Orioles close to deal for Hill

February 2, 10:05 AMMLB ExaminerAlex Brown

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the MLB Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

The Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles are close to a deal that would send left handed starting pitcher Rich Hill to the Orioles for a player to be named later.  The 28 year old lefty was off to a promising start in 2007, but pitched only 19.7 major league innings in 2008.

Rich Hill’s career thus far is a bit of an enigma.  He broke out in 2007, going 11-8 for the Cubs with a 3.92 ERA.  Sure, he walked a few too many batters, but he also posted excellent strikeout numbers – he was 5th in the NL with 183.  After the 2007 season Hill appeared poised to take the next step and become a top of the rotation pitcher in Chicago.  That was not to be, as Hill got off to a terrible start in 2008.  He was unable to find the strike zone (18 walks in 19.7 innings pitched) and was ultimately sent down to the minors.  Hill finished up his season in Single A Daytona after being called up from the rookie league in July. 

Is Rich Hill finished?  On the surface, this may look like a case of the dreaded “Steve Blass Disease” – a fictitious ailment that befalls young pitchers, rendering them unable to throw strikes consistently.  This has been attributed largely to mental issues, rather than physical ones.  In Hill’s case, I think the problems are physical.  As a big lefty (he stands tall at 6’5”) with an awkward delivery, Rich Hill needs to find a comfortable groove.  I look at his case as similar to that of Dontrelle Willis, who also spent some time in the low minors in 2007.  Both Hill and Willis have had successful seasons, so we know they can do it – somewhere along the line they just got messed up (maybe some poor coaching advice?) and are working to get back in that groove.

In Baltimore, Hill will be reunited with his old pitching coach (Rick Kranitz) and bullpen coach (Alan Dunn).  He will be given every chance to make a weak Orioles rotation, which features only Jeremy Guthrie and Koji Uehara as locks.  As a power lefty with an excellent curveball, Hill slides in nicely in the number three slot behind the two righties.  If Hill is able to rediscover some of what made him successful in 2007, the Orioles will have the ultimate “buy-low” scenario – which is exactly what this struggling franchise needs.