Latest news with #Hendricks
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
The Angels have used only five starting pitchers this season. Why that's significant
Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, throwing against the Boston Red Sox last week, has anchored a starting rotation that has only used five pitchers so far this season. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press) Kyle Hendricks knows what it takes to make it in Major League Baseball. The 162-game trek of the regular season is familiar to the 35-year-old Southern California native across his 12-year career. With Joe Maddon as his manager for the first half of his career, Hendricks was provided room to screw up — messing around with his mechanics and pitch arsenal — to become a top-end starting pitcher that helped the Chicago Cubs claim the 2016 World Series. Advertisement 'It established a lot of confidence in me,' said Hendricks, who started more than 30 games four times in five seasons from 2015-19. 'The organization handing you the ball every fifth day, having that confidence in you to give the team a chance to win. That's how you learn.' Learning has arrived in spades for the Angels pitching staff. The starting rotation owns a 4.22 earned-run average, fostering a crop of middle-of-the-pack pitchers that doesn't feature a traditional ace, nor former Cy Young Award winners. (The Angels' overall staff ERA of 4.58 ranks 24th in MLB entering Monday.) But there's something that makes this group stand out from the rest of the league: pitching every fifth day. Read more: Angels miss chance to move above .500, losing to Nationals Advertisement The Halos feature the only pitching staff in baseball to have their season-opening rotation — of Yusei Kikuchi, Jack Kochanowicz, José Soriano, Tyler Anderson and Hendricks — make every start of the season as the All-Star break approaches. The Angels (41-42) set a team record over the weekend for most games to begin a season using no more than five starters, surpassing the mark of 80 games set in 1999. The only other team close to the Angels? The Tampa Bay Rays, who have used just six pitchers to start — a singular spot start mixed in for the AL East contenders. As the ulnar collateral ligament epidemic has grown over the last decade — forcing players with elbow injuries under the knife for Tommy John surgery — and as openers and bullpen games have become more normalized in MLB, having the same five pitchers throw every fifth day has become a rarity. For instance, up the highway at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers have used 13 traditional starting pitchers in 2025. Advertisement 'That's huge,' catcher Travid d'Arnaud said, adding that it's helpful for him and Logan O'Hoppe to work with the same crop of starting pitchers week-by-week, building camaraderie and chemistry. 'Games started is one of the most valuable things you could do over a year, especially when you're getting 30 to 35 starts. For everyone to not miss one and just keep going every fifth day, especially when things aren't going well, I think that's when you learn the most, regardless of good or bad.' Kochanowicz, for example, has a 6.44 earned-run average over his last eight starts and has only struck out 61 batters in 86 innings while opponents have hit .289 against him this season. But for interim Angels manager Ray Montgomery, the ability for the 6-foot-7 sinkerballer to learn from failure and learn to adjust in the big league environment has caused Kochanowicz to show extra mettle on the mound. Against the Red Sox on June 22, Kochanowicz faltered in the first inning, giving up three runs. But the second-year Angels starter pitched into the fifth, gave up just one more run, and worked longer than big-league veteran Walker Buehler did for Boston. Advertisement Kochanowicz, 24, didn't have his best stuff, striking out one, but battled early adversity to keep the Angels in the ballgame — a game they'd eventually win, 9-5. 'I think this is the time of year to your point where they're going to see the difference,' Montgomery said, adding that every pitcher in the league is dealing with wear or tear in the middle months. 'I think mentally is where you have to see it. And that's where I credit Jack … for getting even through five [innings]. Just that was a mental grind from him.' It's not just Kochanowicz. Soriano has produced a sneaky-good campaign in his third MLB season — and second in the starting rotation. The 26-year-old Dominican-born righty holds a 3.99 earned-run average across 17 starts. In four of his last six starts, he's allowed one or fewer runs. Going out every five days, no matter the results, has begun to show its dividends. Against the Athletics on June 10, Soriano struck out 12 in a seven-inning, one-run outing. Pitching versus the Astros on June 21, he struck out 10 across 6 ⅔ innings. However, there have been bumpy moments — like when he gave up eight runs in four innings on Friday against the Nationals. Advertisement 'I just keep my head up,' Soriano said in Spanish through team interpreter Manny Del Campo when asked after the game about how knowing he'll be back starting in five days helps him prepare after less-than-ideal appearances. 'Don't get frustrated with those kind of outings and be good, and keep working hard and be ready for those big outings.' Read more: Mike Trout and Kevin Newman power Angels to win over Nationals The velocity is there for Soriano — averaging 97 mph on his fastball and sinker — but the pitchability is a skill that comes with time, Hendricks said. The first-year Angel and long-time big leaguer added that routine building takes time and for Soriano and Kohcanowicz, they've been provided a runaway for experimentation — which can lead to success. Advertisement 'It really helps their confidence,' Hendricks said. ''You can see this year with Jack and José, they're just learning how to go about their routine. What they need in between starts — it changes depending on how you feel and what you're working on from the last start. So just to see all those adjustments that they're making is truly how you learn yourself.' He continued: 'I think they're doing so well right now, but it's going to be even better for them the longer they go in their careers.' Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
The Angels have used only five starting pitchers this season. Why that's significant
Kyle Hendricks knows what it takes to make it in Major League Baseball. The 162-game trek of the regular season is familiar to the 35-year-old Southern California native across his 12-year career. With Joe Maddon as his manager for the first half of his career, Hendricks was provided room to screw up — messing around with his mechanics and pitch arsenal — to become a top-end starting pitcher that helped the Chicago Cubs claim the 2016 World Series. 'It established a lot of confidence in me,' said Hendricks, who started more than 30 games four times in five seasons from 2015-19. 'The organization handing you the ball every fifth day, having that confidence in you to give the team a chance to win. That's how you learn.' Learning has arrived in spades for the Angels pitching staff. The starting rotation owns a 4.22 earned-run average, fostering a crop of middle-of-the-pack pitchers that doesn't feature a traditional ace, nor former Cy Young Award winners. (The Angels' overall staff ERA of 4.58 ranks 24th in MLB entering Monday.) But there's something that makes this group stand out from the rest of the league: pitching every fifth day. The Halos feature the only pitching staff in baseball to have their season-opening rotation — of Yusei Kikuchi, Jack Kochanowicz, José Soriano, Tyler Anderson and Hendricks — make every start of the season as the All-Star break approaches. The Angels (41-42) set a team record over the weekend for most games to begin a season using no more than five starters, surpassing the mark of 80 games set in 1999. The only other team close to the Angels? The Tampa Bay Rays, who have used just six pitchers to start — a singular spot start mixed in for the AL East contenders. As the ulnar collateral ligament epidemic has grown over the last decade — forcing players with elbow injuries under the knife for Tommy John surgery — and as openers and bullpen games have become more normalized in MLB, having the same five pitchers throw every fifth day has become a rarity. For instance, up the highway at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers have used 13 traditional starting pitchers in 2025. 'That's huge,' catcher Travid d'Arnaud said, adding that it's helpful for him and Logan O'Hoppe to work with the same crop of starting pitchers week-by-week, building camaraderie and chemistry. 'Games started is one of the most valuable things you could do over a year, especially when you're getting 30 to 35 starts. For everyone to not miss one and just keep going every fifth day, especially when things aren't going well, I think that's when you learn the most, regardless of good or bad.' Kochanowicz, for example, has a 6.44 earned-run average over his last eight starts and has only struck out 61 batters in 86 innings while opponents have hit .289 against him this season. But for interim Angels manager Ray Montgomery, the ability for the 6-foot-7 sinkerballer to learn from failure and learn to adjust in the big league environment has caused Kochanowicz to show extra mettle on the mound. Against the Red Sox on June 22, Kochanowicz faltered in the first inning, giving up three runs. But the second-year Angels starter pitched into the fifth, gave up just one more run, and worked longer than big-league veteran Walker Buehler did for Boston. Kochanowicz, 24, didn't have his best stuff, striking out one, but battled early adversity to keep the Angels in the ballgame — a game they'd eventually win, 9-5. 'I think this is the time of year to your point where they're going to see the difference,' Montgomery said, adding that every pitcher in the league is dealing with wear or tear in the middle months. 'I think mentally is where you have to see it. And that's where I credit Jack … for getting even through five [innings]. Just that was a mental grind from him.' It's not just Kochanowicz. Soriano has produced a sneaky-good campaign in his third MLB season — and second in the starting rotation. The 26-year-old Dominican-born righty holds a 3.99 earned-run average across 17 starts. In four of his last six starts, he's allowed one or fewer runs. Going out every five days, no matter the results, has begun to show its dividends. Against the Athletics on June 10, Soriano struck out 12 in a seven-inning, one-run outing. Pitching versus the Astros on June 21, he struck out 10 across 6 ⅔ innings. However, there have been bumpy moments — like when he gave up eight runs in four innings on Friday against the Nationals. 'I just keep my head up,' Soriano said in Spanish through team interpreter Manny Del Campo when asked after the game about how knowing he'll be back starting in five days helps him prepare after less-than-ideal appearances. 'Don't get frustrated with those kind of outings and be good, and keep working hard and be ready for those big outings.' The velocity is there for Soriano — averaging 97 mph on his fastball and sinker — but the pitchability is a skill that comes with time, Hendricks said. The first-year Angel and long-time big leaguer added that routine building takes time and for Soriano and Kohcanowicz, they've been provided a runaway for experimentation — which can lead to success. 'It really helps their confidence,' Hendricks said. ''You can see this year with Jack and José, they're just learning how to go about their routine. What they need in between starts — it changes depending on how you feel and what you're working on from the last start. So just to see all those adjustments that they're making is truly how you learn yourself.' He continued: 'I think they're doing so well right now, but it's going to be even better for them the longer they go in their careers.'
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Evanston celebrates Juneteenth with parade, Ingraham Park festival
The area's first heat wave of the summer wasn't enough to keep people from celebrating, parading, playing and marching in Evanston's Juneteenth celebration. The parade took off Saturday morning at Dempster Street and Dodge Avenue, featuring marchers representing Black Greek-letter organizations, Evanston Township High School, religious groups, the city of Evanston and the Jesse White Tumblers. The celebrations continued into the afternoon at Ingraham Park with live music, food and art. The parade, organized by the nonprofit Evanston Present and Future and supported by sponsors, is the sixth celebration of its kind in Evanston. Executive Director Kemone Hendricks presented awards to people and businesses who helped shape a way for Juneteenth celebrations and reparations in Evanston. Former 5th Ward City Councilmember and current Chair of the Evanston Reparations Committee Robin Rue Simmons received the Juneteenth Reparations Justice Award. 'We celebrate those who have made significant contributions toward healing historical wounds through advocacy, education, policy change or community empowerment,' Hendricks said. 'It highlights the ongoing pursuit of racial justice and acknowledges the importance of reparations as a step toward equity.' 'This is a form of reparations, whether you know it or not,' Simmons said in her acceptance speech, referring to Juneteenth being recognized as a national and municipal holiday. 'It's not just cash, not just a grant, but satisfaction is an area of redress which we are standing on and building on, and so this is an example of repair.' Nationally, the politics of Juneteenth have come into question, with the Trump administration stepping back from recognizing the holiday in an official manner, according to the Associated Press. On June 19, President Donald Trump wrote on social media there are 'too many non-working holidays.' Participants in Evanston's celebrations took a more hopeful note on Juneteenth, which became recognized as a federal holiday in 2021. ''I'm just in complete awe of what God is doing for Juneteenth, and how much it's bringing the community together and the world together, especially in this current political climate,' Hendricks said. Chaaze Roberts, a member of the S.O.U.L. Creations, performed on djembe drums and dunduns in his traditional West African group. He said it was the group's third year performing at Juneteenth, and that each time it has gotten bigger and bigger. S.O.U.L. stands for Spirit of Universal Love, Roberts said, and has been active in Evanston to promote arts and education, working mostly with kids. 'It's not new that things have been tried to be erased,' Roberts said, referencing the Trump administration. 'That's been going for decades — centuries, even. But we keep persevering, pushing though and everything is temporary. Even this administration is temporary. We'll keep standing strong and doing our part in keeping this alive.'
National Geographic
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
Jaws was filmed on Martha's Vineyard 50 years ago—and the island has never been the same
Food fights, freezing water, and barrels of fake blood: locals reminisce about the time Hollywood invaded their small community. Director Steven Spielberg on the set of Jaws. Photograph Courtesy of Universal Studios Licensing LLC JAWS DIDN'T JUST CHANGE cinematic history. The summer blockbuster also transformed Martha's Vineyard. Long before the Clintons, Obamas, Oprah, and Larry David moved in to make it the starriest second-home locale on the Eastern Seaboard, the tranquil New England island was everything Hollywood wasn't. In fact, prior to director Steven Spielberg and crew setting up cameras to create the definitive shark thriller, the last movie to shoot there was in the silent era. 'Jaws put us on the map,' explains Martha's Vineyard Museum research librarian Bow Van Riper. 'It was what really kicked off the world coming to the Vineyard, and certainly nowadays it's nothing to see cars from every state in the country over the course of the summer and people from all over the globe planning pilgrimages to see Amity in person.' Locals and tourists make their summer splash by jumping from the Martha's Vineyard 'Jaws bridge,' a wooden walkway connecting the towns of Edgartown and Oak Bluffs that was featured in the film. Photograph by Matt Cosby, The New York Times/Redux In honor of the 50th anniversary of the movie, which premiered June 20, 1975, we talked to current and former locals about the massive impact it had on its shooting location. And how, in turn, Martha's Vineyard helped define one of the box office's biggest hits. There's the harbormaster who helmed 20 boats for Universal Pictures, and the local child actor who (fictionally) lost his life to the great white. A swim on extra, and Deputy Hendricks himself, star Jeffrey Kramer. They share their memories of how it all went down, from food fighting to a faulty animatronic shark. Plus, their thoughts on the ensuing tourist frenzy, and what it means for their slice of sandy paradise today. Jeffrey Kramer Deputy Hendricks in Jaws 'My grandparents came here many, many years ago, in the early 1900s. We were the first Jews of the Vineyard. When Jaws came to town, it was such a big thing, but nobody really knew what to make of it. I had my agent call [casting director] Shari Rhodes, and we became great friends. She was so smart and so dear. She's the one who hired all of the [local] people here, and that made such a difference. Because they were real. [Production designer] Joe Alves chose the Vineyard only because the boats weren't running to Nantucket that day. So he said, 'Well, I'll take it where it's going.' And he came over to the Vineyard. The first day of principal photography was the [scene where] I find a hand on the beach. I was so nervous, I could have probably thrown up. [The filmmakers] often added me to scenes, because the [animatronic] shark [named Bruce] wasn't working. But you had no choice, you had to keep trying to shoot something. They were masterful in keeping the production going. What an effort it was. The rumors were that they were going to pull the plug. That this was never going to work. That they were going to just eat their losses and say no more. But it was a perfect creative storm. The music, the editing—everything came together. You couldn't see it then, but Jaws reshaped the way movies are made. It was a Hollywood invasion that worked." Director of Marketing at Harbor View Hotel '[There was a] legendary food fight that happened among the crew in what's now Bettini Restaurant at Harbor View Hotel. Between the weather, the constant issues with the shark, and the long hours, emotions were running high. That food fight was a bit of catharsis. A chaotic, silly moment that helped break the tension. It wasn't planned, but it's now part of the hotel's lore and one of those only-on-Martha's-Vineyard stories.' Bow Van Riper Research Librarian at Martha's Vineyard Museum 'I was on the beach watching them [film] and the assistant director said, 'Hey, we need 100 brave people to go in the water and pretend to be the crowd.' So my friend and I waded in. There we were in water a bit above our waist, pretending that we were swimming in water above our head. We did it and then we did it again and again. The water was really cold. By the time we were done, we knew why he said 100 brave people.' Charlie Blair Former Harbormaster of Edgartown, Massachusetts "The [Jaws] Teamsters gave up the water because they didn't have anybody that could do it. They wrecked a couple of boats and lost a lot of gear, including a camera. We met with the bosses that evening, and they brought me on to manage all the small boats. I ended up working 20 to 22 hours a day for Universal. These people knew nothing about the water. Absolutely nothing. They didn't know about currents or tides. I [was overseeing] 20 boats. Every day, somebody would wreck a boat or sink a boat. They didn't have a clue. I escorted [star Robert Shaw] off the beach every morning in pitch dark. [He would] have a little nip of Wild Turkey as we idled to the dock. His makeup guy was mixing martinis out of a sterling shaker. By the time he got to breakfast, he was on fire. More credit to him, because he never missed a line." Jeffrey Voorhees Alex Kintner in Jaws and former Wharf Pub manager 'A couple months before they were shooting, my family moved up to the island. I was 12, and [the filmmakers] said we'll pay you $40 a day to be an extra. [My friends and I] all said, 'Let's do it.' We went down to this hotel where they showed us the paperwork. They called a few people back, and said, 'You're getting a speaking part.' Spielberg [told me] there was a barrel full of blood [for when Alex Kintner gets eaten by the shark], but the first time we tried shooting, he was like, 'No, your arm came out of the water a little.' It took seven or eight hours for the blood to clear out of the water and start over. By day five, Spielberg finally goes, 'This is taking too long. This time, when that thing explodes, you have two guys in wetsuits on the water. They're each going to grab one of your legs and pull you down in the water a few times.' This sketch of Jaws character Matt Hooper in an underwater cage was done by production designer Joe Alves from the point of view of the shark's mouth. Photograph by Joe Alves/Greg Nicotero Archive From sketch to screen, Alves' vision helped create many iconic Jaws scenes, like this underwater one. Photograph by Diltz, © Universal Pictures / Bridgeman Images You get Jaws tours all the time down here. Through the years, [when I managed] the Wharf Pub, I hid from [my part in the movie], until I finally started doing signings. You get Jaws nuts. This one girl goes, 'Can he sign anything?' And she starts pulling her shirt up, and security is like, 'No private parts.' So I signed her collarbone, and then she got [my signature] tattooed. It makes some people so happy. I just did a Cameo [an app offering personalized videos from celebrities] this morning for like $40. I got a strange [Cameo request] last year from someone who said, 'Our father was a big Jaws fan, but he died watching the movie on the couch.' Holding my phone up, I go, 'You know, your father and I had a little something in common. He died watching me die.'" Executive Director at Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce 'Jaws and Martha's Vineyard will always be inseparable. The film captured not only the suspense of the sea, but also the soul of this place: its harbors, its people, its character. Martha's Vineyard didn't just host the film. We helped shape it, and it shaped us in return. It also made this small community think about sharks in a different way. I think that that was one of Stevens Spielberg's regrets, because sharks are beautiful. They're predators, obviously, but these are their waters.' "Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story" premieres on National Geographic starting July 10 and streams on Disney+ and Hulu starting July 11. Check local listings.
IOL News
20-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Ritz Hotel Cape Town poised for sale: A new chapter for Sea Point's iconic landmark
The Revolving Restaurant may still get its turn again. Located on the popular Atlantic Seaboard, the Ritz Hotel Cape Town is on the brink of being sold for R240-300 million to either a Dutch or French company. Bruce Hendricks, MD of Hendricks Harmse Attorneys, one of the representatives of the owners and whose company is managing the Ritz Hotel building, confirmed they were deep in negotiations for the sale, with some i's to be dotted and some t's to be crossed. "Depending on the final stages of these negotiations, the sale could go through by next Friday," he said. Hendricks could neither confirm or deny the amount the owner had accepted for the sale nor with whom they are negotiating. There were still some final issues being negotiated and that would be the deciding factor on whether the building will put up a "sold" sign next Friday. It is believed the deal is being brokered by a local estate agency via a private person with international connection and that the buyer (a consortium) is said to be going to continue with the renovations of the building. This was not the first offer taken to the owners, with the hotel in a prime position and ripe for renovation and upliftment. South African developers were themselves vying for ownership. "It's a prime piece of property - 23 storeys which you won't be able to get approval for again in Sea Point - with some bulk available for extra development," said one agent.
