He joined ESPN Chicago in July 2010 and covered the Chicago White Sox for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN Radio 1000 through the 2015 season.
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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill was removed after throwing seven ideal innings against the Miami Marlins on Saturday night.
Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Rich Hill was removed after pitching seven flawless innings as the Dodgers held the Miami Marlins to two hits in a 5-0 win on Saturday night at Marlins Park. Wary of exacerbating the blisters on Hill’s left hand, Roberts forced Hill to watch from the dugout as Miami outfielder Jeff Francoeur singled in the eighth. He’s thrown 19 scoreless innings over three starts for the team, allowing just six hits and two walks. Acquired from the Oakland Athletics in a five-player trade on August 1, Hill has gone 9-0 in his past 11 starts with a 1.43 ERA since May 7.
Roberts’ reasoning behind the move was based in his concerns for a recurrence of the blister issue that kept Hill out from July 17 until August 24.
Hill was pulled after the inning for Joe Blanton, and Jeff Francoeur broke up the flawless game in the eighth.
At the time, this saved Hill’s flawless game and could have gone in the books as one of THOSE PLAYS. Just to take the personal side and understand there’s a great opportunity for him and his family, his teammates.
Remember back in April, when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled Ross Stripling 7 1/3 innings into a no-hitter (and his first career start)?
“We have been dealing with Richie’s blister and that caused him to miss a lot of time this season”.
Joe Blanton replaced Hill and gave up a single, ruining the ideal game and no-hitter, before the Dodgers closed out a 5-0 victory over the Marlins. So, with just 89 pitches on his arm, Hill had a really good chance at completing his effort, right?
“I was wondering what the hell was going on”, he said. “Obviously I didn’t want to come out of the game, right?” “But I think there’s a bigger picture here, and we all know what it is”. It’s something for Dave that he is in a very hard position. You look at it and move on. That’s all you can do. “That’s the best way to do it”. The Dodgers hold a 4.5 game lead on their arch rival in the San Francisco Giants in the National League West.
“There’s a lot of fans in Los Angeles that are very upset with me, I’m sure”, Roberts said without even seeing the firestorm on social media.
Hill came back to that multiple times during the postgame interview. He said he is focused on his next start at Arizona next weekend.
Roberts said he is aware of Hill’s displeasure. It’s the toughest thing I’ve had to do. “But I don’t know their situation. Without Rich – if something would have happened and (the blister) would have come up again that opportunity would have been lessened”. “I feel for Rich”.
“There was heat on his index finger”, Roberts said.
“No, I didn’t notice [a hot spot on the finger]”.
But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made a decision to remove Hill after seven innings.
“In 11 years in the big leagues, I’ve never had a no-hitter or a ideal game against my team”, said Francoeur, whose team finished with two hits on Saturday. That is something that is bigger than any player. “You have to understand that”. But the finger is fine.
According to Elias Sports Bureau research, it was longest perfect-game bid in the modern era (since 1900) by a pitcher who was removed from the game.
Only 23 pitchers in major league history – and just one Dodger, Sandy Koufax in 1965 – have ever thrown a ideal game.
Then in the eighth inning, Joe Blanton gave it up on a two-out single.
Miami starter Tom Koehler made quick work of the Dodgers through four innings, thanks in part to a pair of double plays.
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As for coming out of the game when he had perfection within reach, Francoeur said that would not have been his choice. “I’m in my infancy, but this is the best job I could ever imagine”. It doesn’t make the decision any easier, but it wasn’t made blindly.
