ryno4ever
Apr 5th 2007, 10:29 pm
Rich Hill vs Dave Bush (a.k.a. Cub Killer):eek:
Cubs standing in the NL Central: 4th place
cubs.com preview:
Rich Hill can only hope the regular season is a little more normal.
Hill, who will open the Cubs' three-game series against Milwaukee on Friday at Miller Park, appeared in five Cactus League games and totaled 15 2/3 innings. But he also pitched a game at the Minor League facility, threw a few "virtual" innings in the rain in Peoria, Ariz., was overwhelmed by the flu and had his last outing cut short because of a blister.
It'll be nice to pitch every fifth day. On Wednesday, he had a successful side session and his blister has healed. There is also a nice stat for Hill to build on: He didn't walk a single batter this spring.
"Let's take that into the season," Hill said after his last Cactus League game March 27. "I felt strong out there, and going into the fifth inning, I don't know what the pitch count was, but I felt I could go more."
In that Cactus League start he did a little experimenting.
"I was throwing some pitches in certain counts and working on things," Hill said. "[I was] trying to throw sliders and trying to get away from the curveball. [I tried] to work a little bit more on the slider in to righties and away from lefties."
What the Cubs hope is Hill will pick up where he left off last September when the lefty was 3-1 with a 1.93 ERA in six games. He was more aggressive in his approach and it showed.
Hill is hoping to contribute more at the plate, too. He's a lifetime .139 hitter (5-for-36). If he can add a couple of hits, give coach Ivan DeJesus credit. The former Cub, who is on Cubs manager Lou Piniella's staff as a special assistant, took the pitchers to the backfield this spring to work on their bunting. It's all part of Piniella's emphasis on fundamentals.
"We've been hitting a lot, too, on the backfield, and working on moving the runners over and putting the ball on the ground, trying to hit behind the runner," Hill said. "We'll have fun at the end of batting practice, but when we're doing it, it's a matter of putting the ball on the ground."
Hill doesn't want to be an automatic out.
"I can count a lot of times last year when I came up to bat and there were runners at second and third and two outs, or even an out, and I struck out and ended an inning because I couldn't put the bat on the ball," he said. "It doesn't help the team. It helps the pitcher out, but more importantly it helps the team."
It's a good thing Miller Park has a roof. The weather forecast calls for temperatures in the upper 30s for the weekend. The Cubs were 8-8 against the Brewers last year, including 4-3 in Milwaukee.
Pitching matchup
CHC: LHP Rich Hill (6-7, 4.17 ERA in 2006)
The lefty has pitched a total of 11 1/3 innings in two games against the Brewers. Hill needs to remember what he did in the second half last year when he was 6-3 with a 2.93 ERA, as opposed to the first half when he was 0-4 with a 9.31 ERA.
MIL: RHP Dave Bush (12-11, 4.41 ERA in 2006)
Bush was Milwaukee's most underrated pitcher in 2006. He led the team with 12 wins and set career highs in innings, strikeouts and quality starts. Bush pitched well in five starts against the Cubs (3.03 ERA) but didn't have much to show for it (1-2 record). He has also done well at Miller Park, posting a 9-4 record and 3.53 ERA at home.
Player to watch
Aramis Ramirez will be happy to be playing indoors rather than outside in the cold. Ramirez is 3-for-10 lifetime against Bush with one home run, and he's hit .288 with 11 homers at Miller Park.
On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes
On television
• WGN
On radio
• 720 AM WGN
Cubs standing in the NL Central: 4th place
cubs.com preview:
Rich Hill can only hope the regular season is a little more normal.
Hill, who will open the Cubs' three-game series against Milwaukee on Friday at Miller Park, appeared in five Cactus League games and totaled 15 2/3 innings. But he also pitched a game at the Minor League facility, threw a few "virtual" innings in the rain in Peoria, Ariz., was overwhelmed by the flu and had his last outing cut short because of a blister.
It'll be nice to pitch every fifth day. On Wednesday, he had a successful side session and his blister has healed. There is also a nice stat for Hill to build on: He didn't walk a single batter this spring.
"Let's take that into the season," Hill said after his last Cactus League game March 27. "I felt strong out there, and going into the fifth inning, I don't know what the pitch count was, but I felt I could go more."
In that Cactus League start he did a little experimenting.
"I was throwing some pitches in certain counts and working on things," Hill said. "[I was] trying to throw sliders and trying to get away from the curveball. [I tried] to work a little bit more on the slider in to righties and away from lefties."
What the Cubs hope is Hill will pick up where he left off last September when the lefty was 3-1 with a 1.93 ERA in six games. He was more aggressive in his approach and it showed.
Hill is hoping to contribute more at the plate, too. He's a lifetime .139 hitter (5-for-36). If he can add a couple of hits, give coach Ivan DeJesus credit. The former Cub, who is on Cubs manager Lou Piniella's staff as a special assistant, took the pitchers to the backfield this spring to work on their bunting. It's all part of Piniella's emphasis on fundamentals.
"We've been hitting a lot, too, on the backfield, and working on moving the runners over and putting the ball on the ground, trying to hit behind the runner," Hill said. "We'll have fun at the end of batting practice, but when we're doing it, it's a matter of putting the ball on the ground."
Hill doesn't want to be an automatic out.
"I can count a lot of times last year when I came up to bat and there were runners at second and third and two outs, or even an out, and I struck out and ended an inning because I couldn't put the bat on the ball," he said. "It doesn't help the team. It helps the pitcher out, but more importantly it helps the team."
It's a good thing Miller Park has a roof. The weather forecast calls for temperatures in the upper 30s for the weekend. The Cubs were 8-8 against the Brewers last year, including 4-3 in Milwaukee.
Pitching matchup
CHC: LHP Rich Hill (6-7, 4.17 ERA in 2006)
The lefty has pitched a total of 11 1/3 innings in two games against the Brewers. Hill needs to remember what he did in the second half last year when he was 6-3 with a 2.93 ERA, as opposed to the first half when he was 0-4 with a 9.31 ERA.
MIL: RHP Dave Bush (12-11, 4.41 ERA in 2006)
Bush was Milwaukee's most underrated pitcher in 2006. He led the team with 12 wins and set career highs in innings, strikeouts and quality starts. Bush pitched well in five starts against the Cubs (3.03 ERA) but didn't have much to show for it (1-2 record). He has also done well at Miller Park, posting a 9-4 record and 3.53 ERA at home.
Player to watch
Aramis Ramirez will be happy to be playing indoors rather than outside in the cold. Ramirez is 3-for-10 lifetime against Bush with one home run, and he's hit .288 with 11 homers at Miller Park.
On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes
On television
• WGN
On radio
• 720 AM WGN