Open Letter to Rich Hill

by Canseco's Roid Party on Jul 10, 2008 8:18 AM CDT Comment 30 comments

Dear Rich,

I miss you. I miss the sight of your pitch tumbling toward the earth, watching the helpless hitter so unlucky as to wear a non-Cub uniform flail away thinking "oh, I can't wait until Jason Marquis pitches tomorrow, then I won't look so stupid up here". But I still remember it, and I think I speak for many of us here when I say that we hope to see you again, and not only remember you as a name people reference when thinking back to what might have been. I want you to wear a ring along with everyone else when it happens. I miss when you would toss 110 pitches in 5 shutout innings. As wonderful as that always was, of course, it was nothing compared to the feeling deep within my soul when all would be right with the world, and you would stride out to the mound for the 7th and even 8th innings, racking up K after picture-perfect K. You gave us moments of beauty and transcendence, and I want nothing more than for you to capture that magic again. As our life in this world is impermanent, it fundamental that all good things must end. Your career, however, is not yet ready for this end. I know you are not ready either. In fact, I hope to find out that you are gearing up to show everyone how really, you were just getting started the first time. And now, as from dust you came and shall someday return, let you harness the Earth's power, to rain forth curveballs of ungodly break, showering down upon hitters who whether they look or swing: are wrong. Curveballs, curveballs, let them be thrown. For called strikes, for swinging strikes, for balls just to toy with the unlucky few who are in an opponent's lineup when you're on the mound. And then maybe also you can throw those two changeups you have every once in a while too, that 91 mph fast-changeup and also the more traditional 80ish changeup. I know you can. I know you will. Bring us all some more of those moments that feel so good you stop to think "wow, so this is what its like to really Live". I love you Rich.

Love and Curveballs,

Canseco's Roid Party

Written and Posted appx 8 AM today, in the Year of the Cub July 10, as a pre-work breakfast for the soul type ordeal, prior to heading to the California L, Logan Square, Chicago, IL

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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also I'd like to apologize ahead of time

for those who didn’t know what they were getting into when they clicked on this link….you should probably expect no less from a man with jose canseco and his Roid party as a screen name

by Canseco's Roid Party on Jul 10, 2008 8:21 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

"curveballs of ungodly break"

I love that phrase.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jul 10, 2008 8:22 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I still dont expect to see Rich in the majors again this year, but it will be nice to have him back in 2009 as our 5th starter

Missouri Tigers 2008 Cotton Bowl Champs

by nji232 on Jul 10, 2008 8:26 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Love the sig line

...Go Mizzou. – TL

by timlacy on Jul 10, 2008 12:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Cubs could have a very Rich rotation next season

Harden and Hill, that is.

Sorry, that was lame, but I had to say it.

by daeviant on Jul 10, 2008 8:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

That is... I had to say it before Mike Downey did.

by daeviant on Jul 10, 2008 8:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nicely done!

Problem is that Downey actually gets PAID for coming up with that kind of stuff.

by bluekoolaide on Jul 10, 2008 9:00 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Man if he can get it together

What a rotation that would be.

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Jul 10, 2008 8:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think

he’ll be back this year. If so it could give us the best 1-5 rotation in baseball.

by Clark Addison on Jul 10, 2008 8:59 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

From what I have read and seen

Most of ESPN already thinks we have the best rotation in baseball right now.

Then again, that’s ESPN.

by Kornchex on Jul 10, 2008 10:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I really hope he can right himself and get back up here.

Roid Party is completely right, there was nothing more fun than watching that curveball drop in there for called strikes. I miss you too Rich, come back!

by sackings108 on Jul 10, 2008 9:00 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think he'll be back

in September, if nothing else.

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jul 10, 2008 9:04 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree...

...I think he may get a September call-up when rosters expand. Hopefully the call up is to give Rich some work in the majors and rest our big dogs for the playoffs because we’re so far ahead….

But I agree—what an awesome rotation 1-5 it would be if 2007 Rich Hill came back as our #5 starter….how would you even HOPE to start a winning “streak” against the Cubs, when they go Z, Harden, Dempster, Lilly, Hill?

(Actually, I’d put it Z, Lilly, Harden, Dempster, Hill, just to break up Lilly and Hill, but you get my point…)

by Chadnudj on Jul 10, 2008 9:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hold a second

If I recall, isn’t Dempster a Free Agent after this year? I’m sure he would love to resign…but I don’t know what kind of scratch he would get offered from the Cubs vs. what the market would bare.

Someone may make an offer that the Cubs might not be willing to match given all the other priorties that they would need to take off…i.e. Wood.

by Rick Rueshel's Paunch on Jul 10, 2008 12:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think Demp follows Lee, Rami, Z and Wood who all have signed for less than market to stay a Cub.

The poem fails when it strays too far from the song, and the song fails when it strays too far from the dance ~ Ezra Pound

by crazymountain on Jul 10, 2008 10:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I miss your scent

When this is all over, I think we should get an apartment together

For your information, the Supreme Court has roundly rejected prior restraint.

by Less is Walrond on Jul 10, 2008 9:09 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Champ...

...I think you should sit this one out. Don’t say anything for awhile.

50% of the time it works all the time.

by Chadnudj on Jul 10, 2008 9:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

GREAT ODIN'S RAVEN!

by Great Odin's Raven on Jul 10, 2008 9:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

wow, just saw the outstanding handle "Less is Walrond" for the first time.

Awesome.

by Canseco's Roid Party on Jul 10, 2008 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I MISS YOU RICH!!!!

hope to see you back soon :D

Ramlee Zamfukusoridero

by hiphopgamer26 on Jul 10, 2008 10:10 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe

Maybe Rich Hill can get his act together to still be of some value in 2008. I’m not counting on it though. As I’ve said before I think the enormous pressure placed on Rich Hill to have his curveball working given his lack of anything else to throw but a mediocre fastball has taken a near fatal toll. It’s unbelievably hard to throw the curveball, and to consistently throw the curveball over the plate to get major league hitters out. I think his only real hope is to come up with a serious third pitch that he can throw with confidence to help take the mental pressure off of him in terms of the curveball. Developing that third pitch has happened despite his apparent efforts working on it the last several years. So I think counting on him helping in 2008 is tall order.

Rich Harden Fever, Catch It !!!!!!!!!!

by MDBNIU on Jul 10, 2008 10:44 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

except that

he has more pitches than just the curve and his fastball.

Additionally, the tweaks in his pitching stance appear to have fixed the problem enough that in an outing where he’d be expected to walk six or more, he walked none.

So.

Get your facts straight, then come back and talk about it.

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jul 10, 2008 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're right drew.

He has three pitches. Fastball, curve, off-speed. He needs to learn to take a little off his pretty darn good fastball, (not mediocre as Blue boy says). This will balance it out, and keep people off his off-speed stuff. He has a great arm slot as a lefty, you really can’t tell what pitch is coming if he keeps his shoulder up. I hope he can come back. If nothing else, he could bring us a nice piece, if we need it, in trade.

Jimmyeatworld

by Jimmyeatworld on Jul 10, 2008 11:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

"As I've said before I think..."

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up, doesn’t it?

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by dat cubfan daver on Jul 10, 2008 12:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Where do you come up with these fantasies, MDBNIU?

He has a good change up and a flatter breaking pitch, cutter maybe, slider maybe…I don’t know what it is. That is FOUR (4) pitches. He will be back in Iowa soon and then back to the show. I know this will happen. I have faith in him, he has altered his delivery and found the zone again. When (NOT if) his next start vs. the rookies goes well, he will be back to Iowa for his third start.

Stop your repetitive, baseless negativism.

The poem fails when it strays too far from the song, and the song fails when it strays too far from the dance ~ Ezra Pound

by crazymountain on Jul 10, 2008 10:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Whats really funny...

Well terribly Ironic, depressing, go to mlb.com and look under the fantasy section and under the 2008 fantasy preview and look at his projections for 2008. They had him ranked as the 13th best SP in terms of fantasy production. So say what you will about fantasy baseball, but there is a lot of research that goes into these rankings. They projected him to go 15-7 with over 200ks and a 3.61 ERA. Similarly, espn projected around 190ks and era slightly above 4. http://games.espn.go.com/flb/tools/projections?display=alt&proTeamId=16&start=1&slotCategoryId=14

And if you go back through these fanposts, many people were predicting Hill to follow Erik Bedards career path…..so based on what many experts predicted, this has been quite a precipitous fall….I had so much hope for him and he was so much fun to watch with that sick, Zito-esque curve ball.

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Jul 10, 2008 11:26 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The only thing I don't like...

about fantasy baseball is that there is REALl baseball being played. I don’t have time to think I know it all, and could put together a team like a GM. Just my opinion, but these guys, (GMs), get paid quite handsomely to do a really tough job. I don’t get paid a thing to be a fan.

Jimmyeatworld

by Jimmyeatworld on Jul 10, 2008 11:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I love it

fantasy baseball that is, and in my experience and from what Ive seen in others, it actually gets you more interested in the sport itself, to the point where you know a lot about your favorite team as well as the league in general in terms pf players, prospects, statistical trends etc….so I think its actually good for baseball.

But I was just amused I guess, at what people thought Hill was capable of back in March, it makes what has happened all the more glaring.

I do think they were a bit quick to send him down though, that couldnt have helped his confidence. I just hope he comes back this year, hes great when hes on and that napoleon dynamite intro on the fox game last year was priceless.

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Jul 10, 2008 12:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs