#48: Bobby “That Boy Ain’t Right” Hill
How can Bobby Hill’s 6th season as All-Star second baseman with the Cubs possibly top his first five? After winning the National League Rookie of the Year award in 2002, Hill just continues to get better and better as he grows into his role. Here’s to many more years of watching the best second baseman the Cubs have had since Ryne Sand- SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Wait just a damn minute. Bobby Hill sucks, you say? Mark DeRosa is the Cubs’ current second baseman? The Cubs have also had Mark Bellhorn, Mark Grudzielanek, and Todd Walker regularly patrolling second base in lieu of Hill? What happened to the golden boy? Did Cubs management lie to us? Impossible!
Hill had just one brief shining moment as a Cubs star, and, unfortunately for him, that was in Spring Training of 2002. He didn’t break camp with the Major League team, however, as the Cubs elected to go with “three possible outcomes” Mark Bellhorn at second base. Hill got 190 at-bats that year, showing, well, pretty much none of the ability that was predicted of him. Hill didn’t get much of a second chance to make a first impression.
Hill was also rumored to be a bit of a psychopath. I’m not making any accusations, but he was allegedly short-tempered and he had arm veins the size of worms. Weeeeeird!
It could be that I disliked Hill from the get-go. For one thing, he looked like a little frat boy. It also rubbed me the wrong way that Hill wore #17, the number worn by one of my former favorite Cubs, Mark Grace. Hey, I played first base, and I didn’t know Grace was a chubby chaser. Grace had left the Cubs only two years prior to Hill’s arrival, and I remember reading an article which quoted Hill as thinking that wearing Grace’s old number was no big deal. Show some respect for your chain-smoking elders, you little prick.
What was that other thing that pissed me off about Hill? Oh, yeah, the sucking ass part. Prior to the 2003 season, Hill was finally going to get his shot at being the full-time second baseman for the big squad. All he had to do was beat out Mark Grudzielanek, whose skills had been declining so badly that the Los Angeles Dodgers were willing to part with him for Todd Hundley and Chad Hermansen. Hill laid an egg, Dusty Baker preferred the equally unimpressive Grudzielanek, Grudzielanek became the Cubs’ starter, and there wasn’t anything left of Hill’s Cub career but the crying.
At the very least, however, Hill’s value had not declined to the point where he had no trade value. Hill was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2003 for Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton. Oh, wait. Hill wasn’t the centerpiece of that trade. The true centerpiece was the ineptitude of Dave Littlefield.
Low Point: May 13, 2002. Losing to the Cardinals stings worse than a normal loss. Getting four-hit by the Cardinals is worse. Getting shut out by the Cardinals is even worse than that. And having it happen in a game in which Kerry Wood and the Cubs give up only 2 hits is damn near unacceptable. But that’s what happened in the Cubs’ 3-0 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium on May 13, 2002. Bobby Hill was part of the problem, going 0-4 with three strikeouts (two swinging) and a groundout. Hill’s final strikeout ended the game and clinched the win for the Cardinals.
Did You Know? Hill went to Da U, home of convicted felons and crack addicts alike, where he was a teammate of Baltimore Oriole Aubrey Huff.
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Comments
Mike D. Could not have said it any better myself.
He damn near won the job in with a great Spring ‘02, but Don Baylor went with Delinio DeShields. While that may have been a bad move, the job was still Hill’s to lose the following year, as DeShieldd was making corn fritters somewhere. All the saberweenies freaked out when Grudzielanek was acquired, but he was injured all Spring. Hill failed to capitalize, as he was too busy looking for microphones to offer his opinions on the things like Sammy Sosa showing up on time for once. Hey rookie, keep yer damn trap shut, you haven’t even MADE the team. At least that’s what I was thinking to myself at the time. He got shipped down and musta sulked, because he sucked in Iowa.
But as you sa,y we got Aramis for him, so bully for us.
JD He did seem like a frat boy. Or a Duke basketball player. I bet Bobby Hill and JJ Redick would really enjoy poppin’ their collars and hittin’ up some frat parties.
CT I hate to tell you this Kermit, but Hill’s lack of respect for Mark Grace was my favorite thing about him. Fuck Mark Grace with a grapefruit on a dowel rod.
NSBB Loyal Reader, first time Poster As I’ve said with Patterson and with Hee Seop, you just have to give these kids time. I would much rather have Bobby Hill on my team than Mark DeRosa. Just as I’d rather have Hee Seop, than Derrek Lee.
Grudz i look at B Hill like a blessing and a curse. Perhaps he should have started the 03 season on the team as the starter, stunk it up, and tanked any chance of the post season of 03. Imagine the difference of our team if I hadn’t started that year?
[...] Point: May 28, 2004. Clement drills Bobby Hill, Jason Kendall, and Craig Wilson in one inning during a game against the Pirates, tying a Major [...]
CT
bocaj
BigFlax
StPatrick
TDubbs
my hill doesn’t suck…