Hill allowed four walks and an earned run (also struck out a batter) in 0.2 innings pitched, before he was pulled out with the bases loaded and gave the ball to RHP Michael Wuertz.
This is quite unusual for the southpaw to be that wild. He was always around the 2 BB/9 mark in the minors, but seemed to nibble a bit more when every time he reached the majors, before settling down in 2007 when the Cubs finally decided to give him a spot in the starting rotation. He answered the call with a 8.45 K/9 and a 2.89 BB/9, all in line with the impressive numbers he had in the minor leagues.
This year is another matter, however, and his increased usage of his curve ball (36% of all thrown balls, compared to around 25% in all previous years) has cost him dearly.
The 28-year-old needs to realize that his big looping overhand curve is a great weapon, but that his inability to keep it down in the zone will hurt him if he doesn't use his high-80s fastball and good changeup to set it up.
But with yesterday's showing, even his fastball seemed tough to spot on the corners and he missed badly with it even in 2-0 and 3-0 counts.
I was high on him way before he reached AAA, but what has made him good all this time seems to be slipping away, proven by the three out of five starts in which he's allowed more walks than he struck out batters.
That's not good at all for a pitcher that relies on control and that amazing curve ball.
That he was taken out that fast in the game shows that Pinella has had enough, even if it meant taxing the bullpen for the current series for first place in the National League Central division. This quote he had after the game just reinforced the point:
"Hill can't start like this in the big leagues," Piniella said. "C'mon. Every time he pitches, it's an adventure. He's doing his best, but we have no bullpen. I don't know what the solution is, but I can't start him any more until this thing gets taken care of."
Hill had this to say:"It's embarrassing to go out there and throw the ball that way," he said. "The best way to move on is to forget about that outing and come back tomorrow."
Unfortunately, there may not be a tomorrow for him in the near future. That's one game his manager won't likely forget for a while.