O’s showing interest in Rich Hill

[Frobby]

You know, putting aside the question of whether he makes any sense for the Orioles in 2023, Hill has had a damned good career.  .582 winning percentage, 111 ERA+.   That’s no. 2-3 starter stuff.  And yet at the same time, he’s pitched enough innings to qualify only once in his 18-year career.  He’s averaged 5.1 IP/start when he’s started.   It’s one of the more unusual careers I’ve seen.  And that curve ball is craaaazy.

[Jim'sKid26]

So let's say he comes to the O's on a 1/$4mm contract to pitch as an opener for the first half of the season until Means returns then is flipped for someones DSL lottery ticket? Do you still hate it?

 

 

.....bonus question: what if he teaches Zimmerman 1 or 2 of those curveballs?

[Frobby]

7 minutes ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

 

.....bonus question: what if he teaches Zimmerman 1 or 2 of those curveballs?

I don’t think it’s teachable.  18 years, 11 different teams, and none of his teammates have ever thrown anything like it.  

[Jim'sKid26]

9 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I don’t think it’s teachable.  18 years, 11 different teams, and none of his teammates have ever thrown anything like it.  

I don't know. There are now a bunch of new devices available to evaluate pitching mechanics. The O's have invested heavily in several of them. I'm not saying it's a reason to sign Hill. But it might be a very interesting study of a very unique pitcher whose repertoire is completely unique. On his previous teams if he was viewed as a bit of a "freak" and no one really studied his approach because he wasn't lighting up the radar gun, he might be an "undervalued asset;" to use the a Moneyball vernacular.

[Three Run Homer]

"What the O's really need is more back-end rotation depth" said nobody after the 2022 season.  

[ShoelesJoe]

5 hours ago, Orioles0615 said:

That's every soft tossing lefty

Soft tossing lefties have been our kryptonite for twenty years. If Jamie Moyer had only pitched against the Orioles he’d be in the HOF right now. 

[tabletop]

He looked pretty good in that one start vs Seattle in 2009.

[Woody Held]

The liftoff will need hand rails

[rm5678]

9 hours ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

So let's say he comes to the O's on a 1/$4mm contract to pitch as an opener for the first half of the season until Means returns then is flipped for someones DSL lottery ticket? Do you still hate it?

 

 

.....bonus question: what if he teaches Zimmerman 1 or 2 of those curveballs?

While I'm not necessarily a huge fan of signing Hill, you do make two valid points.

[24fps]

12 hours ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

So let's say he comes to the O's on a 1/$4mm contract to pitch as an opener for the first half of the season until Means returns then is flipped for someones DSL lottery ticket? Do you still hate it?

 

 

.....bonus question: what if he teaches Zimmerman 1 or 2 of those curveballs?

Even if Means returns on the anticipated schedule, there's no guarantee that he's going to be effective.  Personally I don't expect any real contribution from Means until 2024.

Rich Hill doesn't move the needle for me to any pleasant place, but it's beginning to look to me like Elias' strategy is to make his move at the 2023 trade deadline by trading for quality starters from teams looking to begin their rebuild.  That would make a little sense out of this off season so far.  If Hill has any value within that context fine.  I guess.  I don't have to like it do I?

[oriolefan1035]

Rich Hill and his veteranosity is the most obvious target we’ve had this offseason. I always say that if you ever get an opportunity to sign a 43y.o. pitcher who has journeyed through half the teams in the league over his career, who can retire and convert to a coach mid-season to teach your young guys how to spin a curveball, you’ve gotta take that chance.

[Just Regular]

Collectively I'm curious to see what Eovaldi, Wacha and Hill decide about the Good Ship Boston.

Would we care about giving popular farm depth guys to an in division team if Chris Sale showed enough of a pulse?

Norby and Westburg can put those trained upward arcs to good use towards the monster....just not too much off Orioles pitching please.

[ScGO's]

Been looking through what's left of the Free Agent SPs, and to be honest, Hill is probably one of the better arms left, and being LH has to be appealing to a degree.

Instead of giving Hill like 1 year 10 Mil, I'd rather give Kluber 1 year 15 and see if we can get 3 WAR out of him again next year.

[MarCakes21]

18 hours ago, Just Regular said:

Collectively I'm curious to see what Eovaldi, Wacha and Hill decide about the Good Ship Boston.

Would we care about giving popular farm depth guys to an in division team if Chris Sale showed enough of a pulse?

Norby and Westburg can put those trained upward arcs to good use towards the monster....just not too much off Orioles pitching please.

If we're talking about trading, trade one for Tanner Houck and convert him back to a SP, and see what you can get.

[SpOkane]

On 12/17/2022 at 7:50 AM, Jim'sKid26 said:

So let's say he comes to the O's on a 1/$4mm contract to pitch as an opener for the first half of the season until Means returns then is flipped for someones DSL lottery ticket? Do you still hate it?

 

 

.....bonus question: what if he teaches Zimmerman 1 or 2 of those curveballs?

What if he is the opener for Grayson or DL for half a season or so?

Bonus: What if he teaches me one of those curveballs?