Rich Hill traded to Baltimore for PTBNL

[E.J.]

surprise, surprise... rich hill still can't throw strikes.

 

Rich Hill was all over the place. He couldn't get the ball down, and often was wide of the strike zone. He was easily hitting 90 mph, the most impressive part of his day, but location remains an issue.

 

http://masnsports.com/2009/02/bullpen-sessions.html

 

That makes me feel better about the trade. I was worried that he was just injured all last year and that he'd figure things out right away in Baltimore.

[CubColtPacer]

surprise, surprise... rich hill still can't throw strikes.

 

Rich Hill was all over the place. He couldn't get the ball down, and often was wide of the strike zone. He was easily hitting 90 mph, the most impressive part of his day, but location remains an issue.

 

http://masnsports.com/2009/02/bullpen-sessions.html

 

That makes me feel better about the trade. I was worried that he was just injured all last year and that he'd figure things out right away in Baltimore.

 

As long as he doesn't completely blow up, we should be able to get the better PTBNL from Baltimore. Hill has been all but guaranteed a rotation spot because the well is so dry for them in the rotation in 2009 that they can afford to take a risk on him for a month or two even if he shows little in ST.

[cubbinalltheway]

surprise, surprise... rich hill still can't throw strikes.

 

Rich Hill was all over the place. He couldn't get the ball down, and often was wide of the strike zone. He was easily hitting 90 mph, the most impressive part of his day, but location remains an issue.

 

http://masnsports.com/2009/02/bullpen-sessions.html

 

That makes me feel better about the trade. I was worried that he was just injured all last year and that he'd figure things out right away in Baltimore.

 

As long as he doesn't completely blow up, we should be able to get the better PTBNL from Baltimore. Hill has been all but guaranteed a rotation spot because the well is so dry for them in the rotation in 2009 that they can afford to take a risk on him for a month or two even if he shows little in ST.

is that speculation on your part or have you read that somewhere? cause i find it very, very hard to believe that they'd just put him in the rotation if he STILL can't throw strikes in spring training.

[CubColtPacer]

surprise, surprise... rich hill still can't throw strikes.

 

Rich Hill was all over the place. He couldn't get the ball down, and often was wide of the strike zone. He was easily hitting 90 mph, the most impressive part of his day, but location remains an issue.

 

http://masnsports.com/2009/02/bullpen-sessions.html

 

That makes me feel better about the trade. I was worried that he was just injured all last year and that he'd figure things out right away in Baltimore.

 

As long as he doesn't completely blow up, we should be able to get the better PTBNL from Baltimore. Hill has been all but guaranteed a rotation spot because the well is so dry for them in the rotation in 2009 that they can afford to take a risk on him for a month or two even if he shows little in ST.

is that speculation on your part or have you read that somewhere? cause i find it very, very hard to believe that they'd just put him in the rotation if he STILL can't throw strikes in spring training.

 

Here's a quote:

 

Baltimore's starting rotation began to come in sharper focus on Monday, when manager Dave Trembley admitted that Rich Hill is all but pencilled in for a starting job.

 

"He would have to pitch his way out," Trembley said. "He's a guy just like [Felix] Pie coming here and just like [Adam] Jones was last year. When you get those guys that have tools, I think you have to have a lot of patience with them. I think you have to give them a lot of opportunities and I think you have to live with the fact that they're not always going to be perfect. We have to remember what this is all about here."

 

Even what he did early in the minors I think would be acceptable from that quote. If he can manage to fight his way through 4-5 innings, they'll keep him in there for a while.

 

This was from this MLB.com writer in his blog:

http://spencerfordin.mlblogs.com/

[jersey cubs fan]

Here's a quote:

 

Baltimore's starting rotation began to come in sharper focus on Monday, when manager Dave Trembley admitted that Rich Hill is all but pencilled in for a starting job.

 

"He would have to pitch his way out," Trembley said. "He's a guy just like [Felix] Pie coming here and just like [Adam] Jones was last year. When you get those guys that have tools, I think you have to have a lot of patience with them. I think you have to give them a lot of opportunities and I think you have to live with the fact that they're not always going to be perfect. We have to remember what this is all about here."

 

Even what he did early in the minors I think would be acceptable from that quote. If he can manage to fight his way through 4-5 innings, they'll keep him in there for a while.

 

This was from this MLB.com writer in his blog:

http://spencerfordin.mlblogs.com/

 

If anybody could pitch his way out, Hill probably could. And considering that penciled in suggests temporary status, being all but penciled in makes it even more tenuous. Hopefully he makes it, but there's still still some significant hurdles to pass. Fighting through 4-5 innings might end up being a stretch for him.

[Guest]

This is the team that let Cabrera stay in the rotation forever.

[Soul]

What does he mean by "what this is all about here?"

 

If I was an Orioles fan about to slap down my hard earned money for tickets, I'd be pretty unsettled by that.

[SouthSideRyan]

What does he mean by "what this is all about here?"

 

If I was an Orioles fan about to slap down my hard earned money for tickets, I'd be pretty unsettled by that.

 

Would you rather they operate like the Orioles of the past 10 years? Signing mediocre vets in a strive for 75 wins? Baltimore's finally getting it right.

[jersey cubs fan]

What does he mean by "what this is all about here?"

 

If I was an Orioles fan about to slap down my hard earned money for tickets, I'd be pretty unsettled by that.

 

He probably means, you know, reality. Pretending they are a proven veteran away from contention would be stupid. If you are an Orioles fan that is unsettled by that statement, you are completely clueless about your team's sitiuation. You should hope they do whatever they can to harness whatever value they can out of the players they have, and think about the longterm health of the franchise.

[Soul]

What does he mean by "what this is all about here?"

 

If I was an Orioles fan about to slap down my hard earned money for tickets, I'd be pretty unsettled by that.

 

He probably means, you know, reality. Pretending they are a proven veteran away from contention would be stupid. If you are an Orioles fan that is unsettled by that statement, you are completely clueless about your team's sitiuation. You should hope they do whatever they can to harness whatever value they can out of the players they have, and think about the longterm health of the franchise.

 

I suppose. I'm pretty clueless about the Orioles situation. I assume they have more good prospects to hang their hat on than Hill & Pie.

[YearofDaCubs]

Well at least they are giving their young players a shot to stay in the majors. I wish we gave our younger players more time than having the quick hook with them time and time again.

[Outshined_One]

What does he mean by "what this is all about here?"

 

If I was an Orioles fan about to slap down my hard earned money for tickets, I'd be pretty unsettled by that.

 

He probably means, you know, reality. Pretending they are a proven veteran away from contention would be stupid. If you are an Orioles fan that is unsettled by that statement, you are completely clueless about your team's sitiuation. You should hope they do whatever they can to harness whatever value they can out of the players they have, and think about the longterm health of the franchise.

 

I suppose. I'm pretty clueless about the Orioles situation. I assume they have more good prospects to hang their hat on than Hill & Pie.

 

They have a handful of promising young prospects and if they were in any other division, they'd be a chic sleeper pick to win that division. However, in the AL East, they would need all of those promising young prospects to immediately produce up to their ceilings if they want to compete. That is fairly unrealistic.

[Soul]

What does he mean by "what this is all about here?"

 

If I was an Orioles fan about to slap down my hard earned money for tickets, I'd be pretty unsettled by that.

 

He probably means, you know, reality. Pretending they are a proven veteran away from contention would be stupid. If you are an Orioles fan that is unsettled by that statement, you are completely clueless about your team's sitiuation. You should hope they do whatever they can to harness whatever value they can out of the players they have, and think about the longterm health of the franchise.

 

I suppose. I'm pretty clueless about the Orioles situation. I assume they have more good prospects to hang their hat on than Hill & Pie.

 

They have a handful of promising young prospects and if they were in any other division, they'd be a chic sleeper pick to win that division. However, in the AL East, they would need all of those promising young prospects to immediately produce up to their ceilings if they want to compete. That is fairly unrealistic.

 

They're definitely in a tough position year to year. I retract my comment. I'd hate to be an Orioles fan in that division right now, but I would probably be cutting ownership/management some slack.

[MPC]

rich was on the score this morning. he absolutely insisted that the reason he struggled last season was because of his back injury and his should trouble.

[YearofDaCubs]

rich was on the score this morning. he absolutely insisted that the reason he struggled last season was because of his back injury and his should trouble.

I don't know if I believe him. He wasn't exactly lighting it up this offseason when he was playing in the Dominican.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

rich was on the score this morning. he absolutely insisted that the reason he struggled last season was because of his back injury and his should trouble.

 

I believe that he believes that.

[cubbinalltheway]

rich was on the score this morning. he absolutely insisted that the reason he struggled last season was because of his back injury and his should trouble.

so was his back still hurt in winter ball? and is his back still sore now, is that why he still can't throw strikes?

 

wah, wah, wah rich. you fell apart. stop making excuses.

[biittner77]

rich was on the score this morning. he absolutely insisted that the reason he struggled last season was because of his back injury and his should trouble.

so was his back still hurt in winter ball? and is his back still sore now, is that why he still can't throw strikes?

 

wah, wah, wah rich. you fell apart. stop making excuses.

 

Yeah, after all ST started on Sunday. It's Weds. already, start throwing strikes.

[Tyrant]

rich was on the score this morning. he absolutely insisted that the reason he struggled last season was because of his back injury and his should trouble.

so was his back still hurt in winter ball? and is his back still sore now, is that why he still can't throw strikes?

 

wah, wah, wah rich. you fell apart. stop making excuses.

 

Yeah, after all ST started on Sunday. It's Weds. already, start throwing strikes.

 

Well, he IS a major league baseball player after all.

[questionmarkgrace]

I never liked rich hill as a pitcher but I will feel bad for him after the beating the AL East will give him this year. Even at his best he doesnt have the pitches, location, or tenacity to compete in that division. Its going to be ugly.

[SouthSideRyan]

I never liked rich hill as a pitcher but I will feel bad for him after the beating the AL East will give him this year. Even at his best he doesnt have the pitches, location, or tenacity to compete in that division. Its going to be ugly.

 

If you don't think Rich Hill '07 could compete in any division, then I don't know what to say. I don't understand why so many people hate Rich Hill. It'll forever baffle me.

[brinoch]

Yeah, I just don't get the hate. It makes no sense to me.

[abuck1220]

he should grow a moustache and punch his teammates and get ejected from games and make a huge production when teammates make an error and break bats over his knee. then people would like him.

[Illini Iceman]

he should grow a moustache and punch his teammates and get ejected from games and make a huge production when teammates make an error and break bats over his knee. then people would like him.

 

Yeah, because other than that stuff Hill and Z are pretty much the same pitcher.

[ReadytoPlayCF]

Left-hander Rich Hill, the other potentially key player the Orioles got in a trade with the Chicago Cubs over the winter, delivered a very encouraging performance during his batting practice session. Reserve catcher Guillermo Quiroz called it "the best left-handed stuff I've ever seen."

 

The first three are fairly easy, based on recent comments by Kranitz and Trembley. Guthrie and Koji Uehara are locks, and Kranitz was very complimentary of Rich Hill's performance after a rocky start here. The fourth guy could be Hennessey, but Kranitz said he has one "sleeper."

 

 

These are some excerpts from recent Baltimore Sun articles. His first start in ST is this Sunday. He may never find the zone consistently again, but...

 

Pie played his first game today (in CF) and went 1-2 with an outfield assist to home, but did commit an error.