Liam Hendricks, the Australian baseball legend, shared the difficult news of what he is currently going through on Instagram. He stated: “Hearing the word ‘Cancer’ came as a shock to my wife and I, as it does to millions of families each year.
“However, I am resolved to embrace the fight and overcome this new challenge with the same determination I have used when facing other obstacles in my life.”
After he revealed that he has been diagnosed with cancer, the baseball community has sent its best wishes for him. The Chicago White Sox closer made his non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis public on Instagram.
Hendricks debuted his baseball career all the way back in 2007 with the Minnesota Twins. He was listed as the team’s top 50 prospects when he started his career. He joined his latest team, the Chicago White Sox only in 2021 with a signing that is worth US $54 million.
The three-time All-Star pitcher from Perth says Monday is the day he will start his treatment.
The 33-year-old expressed his “confidence” in his ability to “make a full recovery” and “get back on the mound as soon as possible.” He continued, “I believe I will get through this with the help of my wife, my family, my teammates, and the Chicago White Sox organisation, as well as the therapy and care from my doctors.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma has a five-year survival rate of 73.8%, according to the US National Cancer Institute. While some kinds grow slowly, others are aggressive.
Fan reaction towards Hendricks’ cancer diagnosis
Earlier Sunday evening, Liam Hendriks announced he is beginning treatment tomorrow for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. We’re all with you, Liam! 💚 pic.twitter.com/iLF1IpByp5
Usually, in the world of sports, fans are not known to be kind to athletes of any kind. However, due to the gravity of Hendricks’ situation, many were sympathetic towards him as it is a serious illness.
Statements from other baseball teams giving him words of encouragement made the spotlight as well. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and many others expressed kind words towards the player.
Fans who went through a similar illness as him at stage 4 told him that they were saved from it. Furthermore, that same fan gave him words of encouragement that he can also get better like that said fan.
After being signed to a $13 million contract with the Dodgers for one year, Noah Syndergaard shows how important he is to the Los Angeles team.
At 30-years-old, Syndergaard sees 2023 as more than simply his second full season following Tommy John surgery. It’s an opportunity to make a difference while regaining his reputation as a right-handed fireballer who gained prominence when he initially entered the game in 2015 with the New York Mets.
After pitching for the Los Angeles Angels and Philadelphia Phillies last season, when he had a 10-10 record and a 3.94 ERA in 24 starts and 134.2 innings, Syndergaard hopes to approach 2023 with the capacity to raise the velocity of his fastball by returning to previous training techniques.
Syndergaard’s statement
He told Dodger Blue, “The old me, the velocity is one thing. But coming back from Tommy John, about month 13 or 14, I was throwing 97-98 (mph) in bullpens and then I had a little setback. I’m not really sure if my body went into fight or flight to protect itself kind of thing, or if it was I felt like I had been throwing for the last three years.”
“With the rehab, over the last three years, I might’ve only had three or four total months off, so that might have been a factor in the velocity dip. I started going down a movement and pitching mechanics rabbit hole, and was getting away from what made me great. When I had surgery, everyone was always telling me that I was too big, too bulky, too strong.
“So instead of continuing to do what made me really good and just chalking it up to Tommy John surgery that a lot of pitchers and baseball players go through, I completely did an overhaul of my training program. My emphasis in the weight room was a lot of mobility, athleticism, and kind of shifted away from strength and explosiveness.
“This last year, the results were pretty good, but there were a lot of starts where I was kind of fighting myself and not having a lot of confidence in my delivery. It was hard to fix that during the season.”
The LA Dodgers posted a tweet of Noah joining their team officially. This is met with a mix review as some are happy and some felt that he betrayed his old New York team. There was a fan that even commented “welcome to the Mickey Mouse House Club.”
Probably shows how less intense Baseball is in Los Angeles when compared to New York. Other fans stated his good looking features resembling Thor. Questions on Syndergaard avoiding his old team by not playing for the Dodgers for the time they’re in New York.
Others stated that he is not a starter, but he is more focused on innings. Regardless of what is said about him, he is still an excellent player. Questions on the Dodgers reaching the World Series are being asked, and some fans do not believe that they would.
Veteran relievers have a history of contributing massively for the Los Angeles Angels, as demonstrated by Steve Cishek’s performance in 2021. He announced his retirement from the game but also left the door open in case the time ever came, as he anticipates a potential 14th season in Major League Baseball.
Cishek, 36, was first selected by the Florida Marlins in the fifth round of the 2007 MLB June Amateur Draft. He rapidly gained recognition throughout the league thanks to his quirky delivery, which caused problems for opposing batters. Even though he was never selected for an All-Star Game, his longevity as a reliever in the MLB is still commendable.
Cishek’s actual statement about Tom Brady
Image of Tom Brady, from Wikipedia.
Cishek told the news, “It’s time,” Cishek said. “It’s gotten harder for me to bounce back game-to-game. The ball wasn’t coming out as crisp as before, and it felt like I had to pitch differently. I know I’ll get the bug and want to get back out there, but I don’t think I’m pulling a Tom Brady.”
Image of a baseball player, Noah Syndergaard from Wikipedia.
Noah Syndergaard joined the Angels for the 2021 season thanks in large part to Cishek, who noted that Thor might be part of his most enjoyable period in MLB. Outside of the 2020 abbreviated season, Cishek’s 4.21 ERA over 66.1 innings with the Nationals was only the second-highest record of his career.
Cishek’s list of regrets
His list of regrets is quite short. He expressed regret over not getting to pitch in more postseason contests. His only postseason appearance, with the Cubs in the 2018 Wild Card game, lasted just two pitches. In a game that went 13 innings without a run, he got out of a jam and turned a double play.
Cishek said he is looking forward to spending more time with his family, despite the fact that it may seem corny. His family, including his wife Marissa, intends to spend the academic year at their residence in Florida before returning to Falmouth for the summer.
Regardless, news of his retirement did not gain as much traction as other players. However, the response that was given to him has been a positive one as fans described him as a decent player. Others were commending him, calling him a professional player.
Claims that he was actually an underrated player are also a popular opinion among fans. Some minor criticisms about his early days were stated, but the same fan remarked that he ended up proving to be an amazing baseball player.
It seems that January is the month for a number of prominent players to retire. First it was Gareth Bale in the English Premier League, and apparently now it’s Steve Cishek. Hopefully he will be content with his retirement as his contributions to baseball and the Los Angeles Angels will not be forgotten.
People in Major League Baseball have learned to respect the Los Angeles Dodgers as a team that can identify a player’s weakness, fix it, and make them a valuable contributor. Noah Syndergaard acknowledged his wish to have access to the Dodgers’ system once more after agreeing to a one-year deal.
The contract for Syndergaard has a basic salary of $13 million and includes bonuses for innings pitched. He reportedly declined more money elsewhere in order to sign with L.A. “everything that they touch turns to gold.”
The Dodgers have recently signed players like Jake McGee, Yency Almonte, and Alex Vesia, among others, and have used their finest attributes to get the most out of them.
Some people who spent time in Los Angeles made good money, including Corey Knebel, Chris Martin, Andrew Heaney, and Tyler Anderson.
Syndergaard’s statement
Syndergaard stated, “I think when you think of the Los Angeles Dodgers, it has this aura around it. The expectations are super high and you’re expected to go out there and perform to the highest level.”
He then added, “What they did with Heaney and Tyler Anderson, I definitely want to be in that category.”
Another potential reason why Syndergaard wants to join the Dodgers is that their home base is the Dodgers stadium. Apparently some are saying that he likes playing in the stadium, and joining them would be a way for him to play in the stadium.
His remarks were, “There were a few teams. I’m not really sure how many. I let my agent deal with it and when things really caught steam, to let me know.”
“I think there were quite a bit of teams that made phone calls but I was really only interested if they were pretty serious. As far as my decision to choose the Dodgers, I feel like everything that they touch turns to gold. This is a pretty surreal moment.
“It’s been my dream to play for the Dodgers ever since I was first introduced to Dodger Stadium in 2015.”
Fans are not too happy with him taking cues from players who started off in smaller teams then got big enough to chunk them away. “You come in, play for a year, then sign a three-year contract for another team?” Stated by a fan.
The popular opinion on his statement is that he is in it for the money and not for the sport. If you sign for a bigger team like the Dodgers, you will be awarded the opportunity to receive more spotlight and more monetary benefits.
Regardless of what the situation is, a large majority of sports players are doing it for the money as well. It is their job at the end of the day, and they would of course want to climb their systemic structure for a better job placement. Sounds familiar? Isn’t that what most of us do in our normal day to day jobs?
In sports, like in real life, people like to associate themselves with good looks and with success stories and here we propose to our readers to have a look at the five top handsomest baseball players who are active on the field.
While it appears that similarly to football, baseball players too are quite attractive and this gets them a large number of followers.
However, players from both categories have individually lured more female fans or fans who are attracted to male athletes to their fan base specifically due to their looks.
Furthermore, according to mlb.com the viewerships for the game reached an all time high of 11.78 million viewers solely on Fox Sports. This number is only for one channel in the United States. It may not be as popular as the Premier League, but it is popular solely in the United States.
Similarly to European football, baseball players tend to retire at a young age, around 35-years-old. The sport is a heavy sport, which means that players are to be in their fittest form, hence the younger players.
Now, with that established, sports virsa established a list of most attractive baseball players and why they are popular. The list is composed of not just their facial traits, but also their body, strength, personality and playing skills.
The handsomest baseball players:
Number 5, Noah Syndergaard
Image of Noah Syndergaard from Wikipedia.
Syndergaard, one of the handsomest baseball player is quite popular here on Sportsry, we tend to report about him quite frequently as he is currently making waves. Furthermore, he is nicknamed “Thor” for a good reason. He was in surgery related to a ligament injury, but he is back and ready to win the MLB.
He was originally from Mansfield, Texas and did not start playing baseball for his highschool team until 2010. Currently, the 30-years-old pitcher is currently playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers. A controversial move for both the team and the player, but we will see how he performs for this year’s MLB.
Furthermore, he was born on the 29th of August 1992. For those that are into astrology, he would be a Virgo. Here is the link to his Instagram profile.
Number 4, Cody Bellinger
Image of Cody Bellinger, from Wikipedia.
Cody Bellinger is a few years younger than Syndergaard at 27-years-old, and he is currently playing for the Chicago Cubs. He used to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and his first ever world series with them.
However, Bellinger’s 2021 season in terms of home runs and batting average was the lowest of his career due to a variety of ailments to his shoulder, calf, and rib cage. Furthermore, his father played for the New York Yankees.
He was born on the 13th of July 1995. That would make him a Cancer. Here is a link to his Instagram profile.
Number 3, Mookie Betts
Image of Mookie Betts from Wikipedia.
Mookie Betts, the current player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, where Noah Syndergaard is playing. Betts is the outfielder for his team and he has been with the Dodgers since 2020. Unfortunately in 2022 he cracked his ribs but all seems well now that he is recovered.
He was born on the 7th October 1992, which would definitely make him a Libra. Here is the link to his Instagram page.
Number 2, Kike Hernandez
Image of Kike Hernandez from Wikipedia.
Kike Hernandez is of Puerto Rican origins and is a utility player for the Boston Red Sox. However due to the nature of his nickname, during English-language television broadcasts, his nickname Kike is occasionally written Kiké to avoid confusion with an anti-Semitic insult that has a distinct sound.
He was born on the 24th August 1991 which would make him another Virgo, similar to Syndergaard. Here is the link to his Instagram profile.
Number 1, Max Kepler
Image of Max Kepler from Wikipedia.
The handsomest player, Max Kepler was born in Germany. Currently, he is playing for the Minnesota Twins as an outfielder. Born on 10th February 1991, that would make him 32-years-old very soon and that his zodiac sign would be Aquarius.
His parents, Marek Róycki and Kathy Kepler, were both professional ballet dancers who met while sharing a stage in Berlin. Despite being born in Germany, his parents are not German. His mother is originally from Texas and his father is from Poland.
Were you surprised by the list of handsomest baseball players? Or were you not surprised that these selected players are on the list. Regardless, they have proven themselves off field and on field based on their skills and attractiveness.
Shohei Ohtani surprised everyone in baseball by signing a historic $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in an unexpected turn of events.
In an Instagram statement, he apologized for the wait time and reaffirmed his dedication to the West Coast group. Because Ohtani and the Toronto Blue Jays had been strongly linked in the past, many people thought the transaction would happen soon if he signed.
But many were taken aback by Ohtani’s decision to stay on the West Coast, which changed the story that was expected to be told about his future in the league.
There are rumors that the whole story was a hoax, put up by Shohei Ohtani’s group to get a better deal from Los Angeles. Nevertheless, there is no supporting data for this hypothesis, therefore the matter is far from resolved. Although there is talk, there isn’t any hard evidence to back up these purported actions.
Big MLB drama
Brandon Wile said; “- After those leaks, Dodgers thought they might lose him and came in with final offer,” an article from sportskeeda.com shared.
Fans of Major League Baseball flocked to Twitter to voice their worries and thoughts on the circulating rumors. While some declared that Shohei Ohtani might have set up a hoax to obtain a more lucrative agreement, others thought that the transaction was finalized and that Showtime would determine which MLB team would be the chosen bidder.
Divergent opinions regarding Ohtani’s circumstances were brought to light in the fan community’s online conversation, which sparked intense discussion and conjecture.
One of the fan tweeted “So let’s get this right. Ohtani & his agent forbid any leaks by the teams, threatening them as possible disqualifiers. But his team possibly leaked the signing with the Jays to secure more funds from the Dodgers? Sure it’s all legal but yuck to those ethics,” an article from sportskeeda.com mentioned.
Historic 10-year deal
After a fierce bidding battle, Shohei Ohtani, the outstanding two-way player, has agreed to a historic 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, according to his agent Nez Balelo. This historic contract is good until 2033, which covers Ohtani’s prime years until he turns 39.
With two MVP awards that were unanimously chosen, three selections to the All-Star team, two Silver Slugger awards, and the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year award, Ohtani is without a doubt the best dual-threat player in MLB history.
