Miles: Cubs have plenty of brain power, too

"Don't think. It can only hurt the ballclub"

- Crash Davis, "Bull Durham"

That old baseball adage was around before Kevin Costner made it famous in one of the most realistic baseball movies of all time.

The idea, if course, is that players should play and not think.

The Cubs might beg to differ.

During the past year, they've added some young players who bring some IQ as well as baseball ability.

Pitcher Kyle Hendricks is an economics graduate from Ivy League school Dartmouth. Third baseman Kris Bryant is a product of the University of San Diego. Second baseman Addison Russell doesn't have the college pedigree, but he's proving to be a quick study as he has moved from shortstop to second base.

"I think intelligence, and baseball intelligence specifically, goes a long way," said Cubs president Theo Epstein, no slouch himself in the smarts department. "If you can combine baseball intelligence with self-confidence - not cockiness but innate self-confidence - you can trust yourself to eventually figure it out.

"Even in the face of bad results, knowing that you trust yourself, you trust the process, you recognize how hard the game can be, you come back fresh the next at-bat, the next pitch, the next day, that's a great combination. I think a lot of our core players here have those attributes."

Epstein likes to put first baseman Anthony Rizzo in this group, and, indeed, Rizzo has emerged as a leader among the younger players.

Bryant, Russell and Hendricks all have displayed great polish on the field and in dealing with the media before and after games.

"With the baseball stuff, there are always going to be guys coming up who impress you in that way," said Hendricks, who made his major-league debut last July. "But I think that X-factor there is just the type of guys they are. They're unbelievable dudes, unbelievable teammates. They work their butts off. They're modest. Having that much talent and to be that modest is pretty tough, I'm sure.

"Those are definitely the better attributes we like around here."

Hendricks is an interesting study. He's a right-hander who does not have overpowering stuff. Finesse left-handers seem to have more success pitching than do righties, and Hendricks needs to have good command to succeed.

After coming up from Class AAA Iowa, he went 7-2 with a 2.46 ERA in 13 big-league starts to finish the 2014 season. He held his rotation spot out of spring training but put up an ERA of 5.23 in April.

A couple of adjustments later, his last 2 starts were a 7-inning, 1-run performance this week against the Nationals and a complete-game shutout May 21 at San Diego.

Having a good analytical mind has helped Hendricks figure some things out and make the necessary adjustments.

"I think in this game, you have to be a mental player," he said. "Everybody's so good up at this level that what separates you is going to be the mental side of the game. If you can be strong mentally and make those adjustments quicker than the opponent, that's what it's all about."

Of course, baseball has seen its share of smart players who have either overthought things or let their stubbornness get in the way of success.

"You have to put your ego aside sometimes because you have your way and you have your routine and the way you want to do it, but sometimes you've got to step back," Hendricks said. "You've got to say, 'Hey, I need to change something.' Having the ability to do that and not being so stubborn and stuck in your ways is hard to do, but that's definitely what's needed to make those adjustments."

Hendricks found that he had to do just that with pitching coach Chris Bosio after giving up 6 hits and 4 runs in 5 innings May 5 at St. Louis.

"I definitely took a step back," he said. "It came down to executing pitches, yeah, but after the St. Louis game, I talked with Bos a lot, and we decided we had to simplify it.

"We were trying mechanical things. We were trying to fix it all these other ways and nothing was working. So we finally said, 'Look, get back to the basics. See the glove. Hit the glove. And your body will figure out how to go from there.' Ever since that game, I've been feeling better and better."

Cubs manager Joe Maddon is a progressive thinker who loves the mental side of the game. He likes what he has in his young players, both with their intelligence and character makeup.

"I think it matters that they handle themselves so well, regardless of test scores," he said. "These guys, among the group, don't separate themselves. They fit in really well. They don't draw attention to themselves other than by playing well. I like that. The other guys really appreciate that, too.

"Beyond just being good baseball players, these guys are good guys. And they would fit in any clubhouse. That was obvious to me in spring training.

"I'm getting to see it more now on a regular basis. It reveals a lot about people, the actual season does, especially when things aren't going well. So I'm really pleased with the way our guys are."

Cubs scouting report

Cubs vs. Kansas City Royals at Wrigley Field

TV: Comcast SportsNet Friday; FOX Saturday; ABC 7 Sunday

Radio: WBBM 780-AM

Pitching matchups: The Cubs' Jake Arrieta (4-4) vs. Edinson Volquez (4-3) Friday at 3:05 p.m.; Jason Hammel (3-2) vs. Yordano Ventura (3-4) Saturday at 6:15 p.m.; Tsuyoshi Wada (0-0) vs. Jeremy Guthrie (4-3) Sunday at 1:20 p.m.

At a glance: The Cubs make their first foray of the season into interleague play. The defending American League champion Royals (28-18) are tied with Minnesota for first place in the AL Central. Mike Moustakas has a hitting line of .329/.382/.494. Eric Hosmer has 7 homers. Former Cubs manager Dale Sveum is the Royals' hitting coach, and he has them third in runs scored and on-base percentage. Royals pitchers ranked second in the AL in ERA (3.52) entering Thursday. Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo was third in the NL in OBP (.439), and third baseman Kris Bryant (.393) was 10th.

Next: Miami Marlins at Marlins Park, Monday-Wednesday

- Bruce Miles