White Sox Closer Liam Hendriks Diagnosed With Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma

What a dog shit way to end the weekend. I don't know the first thing about any of this, as I am one of the few people who is blessed and lucky enough to have never had anyone close to me battle cancer. Because of that, I reached out to a friend who works in oncology and she just back to me with some cliff notes. I didn't wanna speak on something I have zero business speaking on due to lack of knowledge. 

Here's what she said: 

“So it’s a liquid cancer that starts in the white blood cells but there are different types of non hodgkins depending on the lymphocyte involved (B cell, T Cell) B cell is the more common type of non hodgkins. It’s a common cancer and treatments can include chemo and radiation but it’s considered a treatable cancer.”

The last sentence is the important part, and on that note I'll say this: I don't know Liam Hendriks. Never met him or interviewed him or anything. But if he attacks these next few months like he attacks opposing hitters, he'll dominate cancer. No question about it. 

I don't have the slightest idea of when he'll return to pitching. That doesn't matter right now. A wise man once said, "some things are bigger than sports," and this absolutely qualifies. Baseball is somewhere near priority #4309347 for him at this moment. Someone else will have to step up, be it ReyLo, Crochet (eventually), Graveman or whoever and I have all the confidence in the world that one of them will fill his void just fine. 

In the meantime, prayers up for Hendriks and his family. There's no doubt in my mind he'll come back from this as strong or stronger than he was before and Sox fans will be behind him and his family the entire way as he kicks this thing's ass. Minor set back for a major comeback!!! We'll be seeing this sooner than later: