T.J. Hendricks

Thomas J. Hendricks

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 4", Weight 218 lb.
• School Henderson State University
• High School Jacksonville High School

• Born August 16, 1980 in Little Rock, AR USA

BR minors page

Biographical Information

T.J. Hendricks has pitched in both the independent leagues and Belgium's First Division.

Hendricks had a 2.43 ERA in college in 2001, fourth-lowest in the Gulf South Conference and made All-Conference. In the summer of 2001, Hendricks was a pitcher for the US Athletes baseball organization and led team to become tournament champions by going 1-0 with a save in German Open in Regensburg, Germany. In 2003 Hendricks was named First team All-Gulf South Conference for Henderson State University. He lead the Division II school in the Gulf South League in wins (9), complete games (11), innings pitched (90 2/3), strike outs (80) and ERA (3.87). He pitched a no-hitter in his final collegiate start against rival Ouachita Baptist University.

Hendricks began his professional career in 2003, allowing six runs on 11 hits in four innings for the Springfield/Ozark Mountain Ducks. In 2004, he moved to Belgium's First Division Brasschaat Braves and went 8-0 with a 1.49 ERA to help the team to become the Belgium League Champions, Belgium Open Champions and European "B' Cup Champions.

Returning to the US in 2005, the big left-hander went 7-2 with a 4.67 ERA for the Fort Worth Cats and helped the team win their first league championship since 1948. He worked 88 2/3 innings and struck out 58 while walking only 28. The lefty made 13 starts and was 5-2 as a starter. He was 5-0 with 2.43 ERA in six games in July 2005 and was named the Central Baseball League's Pitcher of the Month. He came within one out of pitching back-to-back complete games July 1 and 6th at LaGrave Field.

T.J. moved to the Shreveport Sports and had a 7-4, 3.45 record in 2006. He walked only 26 in 104 1/3 innings. He had the 8th-best ERA in the American Association for hurlers with over 100 innings and was named to the All-Star Team. In '07, T.J. was released from Shreveport after one month and finished the season with the Coastal Bend Aviators (1-7, 5.27, 79 H, 8 BB in 56 1/3 IP) and Shreveport (2-5, 9.26, 61 H in 35 IP). He tied for the American Association lead in losses and had the highest ERA of any pitcher with 15 or more starts. Hendricks was 0-1 for the 2008 Pensacola Pelicans with 25 hits and 13 runs in 11 2/3 innings. Overall, his record was 17-19, 5.22 in the independent leagues.

Back in Belgium in 2009, he tossed 28 shutout innings for the Hoboken Pioneers with 14 hits and 32 strikeouts to help the team win the European 'B' Cup Championship. He pitch an 11 inning game throwing only 121 pitches during the championship series. In 2010 he returned to play for the Pioneers for the European 'A' Cup tournament team in Rotterdam, Holland. For Hoboken in the 2011 European Cup, he was 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA despite eight walks in 8 2/3 innings. In the final start of his career he threw 173 pitches and got a win in the Pioneers' upset of the German Heidenheim Heidekoepfe club in Amsterdam, Holland. He carried a 8-2 lead into the bottom of the 9th, then walked one batter before retiring two more. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth he allowed a RBI double to Simon Gühring. Randy Giorgiadis made an error, then Michael Weigl walked, Robert Gruber singled on a misplayed fly ball in right field and Alexander Lauterbach walked to close it to 8-6. Derek Bondo relieved Hendricks and hit a batter to load the bases then walked in a run to make it 8-7. TJ Antonacci relieved Bondo and with the bases loaded threw one slider and got a pop up out to the first baseman to secure the victory.

"I owe a lot of my success to following the path the God wanted me to take and doing His will. When things didn't go well in my career was when I tried to do my own thing. When things were going great, I was doing what He wanted me to do. My mother was also a big influence on my life as she drove me to all my games and practices growing up and always believed in me. I learned so much from all of my coaches even the ones I had during times of my life that weren't the best of times for me. I also owe a lot of my success to my teammates who backed me up defensively and scored some runs when needed. I met my wife, Roberta, in 2003 and we married a few years later. She is my #1 Fan and I am very grateful and thankful for her love and support."

- TJ Hendricks

Sources

• 2011 European Cup
• Belgian baseball statistics, 2009-2010
• Bio of Hendricks from a baseball camp he worked at