Chicago Cubs Baseball

There was a time in late 2006 and early 2007 where pitcher Rich Hill looked to be the present and the future of Chicago Cub left handers. With a slow curve and a sneaky fastball, Hill combined both to baffle batters and secure a spot in the Cubs starting rotation.

Something happened along the way, however. From the middle of the 2007 season through Thursday’s start against Pittsburgh, Hill has been more fazed and abused than confident and in control.

It’s beginning to make the Chicago Cub baseball brain trust wonder whether they have just another flash on the land or something rich on the hill.

Judging by Hill’s early 2008 numbers, he appears to be more dud than dude, a bigger stiff than star. In two starts this year, Hill has thrown a combined nine innings with seven walks and a 5.00 ERA. Hardly numbers fitting someone who was one of just three Cub pitcher to lock down a starter’s spot in spring training.

Thank goodness, Cubs GM Jim Hendry spent the off season collecting arms. Hill, Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis have all been more erratic that eye-popping. The Cubs rotation, considered a strong suit when the season began has been anything but.

In fact, the outfit has been paper thin.

Fortunately for Cubdom, Hendry and Chicago Cubs baseball manager Lou Piniella are taking winning seriously. Piniella’s lack of patience for poor performance has already shown itself when he demoted reliever Bob Howry from a set-up role to mop up man.

With Hill, Piniella’s tolerance threshold appears to be the number two - as in Hill’s two lackluster starts. It was announced today that recent call-up Sean Marshall would take Hill’s spot in the rotation while working on his mechanics from the Chicago Cub bullpen.

”He’s just not throwing the ball,” Piniella said of Hill. “The other day in the first inning, he was aiming it. When he came out after the first inning [Thursday in Pittsburgh], he looked a little confused.

”He’s just got to go out and throw it. He’s got a ton of talent.”

When Hill was at his finest during the 2006 and early 2007 seasons, he credited his success to a visualization approach he copped from a book. Looking at his recent efforts, it’s probably a good time for a re-read.

Remember, Rich. It’s whatever gets you to the ninth.