Having Hill around might be rough on the bullpen. Even discounting his last ML start, he was averaging less than 5 innings a start. And keeping a 4IP guy with a 7.00 ERA around who's out of options doesn't make a whole lot of sense unless there's a reason to think he could turn it around somehow.

Of course, some of why Hill wasn't allowed to pitch longer when he was effective was because nothing makes lou angrier than walks. (Seriously, nothing makes Lou angrier. Lieber was left in to give up 4 HRs in the second inning in a spot start against the Reds [a spot start necessitated by Hill], but Hill's four walks in the first inning, that was the deal-breaker.)

I think Lou's tough love didn't do Hill any favors.

See, this is the problem with having an O's fan run the Transaction Oracle. Pie/Hill transactions show up while the trades are in their rumor stages, yet legitimate major league deals for other teams remain ignored... :)

So now that I'm done guilt-tripping you, Dan, can we get the TO for Jon Garland and Flash Gordon in AZ?

I guess that Rich Hill is the replacement for Daniel Cabrera. Makes sense.

Tom Gordon is still pitching? Seriously?

Kinda sucks for us Royals fans that the Orioles days of making dumb moves appears to be over. Back to the cellar for us! That 75 win season sure was fun!

Tom Gordon is still pitching? Seriously?

CHONE has him on his "retired pitchers" list, but obviously the Dbacks didn't get the memo

There are very good reasons to think that Rich Hill will be a terrible major league pitcher in 2009, but the Orioles rotation is made up of Jeremy Guthrie and terrible major league pitchers, so the consequences of Hill continuing to have serious command issues are relatively minimal for a team in Baltimore's position.

Plus, Hill's command problems must seem like a papercut compared the gaping gunshot wound that was Daniel Cabrera.

Is there any way to get a David Pauley projection? He was traded during the period between the O's projection and the Red Sox projection.

CHONE has him on his "retired pitchers" list, but obviously the Dbacks didn't get the memo

He just wants to sign a one-day contract so he can retire as a Dback, like Mike Lieberthal and Thurman Thomas.

It's unusual to do that with a team you've never played for in a city you have no connection to, true.

Tom Gordon is still pitching? Seriously?

I would have been less suprised if you told me he was dead.

Pauley 5-10, 5.76 with the Orioles. Pauley will appear on the final spreadsheet/disk, as will a number of players who haven't made any of the team lists.

The Orioles think they can fix Hill. I've never seen a pitcher who lost it so quickly get fixed by anyone, but I suppose there is always a first time.

-- MWE

the thing is, Hill was fixed before -- he had absolutely atrocious control in college and early in his minor league career, and kranitz (and others I'm sure) turned him around. So there's at least some precedent.

Tom Gordon is still pitching? Seriously?

He could pitch to his son in spring training.

Hill said he was trying to pitch through back problems. If those are really him, he could come back quickly. So could his back problams.

"really *behind* him"

Adding Hill is a big aquisition to add to the young and talented staff.

Aren't back problems always behind you?

Hill after two starts:

He has digital control - when he loses it there's not even a fuzzy reminder that it was once there, and when he regains it there's no hint that he's the same guy who just walked the bases loaded...

The age difference makes it tough, but I think Hill has a shot to break into the top 3 in Career Wins After Being Run Off By Lou Piniella list: