Dodger’s veteran left hander and curveball master Rich Hill’s 2019 season was cut short due to elbow and knee problems. The southpaw tossed just 58.2 innings this season and his attempt to come back to pitch the postseason was a disaster.
Hill actually suffered a UCL tear that kept him off the field for most of the season. The Dodgers and Hill opted against the dreaded Tommy John surgery, but rest and rehab didn’t rejuvenate his ailing elbow. Hill was mostly useless in October. He made a valiant effort to return in the fall but his arm and body just couldn’t make it happen. reports are surfacing that Hill underwent the Tommy John alternative also known as primary revision surgery. He won’t be ready until June at the earliest.
It remains to be seen if this will end Hill’s career or not. The 39-year old is a free agent and it’s unlikely the Dodger’s front office will bring him back due to his age and injury history. It’s a shame because Hill has been one of Andrew Friedman’s few good pitching acquisitions. Hill has been mostly excellent when healthy enough to take the Hill. In 2019 he posted a 2.45 ERA while punching out 72 batters and walking only 18.
If anyone can make a comeback it’s Hill. The bishop is a tenacious athlete and a fierce competitor. If this is the end of his tenure with the Dodgers I’ll never forget his 6.1 innings of shutout ball in game 4 of the 2018 World Series against the Red Sox. LADR wishes Hill a speedy recovery and a successful comeback whether that’s with the Dodgers or another team. Oh and Oscar still has timeshare of the famous Dick Mountain jersey.
I wore that jersey. It made me feel like a million bucks.
As much as I admire his competitive fire and desire to pitch again in the majors, I think that he is no more now than a spot starter and iffy at that. Losing half of a season to injury once more, he just does not, and cannot fit into the Dodgers plans for 2020. He did a decent job for 2 years of the 3 1/2 he has been a Dodger. Entertaining, and sometimes frustrating to watch. He came as close to a no-hitter as any Dodger pitcher has over the last few years, but it is time for him to move on. He is not needed and is not a better option than any starter they now have on the roster. Pretty quiet on the baseball scene right now, normal for this time of year. I wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope the day brings you a lot of joy and happiness.
Friedman beaten to the punch again, he always is, Padres sign Pomeranz, trade 2 to the Brewers, Urias and Lauer, and get Grisham and Davies in return. Vogt signs with the D-Backs for one year, and good ol Andy sits on his hands once more. Teams getting better and Dodgers stand like stagnant water. Frustrating as hell.
Activity picking up around the majors, and nothing except re-signing Rocky Gale for the master of inactivity, Andrew Friedman. This is getting very old. Last girl on the dance floor once again. And this guy is supposed to be a genius?????
Michael
Guess you are feeling what I have for a very long time. This is why I despise Andrew Friedman so much. His deal is strickly to make cash and he is getting it done big time. He gives the illusion that he is looking for real top tier talent but the whole time he is not. It is money, money, money. He has no ties to the Dodgers except to make money. The Fans love the Dodgers and are willing to cling to the hope that he will deliver. Once you figure him out it is easy. Hey Michael, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
You have a Happy Thanksgiving to Pack. Yeah, AF is not easy to figure out. But the frustrating thing is that other teams are doing business before Thanksgiving, improving their team, and he signs a nothing like Rocky Gale. Gale is nothing more than another journey man catcher who will end up at OKC. The Braves have made 3 significant signings. 2 relievers, Martin and Smith, and a catcher, dArnaud. The Padres made a trade, and signed Pomeranz. He has signed 3 minor league pitchers, but nobody who is going to make an impact on the MLB roster. I know the meetings start in 2 weeks. But even last year, other than the trade with the Reds, he did little until after the New Year, and not much then. Just Pollock and a bunch of nothing arms for the pen. He did pretty much the same thing at the deadline. He would be enough to make my hair grey if I had any!
Friedman moves at the same pace as a glacier. The guy has about as much pizazz as a limp duck.
Freidman = no championships
Friedman = 90’s Atlanta Braves (except they actually stumbled into one ring)
Friedman = frustration and depression for die-hard Dodgers fans
That stretch for the Braves, 14 titles in 15 years, got them into the series 5 times. They won one as you correctly stated. And they had a lot better starting pitchers for a lot of that stretch than the Dodgers do.
Love, love, love watching Rich Hill pitch and bat.
Would love to see him back on a low-term deal.
What is low term? And your willing to pay the guy to re-hab again for the 1st 3rd of the season? That is wasting resources my friend. What is he worth for that little time? 10 mil? 6? Sorry, he had his time in Dodger blue and it has passed. All he would be doing is taking up someone else’s roster spot and Hill does not make them better at this point in his career.
Two year deal? First year spent on the 60 day so he doesn’t take up a spot?
No way I am giving that guy 2 years. Why? Because he will want to be a starter, and to me, that is taking up a roster spot. He has to be on the roster to be put on the 60 day there Bluto. You can’t sign him unless you give him a spot on the 40. You could sign him to a minor league deal and put him on their IL, but he and his agent are not going to do that. He will be 40. Sorry, they have better arms in the minors that need to be seen.