SUNDAY, 7:09pm: An official announcement from the Dodgers about a Hill agreement isn’t likely to happen tonight, Andy McCullough tweets.
SATURDAY, 6:48pm: The Dodgers and Hill are “closing in” on a contract, tweets Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. They’re unlikely to reach an agreement today, per Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times, though he corroborates Plunkett’s report that a deal is forthcoming (Twitter link). The Dodgers aren’t facing much of any competition from Hill’s previously reported suitors – the Astros, Rangers or Yankees – according to FanRag’s Jon Heyman.
4:02pm: Another team who tried to negotiate a deal with free agent starter Rich Hill believes the lefty has a three-year contract worth $40MM or more in place with the Dodgers, Peter Gammons tweets. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe tells a similar story, saying the Dodgers might already have a deal in place for Hill for three years and $46MM-$48MM. Cafardo, though, emphasizes the possibility that one of a number of East Coast teams could still sign him. No move has been confirmed by Hill or the Dodgers at this point, however.
The latest rumors about Hill had the Dodgers as one of four teams bidding for his services, along with the Yankees, Rangers and Astros. The Red Sox and Orioles were also believed to be interested. Hill, of course, is coming off an outstanding age-36 season with the Athletics and Dodgers during which he posted a 2.12 ERA, 10.5 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 110 1/3 innings, including a start in which he was pulled a perfect game after seven innings. His performance in 2016 landed him the No. 14 spot on MLBTR’s list of the top 50 free agents, making him one of the top starters available.
The downsides with Hill are his age and his lengthy injury history — even in his 2016 breakout campaign, he dealt with blister problems and a groin injury. As Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times points out via Twitter, though, the Dodgers’ depth puts them in position to take advantage of Hill’s upside while minimizing their risk if he’s not available to pitch. Particularly given Hill’s vanishingly low 2016 home run rate of 0.33 per nine innings, there’s reason to be somewhat skeptical of his ability to repeat his incredible performance last season. He could regress a fair amount in the next couple years and still be a vital contributor, however, and if he does return to the Dodgers, he should provide their rotation with a healthy boost if he’s able to stay healthy.
For Hill, a $40MM-plus contract would represent an enormous financial windfall — he has spent most of his career as a journeyman and has never had a long-term deal. He’s also never made more in a season than the $6MM he made last year.
The Dodgers are currently dealing with debt issues, but those issues seem unlikely to prevent them from pursuing a free agent of Hill’s stature, and the team has not been required to reduce its payroll. In addition to Hill, the team has also been fleetingly linked to other potentially expensive or relatively expensive players like Aroldis Chapman and Andrew McCutchen.
Given what marginal starters cost in the current market, 3/40 for Hill would be a steal, right?
I think so
46-48 it looks like which is about right actually especially considering injury issues
Not a steal when he ends up only Starting 60 games in 3 years.
You are so right. He is 36. His MLB track record stands for itself for 12 years. He has a great 18 mo run and the dodgers want to offer him $40 mm for years 37-39?
Good luck wasting even more dodger $..
Looks like the contract was a little long. By 2 1/2 years.
Hopefully this story has been fabricated by Hill’s agents in an attempt to drive up the price and years. I am one Dodgers fan who hates the thought of the team taking on another pitcher with long history of injuries. Dodgers made huge mistake in trading Cotton, Holmes, and Montas for Hill and Reddick, don’t compound the problem by re-signing Hilll.
I know it was a big package but if they dont re sign hill it makes things worse to trade 3 prospects for a rental. They hand out 40 million dollar contracts to kazmir and McCarthy who stink, so they better pay hill who pitched great and actually deserves 40
Yeah. Sounds like $46-48M for 3 years. A steal for the Dodgers. Getting a great veteran pitcher.
what makes him great? Other than last season he has not pitched more than 58 innings in any MLB season since 2008. This has another Brett Anderson signing written all over it.
Rich hill is 10000 times better then anderson. The blisters are my only concern but that can be monitored . Anderson is garbage, hill proved in the playoffs he can be a dominate pitcher. He has been fantastic in his time since he developed his super curverball.
check lifetime stats — 10000 times better; LOL. Good grief Hill pitched 110 innings last year, prior to that his top IP since 2007 — repeat, 2007 — was 57.2. He is a 60 day DL waiting to happen.
He is one of the few veteran MLB pitchers to bounce back after multiple years of being a nobody. I expect him to be a great asset to a Dodgers team in the 2017 season.
He is one of the few veteran pitchers to bounce back from being a nobody in their late 30s.
Do you even watch dodger games? Brett Anderson got lit up in every single start last season. Hill was lights out. stats from 10 year ago are irrelevant. Hills only concern is the blisters but caution will be taken with him
Hey, I’m not saying they aren’t going to resign Anderson. I could totally see them resigning both Hill and Anderson.
With all the problems Anderson had last season, I see him getting a minor league contract with somebody. He might be able to swing a low-value one-year rebuilding value deal on a team that’s looking for 4-5 options (which the Dodgers are not, they have a more than ample supply).
Your comment scoffs at the claim that he is good and yet doesn’t even discuss whether he is good or not…
I am really rooting for the Dodgers to give Hill a huge contract. Please sign him.
Regardless. The Padres will still suck!
Anderson was hurt most of last year, even when he pitched. 2015 Anderson was actually really good.
Hill comes with a lot more concerns than just blisters. Every time he breaks off a curve is an elbow injury waiting to happen.
check his injury record
No, don’t compound one mistake with another
He started 20 games and the last season he actually had 32 starts was 2007. I really hope the Dodgers sign him for 3/48 because I LOVE seeing them waste money. Especially since signing him would put them at about $220 million and would cost them another $40.5 million in luxury tax. PLEASE Dodgers, sign Hill to a big 3-year deal.
And the Padres will still be on the bottom.
LA would be lucky if they got Hill. I’d be jealous, being a Red Sox fan. I’m a reporter, by the way. I’m hearing 3yr/42.6M in LA.
I hope the Redsox get him
Same, but doesn’t sound likely.
Red Sox already have 3 left handers in the Rotation don’t need another one unless it’s Sale then one of the lefties would probably go to the White Sox if they made the trade for Sale.
This is true.
Dombrowski has said he is looking for someone that can consistently give them 200 innings. One thing Hill is definitely not is someone you can count on to put up 33-34 starts with 6+ innings per start.
And you cant count on the Padres to win the division let alone make it to the playoffs.
What’s 4y control of Steven Wright worth then when all 4y combined should cost less than 1y of the new Hill deal? Both are over 30, yet Hill is 4y older still than is Wright. neither have thrown that many starts at the MLB level with success. Hill is an injury waiting to happen and my money is on his elbow blowing out again from 50% plus curve balls thrown, not really worry over blisters.
Boston should njust use Wright in the rotation and jetison the idea of him in the BP while failure known as Bucholz gets the starts in 2016..
See? Boston already has an over 30 starter they should be using instead of throwing nearly 50m at Hill.
I agree with you on the injury note. I could see a one-year deal, and trading him at the deadline if needed. However, it doesn’t sound like he’ll be anywhere close to the east coast.
You’re not a reporter. Shut up.
It is very possible this is being leaked by his agents and not true. Hearing all along how he’d much rather pitch on the east coast, so I’d be surprised if he didn’t take a similar offer from one of those teams if it’s there for the taking
Bring Hill back to LA
It sounds like Hill has 3 yr / 42.6M in LA.
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe is saying Hill will be in LA for 3 years, totaling $46 to $48 million.
Dude go away with your “I’m a reporter” nonsense
If he’s a reporter, then I’m Joe Orsulak.
Haha
I’m a reporter for Green Monster News, the growing Red Sox news business.
lol you are a clown. Going around saying “Im a reporter” Green Monster News? Get out of here with that nonsense.
Trying quite hard to find “green monster news” online and it doesn’t seem to exist.
We don’t have a website. However you can find us on Instagram.
You said you did, now you are saying don’t. Dude you are not a reporter. What you 12? Grow up.
BREAKING: LA DODGERS PLAN TO SIGN RICH HILL TONIGHT TO $46Million DEAL.
That is great news for everyone else in the league .. (can’t believe the dodgers wouldn’t focus their $ on resigning Jansen or going after Chapman .. players who won’t make 2 trips to the DL every year
So you claim you are a reporter, yet you break your news on a different website than the one you work for? You don’t see why no one would believe you?
He claimed on another forum recently that the Giants were trading Lincecum. If he’s a reporter I’m a unicorn
Nah reread that man. I was making suggestions.
Sorry about that. I meant Samardzja. My apologies.
That’s not the way Green Monster News works. We go around to different places posting rumors. Our website is very inactive. I totally see how it’s not believable, and I can’t tell you what to believe or not. I/we always do our research and require multiple sources stating the info before we post it to the public on sites like Instagram, TradeRumors, and more!
Tim Lincecum doesn’t play for the Giants how do u know anything about baseball?
Yeah I know he’s a free agent. My mistake. I meant Samardzja.
“We go around to different places posting rumors. Our website is very inactive” That is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard. You are not a reporter. You are an internet commenter.
A crappy one at that
According to Nick Cafardo, that is!
And when you said Rich Hill had a contract, guess what? That’s the article MLBTR posted! You are not a reporter.
Dodgers sign best pitcher on the market. Makes the Dodgers extra pitching they have more valuable in the trade market. Good move.
Congrats to Hill. I mean this guy has come out of no where and was on a scrap heap and now will have made over 50 million playing baseball.
Yes! He came from being a 27 year old nobody, waited 9 years, and now has a double-figure salary.
Now THAT’S a good way to solve your debt issues……actually like Hill a lot; seems to be a class act….hope he stays healthy
Not a reporter, by the way…..
That’s not a reporter.
This better not be true. I mean, I liked Rich Hill as a Dodger but he’s not worth 3 years 46-48 million. It’ll be another stupid mistake this FO makes. Do they not learn from their previous mistakes of signing injured veterans??!
He had blisters. They probably aren’t contagious.
And stop worrying about how the Dodgers spend their money. If they get Hill for three years why should you care how much they pay him? He fills a crying roster need better than anyone on the free agent market this year.
I don’t care how much they pay him but seeing that Turner and Jansen are more valuable to the team, why don’t they try and make a deal with them first before giving another aging pitcher big money?
So long as they also sign those other two, it doesn’t matter to me in what order they do it. Hill was simply the best available guy for the job so no complaints here if they checked that one off the shopping list first. Turner and Jansen will probably hold off signing anywhere until the winter meetings. They will both probably be fielding a lot of offers.
I would love to have both back of course, but that seems unrealistic. I love Jansen but I hope we bring Turner back most of all. Dude is clutch, and loves the big stage.
Makes sense… I mean I was just more focused on the other 2 and was hoping they’d get a deal done with them before doing anything else. So now we just wait and see if JT and KJ come back or if they look for alternatives in the FA market or through trades
I totally get the anxiety over Jansen and Turner. I share it. They made a big mistake not extending both of them when they had the opportunity. Signing Hill would be a sign of progress at least.
Chapman is going to set the market simple. So essentially Jansen will work off of that. Turner will look and see what Desmond gets. These signing don’t just occur in a vaccuum. The top at each position rarely ever go first. Ces was the outlier because by all accounts he loved NY and they were so far under the threshold. A lot happens at the winter meetings and usually not before. So calm down a little but. It’s most likely the Dodgers will sign Hill, then Turner will sign not too far after Desmond unless a team wows him, Jansen will probably be the last in that group to sign and the most likely to sign for the most money offered.
Desmond and Turners comps aren’t even in the same neighborhood. Desmond doesn’t play 3b and is looking at 4/60 Turner is the best a pretty much only 3b on the market and is looking at 5/85. Zero comparison. Turner waits for nothing on Desmond
Visionsofblue do you even pay attention to baseball? How the heck is turner waiting on Desmond? xD Desmond had inferior ops, war, and 3B and is more premium and less scarce than a corner OF. Doubt anybody puts him back in Cf or SS. So yeah how is a 80 million dollar man waiting on a 60 million dollar man? Unless you’re tryina say he’s waiting to see if Desmond can get like 70 mill so he can get 90 cuz he’s that much better??? Idk you didn’t indicate as such so I’ll assume based on how sloppily that was worded by u
Nothing is confirmed yet, but it has been rumored by “a rival team,” Peter Gammons, and Nick Cafardo. Personally, I’d like to see him end up in Boston. Fav team, and they need him too! I expect this to be confirmed or reversed by midnight.
Signing one guy doesn’t mean they are hanging up on Jansen and Turners reps when they call. FO’s can multi task
Hill is really, really good. His injury issues aren’t with his arm. Just watch him pitch. He’s not Kershaw good but he’s pretty damn close. The ball is almost impossible to pick up out of his hand and there’s very little mileage on his arm. If Edison Volquez is getting a contract with 11mm AAV then 14mm AAV is nothing for Hill
This is something I think many complaining are missing. Yes, he is old compared to most starters, but he has very little mileage on his arm. That means something. He is also not a “power” pitcher like the traditional big arms that tend to fade with age as they lose velocity. That’s the main thing that tails off for pitchers with higher mileage: the velocity. Hill doesn’t rely on velocity like some of those big power pitchers that fade with age.
“He’s not Kershaw good but he’s pretty damn close”
Please send me a LOT of whatever you’re smoking.
Ok I’ll bite. Cherry picking a lil, but how many dudes had ERA under 2.5 with more than 100 innings pitched last year???? Hmmm, tell me. Not many, that is crazy hard to do. That’s elite buddy
Sample size was short, but he totally passed the eye test and the peripherals test. You don’t strike out 10+ in a game with mediocre stuff.
Let’s say he does sign for the rumored 46-48mil. Think about this ppl. **THAT IS ONLY 24-26 MILLION TOTAL MORE THAN EDINSON VOLQUEZ** or only 5 million more per year for the first 2 years. Volquez is a 5
If he can make 15 starts a year, I’ll be happy. I know he’s peanut brittle. But that curve is elite, even if his Fastball regresses from 90mph to 87-88 he’s still be good. That curve is basically 3 types of curves by itself due to arm angle or huge velocity variation with loopers or hard curves. All scary as heck.
If he doesn’t fall apart and we get 45 starts of new rich hill the deal is a success. whixh I understand is a tall order
+1
Ha! Hill’s numbers last season were tremendous. Obviously nobody is Kershaw but Hill is pretty darn good. Pick apart the numbers. Tell me what you think doesn’t make him so good.
There is very little mileage on Hill’s arm because he has had injury problems every season other than 2007 when he had 32 starts and 2013 when he was a loogy and had 57 ip in 63 appearances.
His current injuries are not to his arm. That’s important. Paying 42 million, or whatever, is basically nothing, especially for the Dodgers. They’re giving Kazmir more than that, and Hill is way better than Kazmir.
Bob Nightengale says that they’ve reached an agreement. So does Gammons.
We can all read twitter…
3 mins ago Bill Plunkett said via twitter that the Dodgers are closing in on Hill, nothing is done, though finalization is near.
(He didn’t say that finalization part, I did.)
More and more tweets coming out saying that the deal is being finalized. Sounds like 3yr/around$40M
The Undetermined @theudnetwork
#BREAKING #Dodgers closing in on muti-year deal with #RichHill. Via @billplunkettocr
RUMORED: Dodgers, Hill won’t have deal by end of the day, but are making extraordinary progress.
Dude, stop. No one cares. You are just re-posting what is already in the article. Posting what you read on twitter doesn’t make you a reporter.
At the time that was not in the article. about 30 minutes later it was. Plus, where do you think reporters get their info. When something says (Via/ReporterName) usually that is coming from Twitter. Not always, but usually. And you may not care, but I felt I should share it. You don’t have to care. Your choice
Reading twitter does not make you a reporter. Go away.
From the Long Island Ducks to 40+ mil ! Good for him.
Haha 😉 right?!
Are you flirting with Gronk?
Lol. No I’m not. Haha
According to the article, the Yanks didn’t even make an offer. Couple that with them not making Beltran an offer and it seems puzzling.
Jesus… I have not enjoyed being a dodger fan as of late lol. Rich Hill is made of glass. Don’t get me wrong the guy had a great year last year. But a 3-4 year contract for this guy? Come onnnnn
You have even seen the contract to judge it. He’s the best SP on the market sad but true. If this is an incentive laden deal 2 VO it makes sense.
Why would he take an incentive laden deal with other teams surely offering guaranteed money
I agree. It would make sense giving him 1yr/10-12mil
Good for Hill. I hope he has success. But it seems like the longest of long shots that he can actually stay healthy enough and good enough to justify it.
Yeah
Depends on the contract.
I like the move of bringing him back. I don’t like 3 years but there are ways around it if he ends up breaking down around the end of the contract like sending him to to bullpen, releasing him or trading him ans swallowing some of the money. I still would like to see them get another started though but Kershaw, Hill, Maria, Urias and Kazmir isn’t a bad rotation. If Wood is still on the team I think at the end of the year he proved to valuable as reliever. I’m leaving McCarthy our because I hope he’s either traded or released and I’m leaving Ryu out because I don’t trust that he will even be able to pitch again until Proven otherwise but if we get him back and even if he isn’t as good as he was before that’s another decent arm for the rotation. I would love for them to try to get Sale or Archer but I doubt that will happen. I think how they need to focus on either bringing back Jansen or signing another closer and bringing back JT. I’d love for them to get a right handed bat for the outfield but I just don’t know if they’ll make that happen. That Braun trade would be a good one because you’d get rid of Puig and I think he might do good with a change of scenery and possible get rid of McCarthy if last years reports or true. I also would like for them being back Utley, I don’t think he needs to be the every day second baseman but he can spot start and also pinch hit. He can even fill in at 3rd and first here and there. I don’t know if everything I want will happen but that’s just what I’d like and I’m entitled to day dream. Right? Lol.
Maria…. I just met a pitcher named Maria….
BlueSkyLA..Maeda! My phone changes it every time I try to type it to something different. Thanks for taking my typo out of all that said instead of chiming in and giving your thought. Gotta love sports pages. That’s all I ever get on these things is someone going out of their way to talk s***. So annoying!
It just made me laugh is all, it wasn’t supposed to be at your expense. Sorry if you thought so. Autocorrect can be so much fun sometimes.
If it makes you feel any better, I agree with most of what you said, except I don’t think McCarthy is worth a plugged nickel at this point and Kazmir not a lot more.
No worries BlueSkyLA, you’re a Dodgers fan so no need to say sorry. We are on the same team here lol. Thank you for apologizing though. I appreciate it! I guess I honestly didn’t notice you were just being funny about it. I’m just use to people usually jumping down others throats on here. But I really do hate auto correct lol. It seriously drives me crazy, almost as much as not being able to edit a post on this app if you make a mistake in spelling or leave a word out or something.
I agree with you, McCarthy is worthless. Kazmir was pretty bad last year compared to what he did the year before so I am hoping he can bounce back but if not I do believe we have some really decent young arms to take his spot. I’m hoping we can trade for another starter but if not I am okay with what we have. I just hope we can sign JT and if not Jansen another good closer.
Kazmir’s velocity was inconsistent and McCarthy was sailing pitches into the Loge section. Both have spring training to show they are over whatever was going on with them but for now they are just plain unmarketable. If the Dodgers can land Hill, probably the rest of the rotation works itself out. Maeda is better near the bottom of the rotation where he can skip a start once a month, otherwise he’s a six inning starter on a good day. Not ideal for a #3 but workable.
Anyway, we be cool. I will refrain from any more West Side Story references for awhile. 😉
Same!!!! Every time I comment something, it’s hated on. I understand why on some of them, but others are like making me be like ok while I just found a big update online that’s not here, but I’ll make you wait to find out. People have nothing better to do than to go on pages like this and hate on others.
I don’t think they have interest at trading for Braun if Bellinger is still the important name after Oaks pulled up lame. If they can’t resign Turner I can see them reopening talks. I think they end up trading Puig and McCarthy and eating a significant amount of money to move Kaz. At this point last year Urias wasn’t close to ready and nobody could fathom Stripling making an opening day roster, Stewart jumping three levels, and DeLeon tweaking his ankle out of training camp. As it is right now I’d like to see them make a play for Eaton. My dream would be for them to convince Ethier a move to the AL is the best thing for his career at this point. I’d also like to see what Toles, a full season of healthy Thompson looks like. It would be nice to see Pederson continuing to progress and see extended ABs against LHPs. My pipe dream is Eaton in RF. Utley would still be a nice clubhouse/leader guy. I’m not expecting the likes of Sale or that type of trade but comp pieces like Watson and Eaton would be nice.
I completely agree with you. I would love to see what Thompson and Toles can do for a full season. I like them both a lot. Thompson I think can really provide power for us while Toles provides a context hitter with speed. Also can’t wait to see what Urias can do with a full season. They can get by without making a lot of movies but Turner and a closer (preferably Jansen) should be priority in my opinion. I guess second baseman can be thrown into there also.
I mean if you watch Hill he’s actually throwing his sweep curve correctly, unlike before where it put tension on his arm, (hence two TJS)
I don’t see an injury conflict here if he focuses on putting in work on his curve and fastball
Velocity has much more to do with elbow injuries than how you throw your curve.
The Dodgers are currently at $205.5 million including players in arbitration and those at the major league minimum. If they add Hill at $15-16 million AAV, they are more than $20 million over the luxury tax. Since it’s their 5th straight year over the luxury tax they will be basically be paying $24.3 million for Hill in 2017 and then whatever it becomes in 2018 and 2019. $15 million per year plus 50% tax + an additional 12% surcharge for going more than $20 million over the luxury tax.
I’m not sure, but I heard that some teams were asking for a loss of draft pick if you went over luxury tax. Not sure if that rules was made in cba regulations maybe
I don’t get the reasoning behind signing Hill… Not for 3 Years.
They already have 10 starters now… Do they really expect another epic injury plagued year?
All they really need to do is resign Turner and Jansen.
Steamer Projections 2017:
1) Kershaw (17-8 / 2.29 ERA) – 32 starts
2) Maeda (11-10 / 3.61 ERA) – 29 starts
3) Wood (11-9 / 3,48 ERA) – 28 starts
4) Kazmir (6-5 / 3,73 ERA) – 16 starts
5) Urias (10-8 / 3.34 ERA) – 24 starts
6) McCarthy (6-5 / 3.71 ERA) – 16 starts
7) Stripling (4-4 / 3.76 ERA) – 5 starts/50 games
8) DeLeon (2-1 / 3.34 ERA) – 5 starts
9) Stewart (2-2 / 3.54 ERA) – 3 starts / 23 games
10) Ryu (1-1 / 3.57 ERA) – 3 starts
That would be +17 games over .500 from the starters.
Relievers projected +4 games over .500
These projections are as ballclub stands today even without Turner, Jansen and Hill.
That’s a 102 win season.
RP) Dayton
RP) Baez
RP) Avilan
RP) Liberatore
RP) Hatcher
RP) Fields
RP) Raven
RP) Coleman
RP) Y. Garcia
RP) Nuno
The reasoning is pretty simple 1) it’s probably an extremely incentive laden contract and most likely has a vesting option for the 3rd year. 2) they are looking to shed contracts to create flexibility in McCarthy and Kaz. 3) They have enough depth with (Urias, DeLeon, Stewart, Strip) and (DeJong and Oaks in AAA. This makes sense.
I don’t think they will have 102 wins, but it’s probably good if you have 10 pitchers available to start. That should give them good depth.
Lol. Book it. 102 wins.
Oh my. We’re back to pitcher wins again?