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Cubs up to 60-89 (3 to go)
Reds drop to 73-75
POTG: SP Rich Hill (9 IP – that’s all of them! -, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 10 K; QS [7], CG [1], SH [1], W [6/6])
Runners Up: 3B A Ram (2 H, 2B, 2 RBI), RF Jacque Jones (HR, 2 RBI), SS Ronny Cedeno (2 H), C Geovany Soto (2 H, 2B)
As much as we’re learned most of the wannabe 2007 starting pitchers shouldn’t be, we’ve also learned that Rich Hill is capable of some great things.
Last 6 starts (since the Astros relief appearance)
08/21 v PHI: 6 IP, 2 ER
08/26 @ STL: 7 IP, 1 ER
09/01 v SFG: 8 IP, 1 ER
09/06 v PIT: 7.1 IP, 1 ER
09/11 @ ATL: 5.2 IP, 1 ER
09/16 v CIN: 9.0 IP, 0 ER
43 IP, 6 ER, 1.26 ERA
There are quite a bit of unearned runs in the bunch, but those numbers look unbelievable. At some point, they will catch up with him, and all the flyball outs might not be flyball outs in June and July. But that’s for the future – what’s happening now is pretty crazy awesome. He’ll get at least two more starts, and will certainly be pitcher of the month if he keeps this up.
Next year’s rotation looks like…
1) Z!
2) Hill (needs a nickname badly)
3) ? – free agent
4) Mark Prior
5) ?
and I’m only putting Prior on the list because there’s no other candidates.
Sounds like Derek is done for the season, for complete non-baseball reasons. I think he’d trade this for renewed elbow pain. This is the saddest season ever.
Good of Paul Sullivan to get the exit interview done with Dusty as couple weeks early. Dusty clear expects to be gone (not seems to blame management; I think it’s going to be “bad luck, injuries, and an impatient fan base) and appears not to find personal fault.
Z’s back today. I hope he’s not pushing it.