(670 The Score) White Sox closer Liam Hendriks has a theory for what’s plaguing the club in its underwhelming 4-5 start.
“We are pressing a little too much, myself included in that,” Hendriks said Monday, a day after he blew a save in the White Sox’s eventual 4-3 loss to the Royals in 10 innings. “As you saw from yesterday, that wasn't the kind of first outing (blown save) I wanted to have in my first outing in a home white uniform. It is what it is, and I have to be better.
“It’s like we are all trying just a little too hard. We are trying to live up to expectations or exceed expectations of that high bar we set for ourselves. So when everybody settles down into that monotonous rhythm we get used to as baseball players, we will end up fine. We have had to battle adversity. We can't worry about the whole season. We need to win April. Once we go out there and win April, I think you will see the team get on a roll. Once we do, we will be hard to stop.”
For his part, Hendriks has a unique way of staying positive and getting his mind right when he has encountered struggles. He has a tarot card reader, Ruby, share interpretations and wisdom for him, and he had such a discussion in the wake of his blown save Sunday.
“It's like reading a book and one little passage jumps out for you,” Hendriks said. “That is the work I do with Ruby. When certain things pop out at us that go through our mind and when she reiterates to me things I have been focusing on like putting too much pressure on myself or losing a certain mentality of confidence. That was not the case yesterday. When I got guys to 0-2, I could not put them away. That is not how my mindset works. Normally with two strikes, I see the blood in the water and I attack and kill it. That is one thing Ruby helps with.”
Hendriks admitted that Ruby knows next to nothing about baseball, but she did previously predict he would get at least a three-year deal worth at least $50 million in free agency. He then signed a three-year deal with a fourth-year option with the White Sox for $54 million. Ruby was also the source for Hendriks to fire his previous agent.
“She calls the mound the mount,” Hendriks said. “That is the best part about it. It's not like she is a baseball fan giving me information she thinks is right. She is telling me her thoughts from an emotional and physical standpoint.”
While the White Sox’s bullpen has struggled more than expected early on, it’s full of talent and Hendriks has been impressed by the other relievers -- such as right-hander Michael Kopech, who has thrown 6 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out 11.
"I have noticed what you all have noticed on the field,” Hendriks said. “He is a good kid. He has a good head on his shoulders. I am excited to be out there with him. Hopefully, I can impart some of the trials and tribulations out there so I can listen to him and not judge him. On the field, we heard the hype, but I found out that his ball does a lot of things that other guys who are throwing 97-100 miles per hour don't have. He is a special talent that is for sure.”
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.