definitely take note of it
but like just like I said at the end of the day it is one pitch at a time no matter what the other
team's playing in the same environment you are so yeah I it was completely unexpected for Josh and
I to go out there it was two guys that couldn't break a paint of glass basically and we go out
there and somehow navigate our way through this game he pitched absolutely unbelievable so it was
just a great competition back and forth um ended up being yeah a tremendous ball game for the first
World Series game back at Wrigley since I think in the early 40s 45 yeah okay so obviously it didn't
end up our way we we would have loved to win that game but of course like we all know that's exactly
how it was supposed to go for things to work out in the end so so it's clear how much magic there
was that year and how much talent there was in every part of that roster we all I mean the only
the word that got used most often coming off of That World Series was Dynasty and um I know we've
talked about this you and I talked about it you've talked about it with other reporters Rizzo Bryant
Javi everybody's talked about it what do you think in all these years later happened to to to lead
to sort of the decline I wonder sometimes if that Championship was so special historically and so
big in so many ways I just wonder sometimes if if that contributed to you know whatever came
next I I I don't know you know because then the Phillies the Phillies kind of when they went
through their thing with Rollins and and those guys they sustained it for a few years um got to
the World Series twice other teams have done that with their cores this one had the three NLCS is
but didn't get back there what do you think the biggest thing was yeah I think when you talk to
everyone about that we're clearly we still wanted more and we're obviously disappointed in that in
a way but I think what it shows you is just how tough this game is man how tough this game is at
the highest level just in general um just like we were talking about at the beginning of this if you
just get into the playoffs if you just get in you have a good chance and a lot of times it's just
who's the hot team who's playing the best at the right time there getting into October so yeah I
will say winning that World Series especially for a lot of the young guys I think it was a major
energy expenditure playing that long and just going through all that all the way through October
so and into November so showing up the next year that was a whole new Uncharted Territory dealing
with a new season coming off of that so yeah the World Series hangover like they talk about it
was a grind to get back into it try to play our best baseball and luckily it came you know later
in that season it took us a while to get into it though just because yeah I think it really just
talks to the level of talent the level of how good these other teams are they're all trying to beat
you just as much as you're trying to beat them so yeah sometimes the talent really doesn't matter
it's just who's playing hot at the right time you've seen so many teams make runs from a wild
card position you know in the playoffs so being being that best team being at the top sometimes
it really doesn't matter it really it's just whoever is playing their best baseball there in
October that's the favorite that's who you should follow and unfortunately we just couldn't put it
together again but I think that just goes to show how special it really was that it all did come
together and we we were able to accomplish that in okay so take me back to game seven because I'm
you know can I just yeah goad you surprised some of those some of those uh MVP All-Star caliber
type guys struggled after leaving like it's still I mean still at Young ages I think that go I
think that's to the same point like I said I think it's with me this year you know I it's not that
I'm doing much different I feel fully healthy I think it just shows the talent and how good these
guys are these are the best players in the world it's a really really difficult game you know and
being at it every single day it's just a grind it's really tough the arms that you see now are
getting so good with the velocity the spin rates all this stuff so hitting is as tough as it's ever
been so no so seeing these guys go to other places thank God I don't have to hit anymore I guess
I can say that I do not you know especially in today's game it would not be enjoyable but have
all those guys man going out there for 600 at bats it's just a grind and it's a really tough
league so I think it's just more you have to tip your cap and be positive and appreciate the guys
that are doing it and doing it consistently year in and year out it's just really special those are
unbelievable players that can do that so take me back to game seven I got a text from Theo I saw
him at the team hotel and I he goes how you doing I said how am I doing I'm freaking terrified I
I can't I can't handle this if lose game seven I can't handle it and then to have a six to3 lead
and have Chapman Give up a home run and the game is tied like I looked up at my late Father Who
Loved baseball why it became my favorite sport I go Dad it can't be this cruel it cannot be so when
you were rolling you got completely screwed on a pitch right down the middle and they called it a
ball to walk a guy and I'm like that that isn't even close it's totally down the middle you get
yanked how ticked off were you that's screw yeah okay thank you thank you guys I will say you know
you're so in the moment you're in that competitive mindset In the Heat of the battle so of course
getting taken out it was more of just I was so hot so focused on what I was doing it was ah all
right you know I the competitor was still in me at that point is that going off on my phone I think
it is cool that was pretty we timing there okay but anyway so no to be honest with you going into
that start I knew it could have been 10 pitches it could end up being 70 80 who knows and when I went
it's all down to one game exactly it's all down to one game you need to do anything you can in that
game to win and so I go out for the second second inning for my warm-up pitches and I kind of peek
over my shoulder because I hear the crowd starting to clap and get get energized and I look back and
I see Lester Lackey and arietta all three of them walking out to the bullpen they're in the second
inning okay so I of course I take mental note and I go in and that just solidified my thought
process was it's one pitch at a time get so intensely focused on each one of these give it
everything you got and when it's over it's over so that's that's the mindset I was still in I'll tell
you what as soon as I was out of that game and was thinking out I was a nervous wreck that's when the
nerves hit me before when you kind of have some control yeah and some some say in it that's when
you feel confident and you feel like you're doing what you're supposed to be doing but no I I became
a total fan when I came out of it uh I enjoyed every freaking second of it with the nerves riding
the roller coaster just like all the other Cubs fans and yeah and when they tied up that game of
course it was that was very emotional moment but for chappie to go out there man people forget he
went out there for the bottom of the ninth correct and went one two three after that where one run
there like you're talking about it's all over and Cub hit one out exactly it takes one pitch one
pitch and cubs fans are saying exactly what you were saying that here we go again you know it's
never going to happen so everything happens for a reason man like I said each and every guy on
that team was so special chappy he got so many huge outs for us man we were running him out there
every day to go back out there for the nth yeah but man if you get out of if you get a chance to
get that last out you're gonna get that last out and at least get through the F the fifth without
two runs scoring in that inning yeah 63 pitch Ali if that happens just by itself whether you go
out there in the sixth or not you guys don't go to Extra Innings you get the win who know is
that true who knows maybe I come out as five to one maybe the whole course has changed maybe we
do end up losing that game something goes wrong you know what I mean it worked I really don't know
all I know is we did it went exactly how it was supposed to go because we won that ball game and
every single Cubs fan now can can relive all those memories their entire lives so Kyle I'm out there
we're in the ballpark it's me and my partner at the time Todd Holland were now we go out on the
set it's the eighth inning and I'm pacing back in forth I mean my blood pressure was insane and
he looks at me he goes dude come on man it's over this game's over you got Chapman it's over and I
turn to him and I go listen here blankety blank you're an effing mercenary you played for seven
teams in your career you are not a comes guy you were here for a year and a half I love you but you
have no idea what all of us have gone through our entire life because more than any team to that
moment they could be up 19 to nothing with two outs and no one on in the night and they could
find a way to F this up and then bam home run and I'm like this cannot be happening not and then
to see how it ended the rain I think it made it all worthwhile it was CU likee to Win It That Way
exactly that's exactly what I go back to it was Cub like that's exactly how the Cubs had to do
it I think if it would have been just seamless no problems gone that's what would have happened
something would have gone wrong and we would have we would have blown the game probably but yeah
the the weird rain delay for only 20 minutes go having to go to Extra Innings in a game seven like
all of that I'm sorry for Cubs fans that that it had to add that more nerves you know you got more
steps in I guess a littleit paac in but I did yeah like I said I think it was so perfect man and to
be I think go down in history as one of the best game sevens one of the best series World Series
in general is just so special to for CBS fans to did Joe ever apologize to you go Kyle sorry for
taking you out no absolutely not man like I said it was it was the right move because we won it
was what it was and again you warm John Lester up for a third time you're not gonna burn John
Lester and not use him in that game I mean John I owe so much to him he was such a huge leader
for me and just watching him about his work he he's one of the best pitchers ever so yeah that's
not a guy you waste an arm you waste so coming in we knew he was gonna do the job too and he did
he made some huge pitches got some huge outs for us like his career that's who he was incredible
it cracks me up we're talking about this I think you're I think you're both right like it was
so Cub likee to win that way because CU likee throughout history is about just crazy moments
weird moments and stuff that happens mostly through that history not so good but some of
it pretty cool even babu's called shot was a cub moment right and so what my point in bringing
all this up is here this year is 10 years in a big league is all with the Cubs and we all know the
two the two crazy things about the beginning was how you became a cub in the first place thanks
thanks to to Ryan demper waking up and getting pissed off one day and and and and the other and
the other thing your debut which I went back and looked at it not too long ago because I wanted to
see what I had written about you that day I wrote two full stories that day and you were one line in
the bottom of the second one even though you pick six Innings and I think got the win in your major
league debut and of course I know cap off top of his head both you guys know why that is so that
that was again that was a CR you're right though there were crazy circumstances just for me to be
with the Cubs number one Ryan Dempster it was set up for him to go to Atlanta randado yes like you
said yes and then he wakes up things happen he ends up going to the Texas Rangers you know and
I get to be part of that trade every time I see him I say thank you that's part of it for the
luck that he gave of course yes yes and then the second part Gordon actually in my debut that
was the game where we had to go to Extra Innings and RZ charged The Dugout with Chapman Chapman
drown some pitches up and in on our guys yeah so again who knew that we were going to be teammates
you know two years later going through all that together but just such a weird story so such weird
paths you know baseball is just a crazy game man and there's so much luck involved Theo has said on
the record to me that the crystallizing moment for him that we we've got something special here is
when RZ went over to the Reds Dugout goes let's go and he'll take them all on he said because it
showed me we had fight we were not vanilla we were let's go we know what the the Mountaintop we've
got to climb to so when CH comes over we gotta tell people this though because people who don't
know how what Great American Ballpark looks like this wasn't one of those Hold Me Back things
they're the first base Dugout yeah there's no him to slow him down RZ wanted to take on the
whole dogout by himself and you're right that did give some kind of fire or set the identity for the
future years was clearly the leader for us okay so Chapman gets traded to the Cubs and he walks in
at Guaranteed Rate it was a US Cellular back then he doesn't have great grasp of the language Pedro
the late Pedro Gomez has to re rescue him and go what were you trying to say here it it was nuts
and then all the people that were like I don't know should we do this they're all the ones with
the iPhones taking videos and flash bulbs popping when he was there at Wrigley for his first
save what was it like when he walked into your locker room Clubhouse the first time it was it was
phenomenal man I mean you can probably imagine it but baseball's baseball and so by that time I know
they had had already talked they walked right up hugged each other we're teammates now we're in the
fight together it's crazy how baseball can change like that with someone on the other side when
they join your team there's something to that that they're your teammate now and we are all in this
together RZ there was nobody better at that than RZ he was an ultimate teammate brought everyone
together there was never it was just laughed about really it was laughed about and what the situation
was and everyone had a good time with it never any sense of ill will or that's that's just basic you
know again it's what happens chappie knew it too and we're we were lucky and blessed to have that
guy with us now that's what we felt we thank God that we got chappie on our side now and like you
said going out there for his first time at Wrigley Field we were right up there on the top step too
man we were on the top step looking at the radar gun every time seeing him blow up by everybody
and we knew when he was coming in after that that the game was just over you talked earlier
go ahead Gord you talked earlier about just the the value of pitching at Wrigley Field and and
and having all that experience all these years but I also know talking to people in that front
office how much they value players like you who can perform in that environment because not
everybody can and and and so over the years here I mean literally from the beginning you
were able to show that and do that at a high level historically for the franchise and uh I
wonder um you you've you've talked about having a good relationship with the front office and lines
of communication with Jed how much have you guys talked about maybe being a lifetime Cub coming
back finding a way to make that work you know yeah going forward next I think clearly yeah there's a
lot that goes into that honestly like you said we have such a good relationship and I'm so thankful
for everything they've done for me I mean from the from the beginning but even into this year
this year for them to keep giving me the ball after what I was going through losing ball games
individually you know for our team it could have easily gone another way they could have gotten
rid of me made any other decision they wanted to make they keep giving me the ball and I can't
thank them enough for that so at the end of the day it's definitely clear they know how much
I love Chicago love Wrigley Field love Cubs fans love the organization all these people of
course I would love to be there my entire career and keep playing there but at the end of the day
if it's best for the organization to move on also I'm still okay with that and they know that I
really do want want what's best for the Cubs organization and so I'm trying to work myself back
in in a way if I can say you know I know I need to really pitch good and just almost prove myself
again to maybe give myself a little chance to have that possibility and that's okay with me that's
I truly want what's best for this organization there's such good people from top to bottom and
clearly I want to be a part of that but I know I have to put in some work in order for that
to happen and if it's better for me to move on on and not be a part of it then that's great
also so I think the lines of communication are clear we know where we're both at I
need to perform I need to do what I need to do and be the guy I consist consistently
need to be for there to even be a chance of that I just I just want to follow up on it so you
guys have talked about things like that did did you talk as a trade deadline came up because you
were pitching so much better and we didn't know what direction they were going to go and whether
you'd get a chance to maybe go pitch for somebody else in a playoff situation have they talked about
other pitching well now and they've got you know they depending on how things go they've got that
other thing that now is happening in baseball at the end of August where you know teams try to
get under luxury taxes and things yeah exactly so no I think what I can say is our relationship
is so good because I think there's just a lot of trust there so the blueprints been set out all
everything I just said they know how much I love the Cubs how much I want to be here but when it
comes to the day-to-day even trade deadline stuff they know how much trust I have in them if they
want to go out and find a good deal and trade me they'll look for it and then they'll come to
me and let me know but there's no conversations beforehand of what they're looking to do or where
they need to go I trust every no assurances zero no assurances that I'm staying either no zero
it's just like I said it's what's going to be best for this Cubs organization this Cubs team
today and into the future so I've put full Trust on their PL man they have so much to do on a
day in day out basis same with us our focus is so much on the day-to-day and what we have to do
to win ball games so again my love for the game is so high I just love taking the ball being
able to pitch and play baseball so of course number one would want to be with the Cubs but I
just love the game so much in general that I I put full trust into that and I know everything
will work out how it's supposed to last couple things for me I want to go back first to the
game you beat Kershaw to win the pennant like the World Series amazing obviously that's the
cherry on top but to do it at wriggley to do it in the fashion you did where you just dominated
and they beat arguably the best pitcher of our lifetime Kershaw is a first ballot Hall of
Famer take me back to that day because it was ridiculously cool yeah that day honestly clearly
game seven was what it was but individually that was probably the best performance I've ever
had in my entire life and that was game six in the NLCS yes yes and so it it's so bizarre man it
was almost like I blacked out you know it was just one of those days it's one of those days where
you throw the first pitch all of a sudden you're throwing the last pitch and you're getting taken
out and it's over it was I I have to go back to again just the support group The the pitching guys
we had on the team at the time starting with BOS Tommy all those guys that were around but also
the other starters that had led me and taught me everything and taught me how to pitch in big
situations down to our position players always having my back making it I mean I'm not pitching
for strikeouts they're making all the plays behind me it's just there's so many factors that went
into it that everyone there helped me to be in just the perfect mindset of Just One Singular
pitch at a time reading what they're doing to me and we had our catchers were so good between
Wilson and Miggy at that time that Miguel Montero me so much man he helped me so much as a catcher
back there that yeah it was just a special special moment I was nervous for sure showing up to
the ballpark and walking in but once you get in the clubhouse and you're around around your
guys around your family it's just another day another day at the Ballpark the energy in Wrigley
was crazy and when we started scoring runs we were hitting homers off Kershaw all a sudden it's
one nothing two nothing three nothing you see the confidence of the guys you know to be five nothing
pretty quick and get me that lead man it's just it makes it a lot easier to pitch with that just
going one pitch at a time doing what I can and I know we got the the great Bullpen behind me so
it's it's weird to talk about that one it is really hard because it really was like a blackout
situation where it happen so quick to me you must have said that to RZ because RZ said to me he goes
dude you remember the movie Old School when will frell is making the speech and he goes what what
did you just do I don't know I blacked out that's what R said goes that's what Kyle was like he
just said I blacked out and I it was five nothing it really was that's exactly what it felt like
exactly it's it was the weirdest situation it was just a magical day again just just another cherry
on top to what a special group that was and how just things went our way we got we took advantage
of opportunities you know we saw the situation for what it was and we were able to attack it and make
it the best for us that whole year I loved it of course Rizzo Compares you will phell yeah he knows
he knows who my favorite actor is you know we go back a while I tell you what man I don't know if
if people came up to you afterwards and and and expressed something similar to this I remember
that whole run as being a lifetime baseball guy writer appreciate somebody who appreciated
the history of the game that entire run that day that moment was the day I felt the historical
weight of what you guys were doing when when you clinch it when that team that night at that place
was headed to the World Series Peter Chase and I looked at each other at one point and and at at
the end of all that and agreed and said the same thing there's something in the air that night that
just that was the moment I felt like history was being made by that team man agreed yeah and that
I couldn't agree more yeah I couldn't agree more and I really I truly felt it after the game was
over over and we're celebrating and we all go out on the field to celebrate the the whole crowd was
still there nobody left nobody left we were out on the field spraying champagne into the front rows
and to see the joy and yeah the relief in some ways too from fans yes and the tons of tears from
just the buildup of what had happened year and year year in and year out yes you could feel all
that the confidence of them now in our group and you could it just kind of felt like they knew what
we were going to get it done now and it it could come true at this point so after you win the World
Series hollandsworth and I do a 4-Hour post game we get in his car he Pilots us back to Chicago
I go on the air for I don't know how many hours and then the next day I believe I drove maybe it
was two days later I drove to the cemetery I had a pen I bought at the World Series a hat and I
went out and told my dad hey guess what we won the freaking world series and all of a sudden I
look around there's got to be 500 people in the cemetery there's penants on every grave there's
blue and red flowers and baseball I'm like oh my God and then I talked about it on the radio and
I had you can't believe how many people contact me oh I went to see my dead relative or they said
funerals were just overrun that's what you accomp that that absolutely is crazy cap and it gives me
goosebumps and we knew we knew we were playing for all of that in a way but we did we still didn't
know the scale we didn't know the scale and what it was going to be realized there in the end
crazy it was absolutely crazy and we still all hear stories and it still gives us Goosebumps
and that's the reason why it makes it so special is the Family Ties the generations of cubs fans
you with your dad so many Cubs fans being able to say that with their Dads their moms going to do
these things it's just yeah I it can't mean any more than that it still it gives me Goosebumps
all the time hey man thank you for taking time for us always will be your one of your biggest
fans I really appreciate you cat man always but yes I'd love to ask one more thing and and Kyle
I I second what uh what cap said that it's been just an absolute Joy working with you from the
day you got into the big leagues and thank I really appreciate that thank youate it um but the
question I had and I've asked you this before but now that you're a 10-year vet and um maybe maybe
you started thinking about the future a little bit you going to stay in the game when you're done
playing and and doing what because I could see anything from pitching coach to front office and
anything in between yeah that's that's a great question man clearly I love the game I absolutely
love it I love being around it I love being around the guys I love seeing other guys their process I
love seeing them get better and accomplish their dreams and their goals you know and have success
out there so I there's so many things that I do enjoy about the game at this point clearly I'm
focused on holding on and trying to maximize what I have in the playing realm because that's truly
what I what I enjoy the most is going out there and just taking the ball so that's my focus right
now but of course moving forward starting a family you know that's going to be big for me just being
around my kids and around my family when I'm done this it takes so much time in this game so getting
away for a little bit for sure is going to be uh going to have to take a little bit of time when
it's all said and done but after that you hear you see it from so many guys man you hear guys
say oh I'm GNA get away I'm never going to come back and you know you know the guys that really
love the game and you know they're always going to come back in some capacity so true I I know I
have that in me I know it'll probably follow that path one day but again I'm such a day day-to-day
guy that I'm just going to let my love for the game stay and that'll that'll Lead Me where I need
to go in those days in the future but for now I want it to lead me on the field extend my career
with my guys be able to play start my family get some time with them and then yeah of course I'm
still going to love the game so much when that's all said and done that I'm sure something will
end up happening I I hope there's an opportunity for it too I guess get yourself one of those Rick
suck Cliff gigs he talks to me about it all the time he gives me it all the time he says you're
going to be taking over for me I don't know if I can do that you know he's really good at what
he does man and maybe I need to be more behind the scenes type um but yeah I've learned so much
from Su that I'm sure he'll be one of the guys I'm picking I'm picking his brain a lot in the future
Kyle our best to your wife and your mom and dad just awesome people I've gotten to know your dad
very very well so thank you for being so awesome in all of our dealings you're amazing I can can't
say this enough about you guys man thank you for everything always treating me so well with such
respect you guys are awesome people and I miss you guys miss having you around so I'll come out I'll
come see you okay I need that that my life that last series of the year that's right I'll see you
there I know I'll see you a little more all right best of Lu so much of course anytime guys what
an outstanding awesome fun interview with Kyle Hendrick Gordon and it got me to okay as we walk
down memory lane with him who is on the Rushmore for you and for me of cubs pitchers and there
is no doubt I I don't want to speak for you Kyle Hendricks has to be on it right no doubt I mean
when we were talking to him that occurred to me like I was thinking but I can't ask him about that
but I did want to talk to you about that and and and and ask you about it so I'm glad you brought
it up absolutely I mean he started the the pennant clinching game first time in 71 years the Cubs win
the pant he's the winning pitcher he goes into the eighth and he starts game seven and while I think
he was P pulled too quickly and he disputed that the bottom line is he gave you a chance to be a
world champion in game seven with his 63 pitch performance so one slot is locked in it's him on
a staff with John Lester and Jake aretta he was the game one playoff starter the next year too
he also started two two or three opening days including a shut out during the pandemic year
that that's their last playoff season so all that plus what five or six years into his career
he had an erra that only kersha Verlander Scherer and maybe a couple other guys had had better
eras that's the company he was keeping in his career so absolutely he's there who are your other
three uh I would have to tell Fergie Jenkins six consecutive 20 win Seasons multiple years at or
just around 300 Innings pitch Paul of Famer Fergie gets slot number two Paul of Famer and a cub a
definitive Cub Hall of Fame yes absolutely so he gets number two um I would put Rick Sutcliffe
there because of what he accomplished as a cub I love Greg Maddox but he was only here for one you
know shining season in '92 and then the infinite wisdom the Cubs had more than one good season no
no I'm talking about The Shining Moment where he won the Sai Young and then he went on to win a
bunch of them with Atlanta unfortunate yeah uh s Cliffe I think for after those first two there's
a little bit of a drop but I got Sutcliff on what he did in 84 that was amazing and then he
goes on to continue to have a good career with maybe uh he had he had another season in there
that had he not gotten hurt might have been just as big uh was a huge part of those teams yeah I
he's up there I I like Maddox as my fourth I know you you say you know cuz he all that stuff he did
with the Braves he is such a big pitcher for his generation and he was an original cub and when
he came back to the Cubs it was so celebrated that it it was one of the reasons they were a
prohibitive pick favorite whatever to win the World Series that year it didn't happen obviously
but he's such a part of franchise history and he's so big in the history of the game he's my fourth
one okay I am going to have to go with John Lester John Lester signaled to a general ation or more
the Cubs are back he picked us over Boston the Giants I'm going to be a cub and before he came
he was on a wing in a prayer that he believed in Theo and Jed that those young players are going
to be good he told me that he said if they were not the guys running it there's no chance I would
be here if Boston hadn't traded him to Oakland he said there's no chance I'd be here but once I
got away from Boston went oh there is life in other places and he came to Chicago in game five
at Wrigley to beat the then Cleveland Indians to get it back to Cleveland it's one of the most
gutty performances I've watched so count me in on John Lester yeah you know what he probably
also would have never been there if Boston hadn't pissed him off by trading him the previous year
and then furthermore he looked sideways at Joe Madden across the division for years when Joe
was at at Tampa Bay with the zoo animals and stuff and and wasn't sure he could play for
that guy until they had a conversation right before he signed so a lot of things had to go
right that's not a wrong pick I'm sticking with Maddox though all right Gordon have a great rest
of your day man appreciate you greatly you're the best that was a lot of fun great work Kyle
Hendrick Gordon Whitmire I'm David Kaplan hope you enjoyed this really really fun podcast get
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new content for Gordon for Kyle I'm cap take that