Hill a long reliever?

[daske17]

I just saw this in today's Sun-Times:

 

The positive news so far is that Prior and Miller, veterans with shoulder problems but productive track records when healthy, seem to be holding up. In a best-case, best-depth scenario, both will be strong and healthy when the Cubs break camp, Lilly and Marquis will be coming off good springs, ace Carlos Zambrano will be ready for the season opener and promising youngster Rich Hill will move to a long-relief role or the Class AAA rotation to be ready in the wings.

 

Seriously? What does this kid have to do to guarantee a rotation spot? I have to hope that this is just conjecture on the reporter's part.

[Schwarber Fan]

that can't be right

 

I'd take Hill over Miller or Marquis right now and maybe even Lilly.

[BigbadB]

Who wrote it?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I think there's a greater chance that Miller would be the long man than that Hill would be it.

[Magnetic Curses]

the way hendry has held onto hill through thick and thin, i'd be very surprised if he wasn't in the rotation this season.

 

hendry also is fully aware that rich hill put up the best game score in the NL last season.

[RichHillIsABeast]

Yeah, push the "promising" youngster and let the overpaid, non-promising veterans start. Brilliant insight.

 

I'm waiting to hear from Bruce about the Hill situation. These other "reporters" suck. Fact is so intermingled with speculation you have to read multiple sources just to figure out what's really going on.

[David]

It's conjecture. We need to know better than to take as facts things from these writers that aren't in quotes (or at least backed by a quote).

[Schwarber Fan]

Who wrote it?

 

GORDON WITTENMYER

[David]

Who wrote it?

 

Looks like it's the new Sun-Times beat writer for the Cubs, Gordon Wittenmyer.

[Magnetic Curses]

In a best-case, best-depth scenario, both will be strong and healthy when the Cubs break camp, Lilly and Marquis will be coming off good springs, ace Carlos Zambrano will be ready for the season opener and promising youngster Rich Hill will move to a long-relief role or the Class AAA rotation to be ready in the wings.

 

the way this portion is worded leads me to believe that it's just this writer's casual, idiotic opinion.

 

miller is insurance for prior, not hill's replacement.

[CubColtPacer]

I see it as only speculation-earlier in the winter, Hill was in the rotation with Prior as the "6th starter" and basically no mention of Miller (all remembered from old quotes from Hendry) so I don't see how anything but Hill getting absolutely outclassed by the other pitchers during spring training, which wouldn't make me replace him but the staff might, but I can't see Hill out of the rotation in any "best-case sceario" where all the pitchers pitching well.

[radarluv1]

Who wrote it?

 

Looks like it's the new Sun-Times beat writer for the Cubs, Gordon Wittenmyer.

 

last year he covered the twins. on xm homeplate the other day he pretty much said he doesnt know anything about the cubs

[otis89]

That is not the best-case scenario. The best case scenario is Hill is in the rotation and Marquis is nowhere to be found.

[BigbadB]

Who wrote it?

 

Looks like it's the new Sun-Times beat writer for the Cubs, Gordon Wittenmyer.

 

last year he covered the twins. on xm homeplate the other day he pretty much said he doesnt know anything about the cubs

 

That makes me feel better about the guy. I'll wait until he learns a little bit about the Cubs before I give up on him. If he saw Rich Hill pitch, he'd probably be singing a different tune.

[Magnetic Curses]

Who wrote it?

 

Looks like it's the new Sun-Times beat writer for the Cubs, Gordon Wittenmyer.

 

last year he covered the twins. on xm homeplate the other day he pretty much said he doesnt know anything about the cubs

 

That makes me feel better about the guy. I'll wait until he learns a little bit about the Cubs before I give up on him. If he saw Rich Hill pitch, he'd probably be singing a different tune.

 

he's not really a "youngster" anymore, either.

[Amazing_Grace]

I really have a hard time believing that Hill won't be in the rotation, barring a really really terrible showing in ST. I think Miller is likely to be the odd man out. He's the oldest, and has had a worse series of injuries than Prior. He's not making a ton of money so it's not financially awkward to bench him as it would be Marquis.

 

I expect a lot depends on what happens in ST. If Miller and Prior are both healthy and effective, and one of Marshall/Guzman/O'Malley looks decent, I expect we'll see Miller traded, probably to the AL, for prospects. The Cubs will have their 5-man, and one of the 3 prospects could come in and replace Prior if he goes down with injury, or Marquis if he tanks. There are always a few teams looking for a pitcher at the end of ST, and it might be a good opportunity to move Miller for maybe a B or C prospect at a thin position like SS or C.

[Mephistopheles]

It would be an embarrassment to the organization if their best starter the last two months of the season (better than Zambrano) does not have a rotation spot the following season because they signed someone who sported a six-plus ERA.

 

If that happens the Cubs deserve to lose.

[Magnetic Curses]

It would be an embarrassment to the organization if their best starter the last two months of the season (better than Zambrano) does not have a rotation spot the following season because they signed someone who sported a six-plus ERA.

 

If that happens the Cubs deserve to lose.

 

i would mull rooting against them if that happened.

[CubinNY]

It would be an embarrassment to the organization if their best starter the last two months of the season (better than Zambrano) does not have a rotation spot the following season because they signed someone who sported a six-plus ERA.

 

If that happens the Cubs deserve to lose.

 

i would mull rooting against them if that happened.

Start mulling.

[abuck1220]

oh, good times.

[abuck1220]

Who wrote it?

 

Looks like it's the new Sun-Times beat writer for the Cubs, Gordon Wittenmyer.

 

last year he covered the twins. on xm homeplate the other day he pretty much said he doesnt know anything about the cubs

 

That makes me feel better about the guy. I'll wait until he learns a little bit about the Cubs before I give up on him. If he saw Rich Hill pitch, he'd probably be singing a different tune.

 

how does that make you feel better about him? it makes me think he's an incompetent moron who is incapable of any research whatsoever.

[nilodnayr]

It would be an embarrassment to the organization if their best starter the last two months of the season (better than Zambrano) does not have a rotation spot the following season because they signed someone who sported a six-plus ERA.

 

If that happens the Cubs deserve to lose.

 

i would mull rooting against them if that happened.

Start mulling.

 

Lets all become Brewer fans

[CubinNY]

oh, good times.

 

I'm with you. With Guzman and Hill possibly in Iowa, the I-Cubs may have nearly as good a rotation as the Cubs if Lilly and Marquis can't keep the ball in the park.

[Mephistopheles]

The Yankees sound better. They know how to win. Sure they make stupid mistakes like the Cubs but they have a big wad of cash to bail them out. The Cubs throw the big wad of cash in the trash can to try to bail themselves out.

[BigbadB]

how does that make you feel better about him? it makes me think he's an incompetent moron who is incapable of any research whatsoever.

 

One article isn't enough for me to write the guy off. But, "feeling a little bit better" as opposed to my original thoughts isn't exactly a ringing endorsement.