TheBenjamin
Jan 29th 2009, 7:39 pm
www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-orioles0129,0,3367706.story
baltimoresun.com
Sources: O's, Cubs talking deal for Hill
Orioles reportedly in the lead among several teams to land Chicago LHP
By Jeff Zrebiec and Dan Connolly |
jeff.zrebiec@baltsun.com and dan.connolly@baltsun.com
8:39 PM EST, January 29, 2009
The Orioles and Chicago Cubs are again involved in trade talks, this time about the Cubs' left-handed starter Rich Hill. According to industry sources, the two teams have had ongoing talks about Hill, a one-time top pitching prospect who is struggling to regain his command.
One industry source said it's a "strong possibility" that Hill will wind up with the Orioles, perhaps as early as next week. The Orioles will likely give up a player to be named who could be contingent on Hill's success in Baltimore.
"We are talking to them," Orioles club president Andy MacPhail said about the Cubs. "We are talking to a lot of teams about a lot of players."
The Cubs have spoken to several teams about Hill, including the Seattle Mariners, but a source said the Orioles are in the lead to land the lefty. The Orioles would have to shuffle their 40-man roster, which is currently full.
Hill, a fourth-round pick out of the University of Michigan in 2002, was long considered one of the Cubs' best young players. In 2006, Baseball America had him rated as the fifth best prospect and third best pitcher in the Cubs' system (the Orioles' new left fielder, Felix Pie, was the Cubs' top prospect).
The next year, Hill had a breakout season for the Cubs, starting 32 games and going 11-8 with a 3.92 ERA in 195 innings pitched. He was fifth in the National League in strikeouts with 183 and eighth in the league with a 1.195 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched).
He looked like he'd be a mainstay in the Cubs' rotation for years, and was considered untouchable when the Orioles asked about him in trade negotiations involving second baseman Brian Roberts.
But 2008 was an unmitigated disaster for Hill, who battled back spasms and inexplicable wildness all season. The Cubs demoted Hill to the minors last May after he went 1-0 with a 4.12 ERA in five starts. He walked 18 batters in 19 2/3 innings, and at times seemed incapable of throwing strikes.
He didn't fare much better in the minors, walking 44 batters in 47 2/3 innings in 13 starts at three different levels. Trying to regain his command, Hill pitched in the Venezuelan winter league, but walked 23 batters and gave up 21 hits in 21 innings.
The Orioles, however, would be gambling on familiarity to help turn him around. Orioles pitching coach Rick Kranitz was Hill's pitching coach at Triple-A Iowa in 2005 and bullpen coach Alan Dunn coached Hill at Double-A Tennessee in 2005 and Triple-A Iowa in 2006.
baltimoresun.com
Sources: O's, Cubs talking deal for Hill
Orioles reportedly in the lead among several teams to land Chicago LHP
By Jeff Zrebiec and Dan Connolly |
jeff.zrebiec@baltsun.com and dan.connolly@baltsun.com
8:39 PM EST, January 29, 2009
The Orioles and Chicago Cubs are again involved in trade talks, this time about the Cubs' left-handed starter Rich Hill. According to industry sources, the two teams have had ongoing talks about Hill, a one-time top pitching prospect who is struggling to regain his command.
One industry source said it's a "strong possibility" that Hill will wind up with the Orioles, perhaps as early as next week. The Orioles will likely give up a player to be named who could be contingent on Hill's success in Baltimore.
"We are talking to them," Orioles club president Andy MacPhail said about the Cubs. "We are talking to a lot of teams about a lot of players."
The Cubs have spoken to several teams about Hill, including the Seattle Mariners, but a source said the Orioles are in the lead to land the lefty. The Orioles would have to shuffle their 40-man roster, which is currently full.
Hill, a fourth-round pick out of the University of Michigan in 2002, was long considered one of the Cubs' best young players. In 2006, Baseball America had him rated as the fifth best prospect and third best pitcher in the Cubs' system (the Orioles' new left fielder, Felix Pie, was the Cubs' top prospect).
The next year, Hill had a breakout season for the Cubs, starting 32 games and going 11-8 with a 3.92 ERA in 195 innings pitched. He was fifth in the National League in strikeouts with 183 and eighth in the league with a 1.195 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched).
He looked like he'd be a mainstay in the Cubs' rotation for years, and was considered untouchable when the Orioles asked about him in trade negotiations involving second baseman Brian Roberts.
But 2008 was an unmitigated disaster for Hill, who battled back spasms and inexplicable wildness all season. The Cubs demoted Hill to the minors last May after he went 1-0 with a 4.12 ERA in five starts. He walked 18 batters in 19 2/3 innings, and at times seemed incapable of throwing strikes.
He didn't fare much better in the minors, walking 44 batters in 47 2/3 innings in 13 starts at three different levels. Trying to regain his command, Hill pitched in the Venezuelan winter league, but walked 23 batters and gave up 21 hits in 21 innings.
The Orioles, however, would be gambling on familiarity to help turn him around. Orioles pitching coach Rick Kranitz was Hill's pitching coach at Triple-A Iowa in 2005 and bullpen coach Alan Dunn coached Hill at Double-A Tennessee in 2005 and Triple-A Iowa in 2006.