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| Rich Hill looked awful against the Braves on Thursday, giving up three runs off two hits and five walks over three innings. |
Our View: Hill has suffered from major control problems the past few seasons, and it's looking like it could be much the same in St. Louis, as five walks is simply unacceptable. It's tough to imagine him cracking St. Louis' starting rotation at this point.
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| Rich Hill had a decent spring outing against the Astros on Saturday, allowing one run in two innings of work. He did allow five baserunners, however. |
Our View: So far, he hasn't shown anything to suggest he should be St. Louis' fifth starter this season. Kyle McClellan is the current clear leader for the gig.
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| Rich Hill is indeed being considered for the fifth spot in St. Louis' rotation this spring, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. |
Our View: His main competitor for the job is reliever Kyle McClellan. At least in the early going, McClellan is consider the favorite. Stay tuned.
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| The Cardinals have signed left-hander Rich Hill to a minor-league contract. The deal includes an invite to major league spring training. |
Our View: Hill was dreadful in 14 games (13 starts) for the Orioles in 2009, going 3-3 with a 7.80 ERA and 1.87 WHIP. He has been unable to stay healthy since 2007, and is a long-shot to make any sort of an impact with the Cardinals in 2010. That being said, everyone knows how many miracles Cards pitching Dave Duncan has worked in his career. Maybe Hill will be next.
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| According to the Baltimore Sun, left-hander Rich Hill has become a free agent after being outrighted by the Orioles on Tuesday night. |
Our View: Hill, once a highly-touted minor league arm, has yet to impress consistently at the major league level. He had a breakout year in 2007, but struggled with his control in 2008 and never seemed to regain it. He took his lumps with the Orioles after being shipped out by the Cubs and now is a free agent who is out of options. The Orioles remain interested, as he still has potential hidden in that body somewhere, but he still has a lot of things to work out and is coming off of labrum surgery. If the O's don't snatch him up, expect San Diego, Seattle or Boston to give him a look as a low-risk reclamation project.
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| According to MLB.com, Orioles' starter Rich Hill underwent surgery to repair a a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Hill is expected to be ready for spring training next season. |
Our View: Hill wasn't good as a starter for the O's, and once again he is down with an injury. Hill's career was once full of potential, but at this point he should not be considered even an adequate fantasy pitcher in any league for next season.
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| Rich Hill is likely to undergo surgery on his ailing left shoulder, according to MASN Sports. |
Our View: An MRI and an arthrogram revealed that he has a displaced labrum tear. The Orioles would like Hill to get a second opinion, but the veteran hurler is leaning toward having surgery and enduring 6-8 weeks of recovery time.
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| According to MASN.com the Orioles have placed starter Rich Hill on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his left shoulder. |
Our View: This may be the cause of Hill's struggles this season or the injury may just be a smoke screen to free up a roster spot. Shoulder inflammation seems to be the injury every struggling pitcher is diagnosed with so don't be surprised if Hill doesn't return to the rotation. He was likely on his way out anyway. Chris Tillman takes his spot on the roster.
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| Rich Hill continued to struggle on Monday, giving up three runs off four hits and three walks with just one strikeout over 2.1 innings in his start against Kansas City. |
Our View: Hill may be on his last legs in Baltimore's starting rotation, as they simply cannot continue to throw him out on the mound every fifth day the way he's been throwing of late.
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| The Baltimore Sun is reporting that starter Rich Hill will get at least one more chance to save his rotation spot. Hill will start for the team either Tuesday or Wednesday as he tries to stay his execution by the team for a little longer. |
Our View: Hill has been nothing short of awful this season, and it seems unlikely that one good start this week will save his spot. Look for him to be released or DFA'd at some point in the near future.
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| According to the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles will decide on Friday what to do with struggling starter Rich Hill. |
Our View: There are a couple options here. The O's could skip Hills next turn in the rotation and see if he bounces back down the road, or the team could outright release him or designate him for assignment. It sounds as if the Orioles are leaning towards the latter. Manager Dave Trembley stated that Hill, who has a 7.64 ERA in 12 starts, has "extended every measure of patience by all of us." Whatever the organization decides, Hill likely won't be pitching any time in the near future.
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| Rich Hill was rocked for five earned runs on three hits over three innings in Tuesday's 6-4 loss at New York. He issued four walks with two strikeouts. |
Our View: Hill was handed a loss for his poor effort, and is winless over his last six outings. He is only an option for deeper AL-only leagues.
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| Rich Hill allowed two earned runs on seven hits over six innings in Saturday's 4-3 win over Toronto at Camden Yards. He had one walk and four strikeouts. |
Our View: The game was tied 2-2 when Hill exited, so he ends the night with a no-decision rather than a win. On the positive side, Hill has not taken a loss over his last three starts, and trimmed his ERA to 6.92.
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| The Orioles are planning to skip pitcher Rich Hill's next start and use him in the bullpen until after the All-Star break, according to the Baltimore Sun. The team opted to go with struggling right-hander Jason Berken instead of Hill, citing a heavily right-handed lineup for the Blue Jays, the team they will be playing. |
Our View: Interesting decision by the O's here, as they could have allowed Berken to take some time off and work on his stuff. Hill hasn't been outstanding this year, but he has been far better than Berken. At any rate, Hill owners should be aware that he won't start another game until after the break.
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| Rich Hill was lit up for six earned runs on six hits over 5.1 innings in Sunday's 9-6 loss at the Angels. He issued four walks with two strikeouts. |
Our View: Hill takes a no-decision rather than a loss for his nightmarish outing. He has gone three straight starts without a win, and allowed 19 earned runs over the span. He should only be considered in the deepest of fantasy leagues for his next turn in the Orioles' rotation.
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| Rich Hill was roughed up for nine runs (seven earned) on nine hits over three innings in Tuesday's 11-10 win over Boston at Camden Yards. He had three walks and three strikeouts, and gave up two homers. |
Our View: Hill had a terrible outing tonight, and is lucky he takes a no-decision rather than a loss. His ERA climbs to 7.08, and he should only be considered in the deepest of fantasy leagues for his next start.
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| Rich Hill was roughed up for six earned runs on eight hits over 4.1 innings in tonight's 11-3 loss at Florida. He had one walk and six strikeouts, and was toasted for two homers. |
Our View: Hill was a disappointment after only allowing two runs in a winning effort against the Phillies in his last start. He should remain an inconsistent performer, and should only be used in AL-only leagues for his next turn in Baltimore's rotation.
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| Rich Hill allowed two earned runs on five hits over 6.2 innings in Friday's 7-2 win at Philadelphia. He had four walks and five strikeouts. |
Our View: It was a solid outing for Hill despite the four free passes. He earned his second win of June, and is worth consideration in AL-only leagues for his next start.
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| Rich Hill surrendered four earned runs on five hits over four innings in Saturday's 8-4 win over the Braves at Camden Yards. He had three walks and one strikeout. |
Our View: Hill did not pitch well, but the Orioles provided enough support for him to take a no-decision. He has a 5.81 ERA and should only be used in AL-only leagues.
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| Rich Hill only lasted two-thirds of an inning in his start on Sunday. He allowed three runs on a hit and four walks before being yanked. He took the loss as the Orioles fell 3-0 to the A's. |
Our View: Hill was very good in his last outing, but the wheels came off early on Sunday. When someone throws seven shutout innings allowing just two hits and then can't get through one inning the next time out the fantasy red flags go up. Start him at your own risk.
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| Rich Hill was in control as he only allowed two hits over seven scoreless innings in Monday's 1-0 win at Seattle. He racked up seven strikeouts with three walks. |
Our View: Hill improves to 2-0 over four starts, and trimmed his ERA to 4.15. He bounced back strong after being lit up for six earned runs in his previous outing against Toronto.
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| Rich Hill got hammered by the Blue Jays on Wednesday, but his team managed to hit enough to bail him out. Hill went 3.1 innings and allowed seven runs (six earned) on six hits while walking three and striking out three. The Orioles won the game 12-10 in 11 innings. |
Our View: After a stellar performance in his season debut, Hill looked like the pitcher everyone has known him to be today. Hill is always tempting because of his good stuff, but mixed leaguers should stay away from him at this point. He could be an AL-only pitcher down the road, but watch his next few starts before pulling the trigger.
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| Rich Hill was very effective in his return to the majors on Saturday as he picked up the win in the Orioles 3-2 victory over the Royals. Hill went 5.2 innings and allowed two runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out six. |
Our View: Hill looked pretty good today in his first start of the season. He has long been a pitcher with plenty of upside who has been unable to put it all together, but if he keeps pitching like he did today he could be a good fantasy value going forward. He may be worth a flier in AL-only leagues now, and a few more good starts may make him relevant in mixed leagues as well.
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| Rich Hill is set to make his season debut for the Orioles on Saturday, according to the Baltimore Sun. Hill has made four rehab starts in the minors and has compiled a 1.65 ERA. |
Our View: No word yet on the corresponding roster move, but it looks like Hill will start this weekend. He was very good in the minors, but he still showed some wildness. He could be worth a pickup if he pitches well, but at this point he is risky as a fantasy pitcher.
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| Rich Hill dominated Triple-A Buffalo hitters on Sunday, tossing six scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, three walks and fanned seven. |
Our View: In three starts in Triple-A, Hill has a 1.35 ERA. The bad news is that he has walked nine batters in 13.1 innings. Still, he should be in Baltimore soon.
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| Rich Hill will continue his rehab work on Sunday as the team would like to stretch him out to 95 pitches, according to MASN Sports. |
Our View: The Orioles starting staff could certainly use a boost considering their current starters' ERA is 5.63 and their WHIP 1.53. If Hill has a strong start over the weekend, he could find himself back with the Orioles next week.
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| Rich Hill recorded five strikeouts in 3.1 innings, while allowing two runs, one hit and one walk for Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday. |
Our View: Hill is working his way back from a DL stint and continues to build up his arm strength. He should find himself in Baltimore's starting rotation soon, and his 8/1 K/BB ratio in two starts is an encouraging sign.
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| Rich Hill, who is recovering from a strained left elbow, is expected to pitch Wednesday with Triple-A Norfolk, according to the Baltimore Sun. |
Our View: Hill will throw 65-to-70 pitches. Hill will continue to build up his pitch count, and will be worth a look for deeper AL-only leagues if he is given a shot to start in Baltimore's rotation.
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| Rich Hill's appearance on Friday night was successful as he threw 33 pitches, 24 for strikes at Single-A Frederick, according to the Baltimore Sun. Hill allowed a hit, hit a batter and struck out three while walking none as he attempts to return from an elbow injury. |
Our View: There were no setbacks, and that is obviously a good thing, but with a fastball that only reached 87 mph, it is clear that Hill still has some work to do before he can be considered worthy of being recalled to the big club.
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| Rich Hill (elbow) will begin his rehab assignment Friday with Single-A Frederick, according to the Baltimore Sun. He will throw 60-65 pitches in his first outing. |
Our View: Hill will have a shot to join the Orioles' rotation if he can pitch well and bounce back healthy during his rehab stint. He is not expected back until at least mid-May though, and it is a bit early to consider him for fantasy rosters.
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| MASNsports.com is reporting that Rich Hill will begin his minor league rehab assignment on either Thursday or Friday. It is unknown at this time which affiliate he will report to. |
Our View: Hill's rehab stint is expected to last up to 30 days, so it will still be awhile before he can get into Baltimore's rotation. If Hill can get himself right, he could be a sleeper pickup, especially in AL-only leagues. Don't do anything until you see him pitch.
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| MASNsports.com is reporting that Rich Hill felt great after his bullpen session on Tuesday. |
Our View: Hill said he could throw 90 pitches in a rehab start tomorrow if they asked him to, which is encouraging. The Orioles are sending him back to Sarasota to throw two innings. No timetable has been set for his rehab assignment.
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| The Baltimore Sun reports that weather-related travel delays postponed Rich Hill's scheduled bullpen session Monday. Hill will instead throw Tuesday, setting up a possible debut in Saturday's game. |
Our View: The Orioles haven't announced whether Adam Eaton will be replaced in Saturday's game by Hill, but it seems to be a distinct possibility after Eaton's first start of the year. If Hill does pitch, he has the potential to be one of the better pitchers in the Orioles' rotation. Keep an eye on him.
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| MASN reports that pitcher Rich Hill said his elbow and back feel great and that his control has been much more consistent of late. He is currently on the DL. |
Our View: It's best to take a wait and see approach with Hill at this point. The Orioles don't have much in the way that will block him from the rotation. If Hill can regain his control, which is no given, he could be a featured memeber of the Orioles staff this season.
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| Rich Hill has been placed on the 15-day DL by the Orioles with a strained left elbow, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: He was unable to make a start in the Grapefruit League due to the ailment, which prevented him from competing for a spot in the Orioles' rotation.
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| Pitching in an intrasquad game, Orioles pitcher Rich Hill threw 2.0 innings, allowing three runs on two hits, while also walking one and hitting two batters, according to the Baltimore Sun. |
Our View: Hill will start the season on the disabled list due to elbow problems. He's struggled with control for a while, and that has continued into this spring. Unless he can turn that around, his fantasy value remains small.
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| Rich Hill has been ruled out of the Orioles' rotation for the start of the season, according to the Baltimore Sun. Hill was hindered by elbow soreness in spring training, and pitching coach Rick Kranitz said, "We're too far away. I don't think he's got a chance of breaking with the club at this point. That's not my say, but if you're not going to make the club because you're not ready, obviously there's only a couple of options. One of them is the disabled list, so I'd think that's kind of where he may go. He won't be ready for the season."
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Our View: It seems likely that the club will place him on the DL and send him to extended spring training. Lefty Mark Hendrickson is now considered a front-runner to nail down a rotation spot.
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| Rich Hill was not pleased with his 60-pitch bullpen session today, according to MASN Sports. He said, "The pen did not go as well as I wanted it to. It was kind of here and there. It was not as consistent as the last two. The last two were really good, and today was not as good. Maybe it was the day off. We will take two days off and face hitters, and I think that will build it back up."
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Our View: His curveball was fine, but he had problems locating his fastball. Hill is slated to throw batting practice on Sunday and possibly pitch in a game on Wednesday.
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| Rich Hill threw a 50-pitch bullpen session Tuesday, according to MASN Sports. Hill said, "It went really well. I feel great. On my end, I am looking for a little more consistency maybe with the breaking ball, but the fastball and everything has been great because it has been down. Everything is down in the zone."
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Our View: He will not work Wednesday and will wait to see what is next on his schedule, which could be live batting practice Thursday. He believes he will be ready to pitch for the start of the season.
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| Rich Hill is ready to make his first appearance on a mound Saturday, according to the Baltimore Sun. If all goes well, he could be scheduled for an exhibition appearance at the end of next week. |
Our View: Hill is fighting for a spot at the back end of the O's rotation, so the sooner he gets out there the better. He isn't considered much of a fantasy player at this point, but is worth keeping an eye on as the season progresses.
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| Rich Hill's MRI revealed no structural damage in his ailing left elbow, according to MASN Sports. |
Our View: He is waiting for swelling to subside in his elbow before resuming his throwing program, and could lose ground in his battle for a spot at the back of the Orioles' rotation.
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| The Baltimore Sun reports that lefty Rich Hill will undergo an MRI on his sore left elbow. His availability over the next handful of weeks will be reliant on the results of the test. |
Our View: Hill will most likely miss Tuesday's game and an appearance scheduled for Saturday's exhibition is in jeopardy as well. If he ever gets back into "game shape" Hill has a legitimate shot joining the back end of the Orioles' rotation.
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| Left-hander Rich Hill will not make his scheduled spring training start Sunday due to tightness in his throwing elbow, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: The setback isn't considered serious, and Hill may be out on the mound as early as Tuesday for Baltimore's intrasquad game.
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| Rich Hill is pleased to be joining the Orioles, according to the Boston Globe. He said, "Cubs general manager Jim Hendry really took care of me. He wanted to create an opportunity for me that he told me probably did not exist in Chicago, so I am grateful. I know Baltimore tried to deal for me last year and it did not work out, but this time they made it work." |
Our View: Hill had no shot to crack the Cubs' rotation, and will have a better opportunity in Baltimore, as their rotation spots are up for grabs beyond Jeremy Guthrie and Koji Uehara. Hill also believes he is past his back problems and will regain his control. He is worth a look as a value pick for deeper AL-only leagues.
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| Rich Hill has reportedly been dealt to the Orioles, according to MASN Sports. The Cubs will receive a player to be named later. |
Our View: Hill was out of options and had no real shot to crack the Cubs' rotation out of spring training, so he should benefit from a move to Baltimore, who are in need of pitching.
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| According to the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles, if they make a deal with Cubs hurler Rich Hill at all, will finalize a deal in the next day or two. The Royals and Mariners are reportedly interested in the left-hander as well. |
Our View: In addition to Hill, GM Andy MacPhail is rumored to be interested in free-agent pitcher Braden Looper, which may explain why the O's have yet to pull the trigger on Hill. It's possible Baltimore could pursue both pitchers, but signing them both would required some major reshuffling of the 40-man roster.
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| Faulty command of his pitches is still troubling Cubs lefty Rich Hill, according to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com. |
Our View: Rosenthal cites a GM as saying Hill had horrid control during winter ball in Venezuela. During last season's 19.2 innings in the majors, he exhibited similar problems, posting a BB/9 rate of 8.24.
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| The Cubs are in talks with the Orioles that could send Rich Hill to Baltimore, according to the Baltimore Sun. |
Our View: Hill had a great 2007, going 11-8 with an ERA of 3.92 in 195 innings, but was bothered by back spasms for most of 2008. The Cubs may try and deal him for second baseman Brian Roberts, who they've been interested in for months.
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| MLB.com reports that Rich Hill walked 23 batters in 21 innings while pitching for for Aragua in the Venezuela Winter League. |
Our View: At some point between the end of 2007 and the start of 2008, Hill simply lost command of his pitches. He doesn't figure to be back in the Majors any time soon.
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| Rich Hill gave up seven runs in 1.1 innings in his VWL appearance on Friday. |
Our View: He's allowed nine earned runs and walked seven in 10.2 innings and the majors seem like a long ways away for the former Cub.
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| Cubs pitcher Rich Hill was called up from the minor leagues, but only to be put on the disabled list, according to the Chicago Tribune. |
Our View: Hill struggled enormously with his control, with a frightening 8.24 BB/9 rate. Fantasy owners should look to Hill next year, as 2008 was lost.
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| Rich Hill pitched one-third of an inning on Tuesday, walking three and hitting a batter. |
Our View: This may be Hill's worst start yet. He has had nine days rest between each of his last two appearances and it appears that he may not make it back to the majors in 2008.
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| Manager Lou Pinella would like another lefty in his rotation soon, but that lefty won't be Rich Hill, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The southpaw is still struggling with his command and mechanics since his demotion to Triple-A Iowa over a month ago. |
Our View: Sean Marshall is likely to get the call before Hill, who has walked 18 in 21 1/3 innings at Iowa.
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| Rich Hill made his second start for Triple-A Iowa since suffering from back spasms, allowing one run on one hit with seven walks and five strikeouts. |
Our View: Hill has walked 18 in 21 1/2 innings for Iowa since being sent down. He will have to cut down on those walks if he wants to get back with the big club.
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| Rich Hill returned to the Triple-A mound on Friday night. He had been out since May 16 due to back spasms. Hill lasted three innings and allowed three runs. He also walked three and struck out five. "I feel like I'm throwing the ball as well as I have in a long time," Hill told the Des Moines Register. "It's been a couple weeks since I've been in a game, but I feel good after not being able to get into a rhythm since Day One of spring training." |
Our View: The results weren't great, but Hill needed to get back on the mound if he hopes to earn a return ticket to Chicago. Sean Gallagher has pitched well in two of his last three starts with the Cubs, and Hill will likely need a string of good outings to impress the front office.
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| Rich Hill threw 50 pitches in the bullpen on Thursday as he attempts to work his way back from back spasms, according to the Chicago Tribune. Hill will work a simulated game on Sunday as he attempts to work his way back to Chicago. |
Our View: Even with this encouraging news, Hill still seems a ways away from returning to Chicago to reclaim his starting spot meaning that Sean Gallagher will continue to hold down the fifth starters role for the time being.
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| Rich Hill has been placed on the seven day disabled list at Triple-A Iowa because of back spasms, according to the Chicago Tribune. However, it really doesn't sound like he is hurt. “I don’t think it’s serious,” Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. “Probably more of a mental break than anything, I’d assume. That’s just my assumption. [The break] may not be bad. It might be the best tonic of all. But I haven’t heard anything wrong of a serious nature, anything fundamentally wrong with his back.” |
Our View: How the mighty have fallen huh? Hill has gone from a top-25 starting pitcher selection this year to a spare part in the minor leagues in record time. In fact, the Tribune even went as fur to opine that Sean Marshall and Kevin Hart might be ahead of Hill in terms of being promoted to the big league club.
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| The Chicago Cubs report LHP Rich Hill is not likely to be a contributor for the team's pitching staff any time soon, according to MLB.com. Manager Lou Piniella has noted the team current has three potential major-league arms in the minors and that Hill is the farthest from a move to the majors. |
Our View: Hill left his last start on Friday with back stiffness after surrendering three runs over 2 2/3 innings, walking three in what has become a continued struggle to find control. Hill is now 1-2 in minor league action this season, touting an ERA of 3.38.
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| Rich Hill has been set back in his bid to rejoin the Cubs, as he left Friday night's start for Triple-A Iowa with what is being called a stiff back, according to the Chicago Tribune. Hill's status won't be known for at least another day. His record is 1-2 and holds a 3.38 ERA at Iowa. Manager Lou Piniella said, "He didn't have a back problem last year, he didn't have it earlier in the year. Let's not make it too serious. It might not be serious at all."
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Our View: He has not fared well in the minors following his demotion, and it remains uncertain if and when he will return to the Cubs' rotation. We will keep you posted on the severity of his back ailment.
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| Rich Hill owns a 1.69 ERA over two starts for Triple-A Iowa, but he has also walked five batters over 10.2 innings. He needs to pitch better in order to return to the majors. "I would think so," manager Lou Piniella informs the Chicago Sun-Times. The skipper notes that Hill only threw 28 of his 55 fastballs for strikes in his last outing. |
Our View: Fantasy owners need to continue being patient with Hill, as we know he still has high upside.
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| Rich Hill pitched very well in the first game of Triple-A Iowa’s doubleheader on Sunday, throwing 5.2 scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, four walks and struck out eight. |
Our View: The walks are still the concern, and probably reason enough for the Cubs to leave Hill down in the minors a bit longer. For what it’s worth, Hill has a 13/5 K/BB ratio in 10.2 innings since being sent down.
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| Rich Hill has been optioned to the minors, according to MLB.com. Sean Gallagher has been called up to take his spot on the roster. |
Our View: Hill held a 4.12 ERA and 1.58 WHIP over 19.2 innings, with 18 walks. He was demoted mainly due to control problems, and Jon Lieber will fill his spot in the rotation, making his first start on Wednesday versus the Reds.
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| Rich Hill's days in the Cubs rotation may have come to an end. The left-hander was pulled after walking four and allowing one run in the first inning of Friday night's game in St. Louis.
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Our View: Either Jon Lieber or Sean Marshall are in line to fill the No. 5 slot in the rotation if Hill is send down.
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| Rich Hill will get nine days off due to the Cubs "skip" plan, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Monday's day off for the Cubs will skip Hill's next turn in the rotation. Manager Lou Piniella is doing it to keep his top four starters fresh with every fifth day pitching cycles. Piniella also noted that the Brewers (the Cubs upcoming opponent) is 5-0 against lefties. |
Our View: So, it seems as if skipping his next start has little to do with his recent struggles in the early going. Hill currently holds a 3.79 ERA and a poor 1.42 WHIP over 19 innings, so he won't be missed that much by fantasy owners during his nine-day layoff.
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| Rich Hill had another solid outing on Wednesday night as he held the Rockies to three hits and two runs in five innings to pick up a no-decision. Hill also walked four with three K. |
Our View: It certainly wasn't vintage Hill tonight, but it was another positive outing as he limited the Rockies to just three hits and two runs in Colorado. As a result, Hill's spot in the starting rotation appears secure.
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| Rich Hill will take the mound tonight in Colorado, and has not fared well at Coors Field, according to MLB.com. Over two starts there against the Rockies, he is 0-2 with a 11.32 ERA. |
Our View: Hill is already off to a shaky start, and he is worth benching for tonight if you have better options at the position.
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| Rich Hill looked solid on Friday as he allowed one run over five innings to pick up his first victory of the season. Hill allowed three hits and three walks in the outing while he picked up four K. |
Our View: Hill didn't look great today, but he certainly did enough to keep his rotation spot, one that had been in doubt as recently as a couple of days ago.
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| Rich Hill is back in the Cubs' rotation, as their fifth starter, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The Cubs will keep their top four starters on fifth-day cycles and skip the fifth guy as days off dictate. Hill, who was demoted to the bullpen due to control problems, will start on Saturday, behind Jason Marquis.
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Our View: Hill is being given another chance, but could fall out of favor and lose his starting role again if he doesn't bounce back.
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| Rich Hill will not pitch in the rotation against the Phillies, according to MLB.com. Manager Piniella noted, "He's just not throwing the ball. The other day, in the first inning, he was aiming it. When he came back after the first inning, he looked a little confused. I said, 'The only thing you're not doing is cutting it loose. Go out there and give it your best stuff.' He made it through three innings. There's no sense keeping a pitcher out there if he's struggling that bad. He's just got to go out and throw it. He's got a ton of talent." He will be reduced to a bullpen role for the remainder of this series.
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Our View: He could possibly return to the rotation next Thursday against Cincinnati, and it is too early to drop his fantasy stock.
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| Rich Hill will be available to pitch out of the bullpen this weekend, but the team hasn't ruled him out of the starting rotation just yet, this according to the Chicago Tribune. "We’re going to put him in the bullpen here through Sunday," Manager Lou Pinella said. "We’ve been short of pitchers. He only pitched three innings (Thursday) night. Obviously we won't use him tonight, but maybe by Sunday we can get him a little work out of the bullpen and look to get him back in the rotation, either against Cincinnati [Thursday] or against Pittsburgh [on Friday]." Hill was thought by many to be a breakout candidate this season due to his 183 K and 1.19 WHIP 2007 season, but until he starts throwing strikes he will not have a chance to reach his potential, though the good news is that he appears to in line to stay in the starting rotation. |
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| Manager Piniella hinted that Rich Hill could be pulled from the Cubs' rotation if he doesn't settle down and ease his control issues, according to the Chicago Sun Times. Piniella said, "We've got to get his control problems straightened out." When asked if he would consider taking Hill out of the rotation, Piniella noted, "I'm going to sit down and talk to our pitching coach about that. I want what's best for Hill. We've got to get him straightened out. That's the important thing." Hill could potentially be replaced by Jon Lieber, who has fared better in the early going.
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| Rich Hill lasted only three innings in Thursday night's win over the Pirates. The southpaw allowed three hits, three runs, walked four and struck out three. Hill threw 72 pitches before manager Lou Piniella had seen enough and brought in veteran Jon Lieber for some long relief. Hill was pulled after only 72 pitches because he didn't trust his stuff and the coaching staff could see it. |
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| Will the real Cubs pitcher for Thursday's game in Pittsburgh please stand up. Rich Hill will stay on schedule and start tonight’s game after all, this according to the Chicago Tribune.
Manager Lou Piniella said Wednesday night that he would switch his rotation around, using Jason Marquis tonight and Hill on Friday against the Phillies. Piniella pointed out that the Pirates hit lefties pretty good -- a .308 average vs. .231 against right-handers -- but Marquis had the flu on Wednesday and wasn’t ready to go today. The average for the Pirates is a bit deceiving. In the last nine Pirate games, they are 2-7 against left-handers, so maybe the skipper saw that stat too. |
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| Rich Hill won't pitch today, and is going to swap spots with Jason Marquis in the rotation as the Cubs battle the Pirates today, according to the Chicago Sun Times. Marquis had two strong starts early in the season against Pittsburgh in 2007, and Manager Piniella wants to go with him in the rubber match of the series. Hill will start when the Cubs play Philly next. |
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| Rich Hill was a disaster on Thursday. The big left-hander who didn't walk a batter last spring, issued six in 1.1 innings of work. He gave up one hit, two earned runs and struck out one. In his last outing on March 15th he was not much better allowing two runs on three hits over 3.2 innings of work. Hill has now walked nine batters in his last five spring innings and his ERA is nearing a run per inning. |
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| Rich Hill had another subpar outing on Saturday as he allowed two runs on three hits over 3.2 innings of work against the White Sox, with three walks and one strikeout. His spring ERA has climbed to 6.35. |
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| Rich Hill threw a full bullpen session and said the troublesome blister on his middle finger has calloused over and healed, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. "It took care of itself. It's fine," said Hill. "I feel great. I'm ready to go Friday." |
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| Rich Hill continues to have problems with a blister on his finger that he developed late in spring training, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Hill lasted just one inning of a simulated game in Arizona before rejoining the team. "It'll be fine, though," Hill said. "I'm not concerned about it. I've had this before and generally just take a day off from throwing. It just needs a day to heal and callous over." |
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| Cubs manager Lou Piniella informed Rich Hill on Friday that the lefty had made the starting rotation, according to the Cubs official site. "It's great just to be able to go out there the rest of camp and take that off your shoulders and just pitch," Hill said after his second spring outing Friday. "I feel comfortable with him," Piniella said. "He had a nice year in the second half. He's a good left-handed pitcher with a good upside. All I want him to do is get his work in and be ready for the fourth start of the season." |
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| Rich Hill continued his stretch of great pitching Monday night, allowing one earned run on six hits while striking out six over 5 2/3 innings. In his last six games (five starts), Hill is 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA. |
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| After two straight solid starts, Rich Hill was back to his usual self on Friday night against the Rockies. Hill allowed six hits and six earned runs in 4 2/3 innings, with five walks and two strikeouts. |
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| Rich Hill pitched well for the second straight start on Sunday. Hill allowed five hits and one earned run in seven innings. He struck out nine and walked two. In his last two starts, Hill has allowed 11 hits and four earned runs over 15 innings, with 15 strikeouts and three walks. |
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| Rich Hill picked up his first big-league win against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night, allowing three runs on six hits in eight innings of work. He struck out six and walked just one. Hill's ERA now stands at 7.92 in six starts this year. |
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| As expected, the Cubs called up Rich Hill to start against the Cardinals on Thursday. He lasted just 3 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks while striking out one. Prior to the promotion, Hill was 7-1 with a 1.80 ERA in 15 starts at Triple-A. |
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