Rich Hill Named PCL Pitcher of the Week

[mg420]

WOW, that's a fantastic line.

 

I'm tempted to say send down Marmol...but we have to give him the chance that Hill had. In the meantime, Hill is just gonna have to continue putting up those sick, sick numbers.

 

Actually, Marmol's future might be as a closer. Marmol also could use some more development time in the minor leagues. I'd send Marmol to AAA and let Hill come up and start for a series of 5 or 6 starts and see what happens.

this sounds like the logical strategy to me so i doubt the cubs would do this. i would love to see a rotation next year of z, prior, miller, marshall & hill with marmol & guzman in the minors in case of injury (ie prior & miller). are the cubs worried about bringing hill up before the deadline because they are planning on trading him and dont want him to get torched again in the majors thereby lowering his value? either way, his minor leauge #'s the past 2 years have been nothing short of incredible and i sure hope that if he does translate his talent into production in the majors, it's with the cubs.

[Balsa]

Actually, Marmol's future might be as a closer. Marmol also could use some more development time in the minor leagues. I'd send Marmol to AAA and let Hill come up and start for a series of 5 or 6 starts and see what happens.

Why use him as a closer if you can use him as a starter? But I agree he could spend more time in the minors. I'd say let him start once or twice more though, to get more of a feel of the bigs.

 

are the cubs worried about bringing hill up before the deadline because they are planning on trading him and dont want him to get torched again in the majors thereby lowering his value?

I could see this happening as well if Hendry thinks it's time to sell and that he's lost faith in Hill. Personally, I'm willing to give Hill 2 more starts in the MLB before we trade him. We need to trade him or bring him up though, because AAA obviously doesn't challenge him and he's really not learning anything there.

[abuck1220]

from the des moines register...

 

Hill had 10 strikeouts in seven innings - his 10th 10-strikeout effort among his 20 starts for Des Moines over two seasons

 

Wednesday was his fourth start against Omaha, and he has fanned at least 10 each time.

 

He threw 73 strikes during his 105-pitch outing.

 

"I had good location early on with the fastball, then it got away in innings five and six and it came back in the seventh," Hill said.

 

good to see hill throwing strikes and keeping his pitch count down. striking out 10 over 7 innings on just 105 pitches is pretty economical.

[cubweiser03]

Rich Hill is starting to piss me off. He puts up absolutely ridiculous AAA numbers but fails miserably in the majors. When i see him pitch in the majors i wonder how the hell he does so well in the minors. I would love to see him pitch a game in AAA and see what the heck is going on. He has a great curve but i dont like his fastball that much. Maybe in the minors dudes are waiving at the curve and getting themselves out but in the majors they make him pitch to them and pound the fastball. But he aint walking people in the minors. This is so weird.

[C.C.]

Rich Hill is starting to piss me off. He puts up absolutely ridiculous AAA numbers but fails miserably in the majors. When i see him pitch in the majors i wonder how the hell he does so well in the minors. I would love to see him pitch a game in AAA and see what the heck is going on. He has a great curve but i dont like his fastball that much. Maybe in the minors dudes are waiving at the curve and getting themselves out but in the majors they make him pitch to them and pound the fastball. But he aint walking people in the minors. This is so weird.

 

I know! I don't get it? Once he gets to the majors he can't pitch a strike to save his life. His fastball is average at best as is his change. How's he doing it in AAA? Does he look different?

[goonys evil twin]

Rich Hill is starting to piss me off. He puts up absolutely ridiculous AAA numbers but fails miserably in the majors. When i see him pitch in the majors i wonder how the hell he does so well in the minors. I would love to see him pitch a game in AAA and see what the heck is going on. He has a great curve but i dont like his fastball that much. Maybe in the minors dudes are waiving at the curve and getting themselves out but in the majors they make him pitch to them and pound the fastball. But he aint walking people in the minors. This is so weird.

 

I know! I don't get it? Once he gets to the majors he can't pitch a strike to save his life. His fastball is average at best as is his change. How's he doing it in AAA? Does he look different?

 

Little known fact. Major league hitters are better than minor league hitters. When players move up a level it takes time to adjust. Most guys struggle, and many even look awful while going through that adjustment period. And most adjustment periods take longer than a handful of starts.

[CuseCubFan69]

Let's just have Hill spend the rest of the year in Chicago and see what he can do as a starter. With Wood out and Prior a very doubtful contributer let's give the kid the ball and let him go without the fear of if he struggles he's sent down.

[C.C.]

Rich Hill is starting to piss me off. He puts up absolutely ridiculous AAA numbers but fails miserably in the majors. When i see him pitch in the majors i wonder how the hell he does so well in the minors. I would love to see him pitch a game in AAA and see what the heck is going on. He has a great curve but i dont like his fastball that much. Maybe in the minors dudes are waiving at the curve and getting themselves out but in the majors they make him pitch to them and pound the fastball. But he aint walking people in the minors. This is so weird.

 

I know! I don't get it? Once he gets to the majors he can't pitch a strike to save his life. His fastball is average at best as is his change. How's he doing it in AAA? Does he look different?

 

Little known fact. Major league hitters are better than minor league hitters. When players move up a level it takes time to adjust. Most guys struggle, and many even look awful while going through that adjustment period. And most adjustment periods take longer than a handful of starts.

 

I can see struggling meaning he's getting hard, but struggling to throw stikes is what's the strange part. In AAA he doesn't walk anyone but in the majors he walks the world.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Rich Hill is starting to piss me off. He puts up absolutely ridiculous AAA numbers but fails miserably in the majors. When i see him pitch in the majors i wonder how the hell he does so well in the minors. I would love to see him pitch a game in AAA and see what the heck is going on. He has a great curve but i dont like his fastball that much. Maybe in the minors dudes are waiving at the curve and getting themselves out but in the majors they make him pitch to them and pound the fastball. But he aint walking people in the minors. This is so weird.

 

I know! I don't get it? Once he gets to the majors he can't pitch a strike to save his life. His fastball is average at best as is his change. How's he doing it in AAA? Does he look different?

 

Little known fact. Major league hitters are better than minor league hitters. When players move up a level it takes time to adjust. Most guys struggle, and many even look awful while going through that adjustment period. And most adjustment periods take longer than a handful of starts.

 

I can see struggling meaning he's getting hard, but struggling to throw stikes is what's the strange part. In AAA he doesn't walk anyone but in the majors he walks the world.

 

Major league hitters are more patient.

[E.J.]

Rich Hill is starting to piss me off. He puts up absolutely ridiculous AAA numbers but fails miserably in the majors. When i see him pitch in the majors i wonder how the hell he does so well in the minors. I would love to see him pitch a game in AAA and see what the heck is going on. He has a great curve but i dont like his fastball that much. Maybe in the minors dudes are waiving at the curve and getting themselves out but in the majors they make him pitch to them and pound the fastball. But he aint walking people in the minors. This is so weird.

 

I know! I don't get it? Once he gets to the majors he can't pitch a strike to save his life. His fastball is average at best as is his change. How's he doing it in AAA? Does he look different?

 

Little known fact. Major league hitters are better than minor league hitters. When players move up a level it takes time to adjust. Most guys struggle, and many even look awful while going through that adjustment period. And most adjustment periods take longer than a handful of starts.

 

I can see struggling meaning he's getting hard, but struggling to throw stikes is what's the strange part. In AAA he doesn't walk anyone but in the majors he walks the world.

 

Major league hitters are more patient.

 

Yeah, but most of his pitches were missing by a mile. It seems more like a head thing than stuff thing. It's like he just doesn't trust his stuff when he gets to the Big Leagues. It's not like he was getting hammered when he was on the big club. He was just walking everyone in sight.

 

I agree that he needs to be brought back up and told that he's starting the rest of the season for the major league club. Take the pressure off the kid and see what he can do. Every one of his starts so far he's had to produce immediately or worry about losing his job to Rusch.

[C.C.]

Rich Hill is starting to piss me off. He puts up absolutely ridiculous AAA numbers but fails miserably in the majors. When i see him pitch in the majors i wonder how the hell he does so well in the minors. I would love to see him pitch a game in AAA and see what the heck is going on. He has a great curve but i dont like his fastball that much. Maybe in the minors dudes are waiving at the curve and getting themselves out but in the majors they make him pitch to them and pound the fastball. But he aint walking people in the minors. This is so weird.

 

I know! I don't get it? Once he gets to the majors he can't pitch a strike to save his life. His fastball is average at best as is his change. How's he doing it in AAA? Does he look different?

 

Little known fact. Major league hitters are better than minor league hitters. When players move up a level it takes time to adjust. Most guys struggle, and many even look awful while going through that adjustment period. And most adjustment periods take longer than a handful of starts.

 

I can see struggling meaning he's getting hard, but struggling to throw stikes is what's the strange part. In AAA he doesn't walk anyone but in the majors he walks the world.

 

 

Patient? When you have 15 Walks with 11 K's I'd say there is something more going on then Major League hitters are more patient.

[goonys evil twin]

It's not like Hill never had control issues before hitting the majors. Walks were a huge problem for him throughout his rise through the minors. The first time he showed any control at all was last year in Iowa.

[C.C.]

Very true. I tend to forget he's had control issue throughout his history. good point. Doesn't make me feel any better about him...

[NorthsideAvenger]

WOW, that's a fantastic line.

 

I'm tempted to say send down Marmol...but we have to give him the chance that Hill had. In the meantime, Hill is just gonna have to continue putting up those sick, sick numbers.

 

Actually, Marmol's future might be as a closer. Marmol also could use some more development time in the minor leagues. I'd send Marmol to AAA and let Hill come up and start for a series of 5 or 6 starts and see what happens.

 

But didn't some people also think that Zambrano's "future" was possibly at closer? I know the Cubs toyed with the idea of making Z a reliever ( :roll: ) but atleast they went away from it. My opinion is....let Marmol prove where he belongs, if he can't cut the mustard as a starter, fine, maybe closer, but until then, I still consider Marmol a starter.

[goonys evil twin]

WOW, that's a fantastic line.

 

I'm tempted to say send down Marmol...but we have to give him the chance that Hill had. In the meantime, Hill is just gonna have to continue putting up those sick, sick numbers.

 

Actually, Marmol's future might be as a closer. Marmol also could use some more development time in the minor leagues. I'd send Marmol to AAA and let Hill come up and start for a series of 5 or 6 starts and see what happens.

 

But didn't some people also think that Zambrano's "future" was possibly at closer? I know the Cubs toyed with the idea of making Z a reliever ( :roll: ) but atleast they went away from it. My opinion is....let Marmol prove where he belongs, if he can't cut the mustard as a starter, fine, maybe closer, but until then, I still consider Marmol a starter.

 

I agree, but the Cubs don't have to find out of Marmol is a good starter now. He's got time to develop, and probably needs more time to develop. Hill is running out of time and they have to find out now.

[CUBZ99]

I took my kids to their 1st Iowa Cubs game today. We purchased the tickets on Thursday hoping that we would get lucky enough to see Derrek Lee rehabbing. Found out on our way to the game that Lee had been called up to Chicago and the kids were pretty dissappointed.

 

Anyways, while we were watching batting practice and the players warming up, Rich Hill passed by and my son (6 years old) noticed him from TV pitching for the Cubs. He yelled out his name and Rich Hill came over to where he was standing and started talking to my son and daughter and signed a ball and a bat for them. I was extremely impressed with his demeanor and needless to say he has four new members of the Rich Hill fan club, including two kids who could not stop talking about how cool he was the whole way home.

 

It is refreshing to see players that will actually take the time to make new fans. I am hoping that the Cubs will give him another shot and stick with him for more than one or two starts. He has some absolutely filthy stats in AAA and really has nothing left to prove at that level.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I took my kids to their 1st Iowa Cubs game today. We purchased the tickets on Thursday hoping that we would get lucky enough to see Derrek Lee rehabbing. Found out on our way to the game that Lee had been called up to Chicago and the kids were pretty dissappointed.

 

Anyways, while we were watching batting practice and the players warming up, Rich Hill passed by and my son (6 years old) noticed him from TV pitching for the Cubs. He yelled out his name and Rich Hill came over to where he was standing and started talking to my son and daughter and signed a ball and a bat for them. I was extremely impressed with his demeanor and needless to say he has four new members of the Rich Hill fan club, including two kids who could not stop talking about how cool he was the whole way home.

 

It is refreshing to see players that will actually take the time to make new fans. I am hoping that the Cubs will give him another shot and stick with him for more than one or two starts. He has some absolutely filthy stats in AAA and really has nothing left to prove at that level.

 

Cool story, good to hear Hill is a nice guy.

[abuck1220]

hill's last six starts: 40 ip, 22 h, 6 bb, 5 er, 54 k's. whip of .70, era of 1.12, 12.15 k/9.

 

 

and for those discounting hill based on his poor big league numbers or his age, take a gander at the guy shutting the cubs down for the 20th time tonight -- chris capuano. his first 100+ big league innings were terrible, and he didn't have much success until last year, when he was 27.

[mg420]

i guess someone should tell the other aaa teams that hill is quite hitable because he only has 2 pitches-a mediocre fastball and ok curveball. if rusch gets another start for the cubs this year there should be an investigation. i would still liketo see a z, prior, miller, marshall, hill rotation in 2007.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

i guess someone should tell the other aaa teams that hill is quite hitable because he only has 2 pitches-a mediocre fastball and ok curveball. if rusch gets another start for the cubs this year there should be an investigation. i would still liketo see a z, prior, miller, marshall, hill rotation in 2007.

 

I'm not sure I want Hill in 2007 or not, but I'd sure like to give him more than a handful of starts spread out over two seasons to base that decision on.

[abuck1220]

i guess someone should tell the other aaa teams that hill is quite hitable because he only has 2 pitches-a mediocre fastball and ok curveball.

 

wow, that's a lot of incorrect statements in a really small space.

[Brian]

i guess someone should tell the other aaa teams that hill is quite hitable because he only has 2 pitches-a mediocre fastball and ok curveball.

 

wow, that's a lot of incorrect statements in a really small space.

 

Well i'm pretty sure that's sarcasm on mg's part, esp. considering he's calling for Hill in the '07 rotation.

[C.C.]

At this point you might as well pitch the guy.

[abuck1220]

i guess someone should tell the other aaa teams that hill is quite hitable because he only has 2 pitches-a mediocre fastball and ok curveball.

 

wow, that's a lot of incorrect statements in a really small space.

 

Well i'm pretty sure that's sarcasm on mg's part, esp. considering he's calling for Hill in the '07 rotation.

 

i would hope so. :D

[NCCubFan]

if rusch gets another start for the cubs this year there should be an investigation.

If Rusch starts again Dusty should be shot on the spot without an investigation.