Los Angeles Dodgers: Is Rich Hill Worth a Big Contract?
After preliminary extension talks between the Oakland Athletics and starting pitcher Rich Hill halted, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. A free-agent-to-be, will Hill’s reported contractual demands be met in the coming offseason?
The career trajectory of Rich Hill, now a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is one that few premium pitchers can relate to, and one that surely accrued Hill his fair share of frequent flyer miles over the years. The 36-year-old left-hander now calls the “City of Angels” home. However, as stints with nine MLB franchises and their minor league affiliates would suggest, “home” is a temporary term in the eyes of Hill, as his career has followed a rather nomadic approach.
Another new home for Hill could be imminent in the coming months, as he is essentially playing out a one-year, $6 million “prove it” deal that was awarded to him by the Oakland Athletics. The thing about “prove it” deals is, once an individual does so, it’s not egregious for the player to believe he should rightfully be compensated.
Despite a couple DL visits this year, Hill has largely represented himself as an effective MLB starting pitcher. He has a record of 9-3 and an ERA of 2.25, while holding opposing batters to a lowly .200 average. Durability, however, has been the one opponent Hill has consistently failed to retire. Because of that, a report suggests the A’s moved on from Hill when learning he would be seeking somewhere in the range of a two-year deal worth $28 million, thus dealing him along with long-time outfielder Josh Reddick to the Dodgers in exchange for three prospects.
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There is a lot to take into consideration if you’re a team with aspirations of entering the Rich Hill sweepstakes this winter. While he has undoubtedly proven to be one of the best things $6 million can buy this year, the number six is also the same number of years between starts made by Hill until coming on strong with the Red Sox at the end of the season last year.
Age is yet another factor that could surely cause a general manager difficulty in justifying to the owner why his team just awarded a starting pitcher who will be 37 years old when the 2017 season begins, with a career ERA of 4.24, a two-year-deal worth $14 million annually.
Rich Hill has begun throwing again and is expected to be activated off the disabled list shortly. Upon taking the mound, whenever that is, Hill will not only be pitching for the Dodgers, but also himself, to further assert that he is worth what he says he is. Despite becoming somewhat of an underdog story, MLB front offices are less concerned with narrative than they are with the results an aging starting pitcher can contribute to their team, after being drafted 14 years ago and only having been able to show sustained success recently.
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The lights are far brighter at Chavez Ravine than they are at the Coliseum, and Hill will have his chance to audition. Barring a historic, dominant pitching performance that leads to an unexpected Dodgers World Series, the same question will be thrown around in the coming months – “Is Rich Hill worth it?” – to which many will still agree, “Probably not.”