I am surprised there hasn’t been more controversy surrounding the Rich Hill trade. Personally I thought it was a terrible trade and shocked I didn’t read more disagreeing on it in the newspapers, blog’s, and on sports talk radio. I understand why Jim Hendry traded Rich Hill. He felt he had to because Rich Hill was out of options. Thus, if Rich Hill did not make the club out of spring training, he would have become a minor league free agent. This means any club could have signed him. Hendry didn’t just want to lose him, so he traded him to his current trading partner, his former boss…... Rich Hill was traded for a Player To Be Named Later. Depending on how he does with the Baltimore Orioles, will depend on the prospect we can choose from. The Orioles are hoping Rich Hill will revert back to his 2007 season and be an anchor in their rotation. If that happens they would have hit the jackpot. I don’t know who were in each pool of candidates the Cubs could pick from for The Player To Be Named Later, but if Rich Hill does go back to his 2007 form, it won’t be enough.
Rich Hill took a long time to develop in the minor leagues. He had control problems for many years, but once he figured it out he was a force. In his first full season as a starter in the major’s he made 32 starts where he went 11-8 with a 3.92 E.R.A pitching 195 innings allowing only 170 hits, 85 earned runs, and 27 homeruns. He only walked 63 batters and hit 12. That’s not too bad for someone who took years to get over his control problem. He did all this while striking out a Chicago Cubs high for the 2007 season in striking out 183 batters’ with his buckling curve ball.
Many people, including myself think Rich Hill’s control problem is mental. I recently read a good article at: http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/01/rich-hill-trade-rumors-baltimore-orioles/ which talks about the Rich Hill trade. One thing it mentions is it does not think Rich Hill’s control problem is mental. They think it is something to do with his mechanic’s. Rich Hill does have nontraditional mechanics to get the grip he needs for his nasty curve ball. Check out the picture’s they show and let me know what you think about this theory.
The Cubs should have kept Rich Hill and see if he could have helped them. His trade value hit rocked bottom, I doubt even if he does well for Baltimore they will get enough in return. So they should have kept him and risked the chance of loosing him for nothing, but the risk could be worth the reward. I guess we will see how he does this season to see if I am right or not.
Showing posts with label Rich Hill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rich Hill. Show all posts
Rich "Over-The-Hill" Hill
EDIT: It's official. Not only has Rich Hill been traded to the Orioles for "a player to be named later", but Baltimore has officially become the "Graveyard for failed prospects and washed up players from the Cubs organization"
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Sources from Baltimore on MLB Trade Rumors are reporting that the Cubs are extremely close to striking a deal with Orioles for Rich Hill, who is out of options. Thanks to his recent affliction with Steve Blass disease, Hill's value has plummeted from #2 starter status to questionable future. Unfortunate and frustrating as it may be, Hill still possesses tremendous upside -- his K/9 rate has remained consistent and strong, despite his poor performance in both the minor and Venezuela leagues. If he can fix his control problems, which many speculate to be mental, Rich Hill could easily return to form as one of the NL's top hurlers (at 28 years old, Hill is right in his prime). The fact that Hill's pre-2008 major/minor league control rate hovers around 3 tells me that either he was injured or that he made some kind of adjustment last year that simply needs to heal or be unlearned/fixed. FX data from Rich Hill's major/minor league starts indicate that he still has his filthy stuff; he just needs to start hitting the zone consistently again.
This is why I feel selling low on Hill for the infamous "player to be named later" (10 LB of fish?) is a not only a bad idea, but a terrible one. At near zero value -- how many players to be named later have ever excelled? -- Rich Hill can only provide a positive impact value for the Cubs in 2009.
Hell, if he doesn't, just cut him loose mid-season.
As much as I like the Aaron Heilman deal made this week, this fire-sale of out-of-options players by the Cubs is a terrible decision.
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Sources from Baltimore on MLB Trade Rumors are reporting that the Cubs are extremely close to striking a deal with Orioles for Rich Hill, who is out of options. Thanks to his recent affliction with Steve Blass disease, Hill's value has plummeted from #2 starter status to questionable future. Unfortunate and frustrating as it may be, Hill still possesses tremendous upside -- his K/9 rate has remained consistent and strong, despite his poor performance in both the minor and Venezuela leagues. If he can fix his control problems, which many speculate to be mental, Rich Hill could easily return to form as one of the NL's top hurlers (at 28 years old, Hill is right in his prime). The fact that Hill's pre-2008 major/minor league control rate hovers around 3 tells me that either he was injured or that he made some kind of adjustment last year that simply needs to heal or be unlearned/fixed. FX data from Rich Hill's major/minor league starts indicate that he still has his filthy stuff; he just needs to start hitting the zone consistently again.
This is why I feel selling low on Hill for the infamous "player to be named later" (10 LB of fish?) is a not only a bad idea, but a terrible one. At near zero value -- how many players to be named later have ever excelled? -- Rich Hill can only provide a positive impact value for the Cubs in 2009.
Hell, if he doesn't, just cut him loose mid-season.
As much as I like the Aaron Heilman deal made this week, this fire-sale of out-of-options players by the Cubs is a terrible decision.
