Shawn Hill, also known as the Nationals best starting pitcher last year and in 2007 by tRA, is getting released. They claim to be doing this because of concerns over Hill's health, but what was the downside in keeping him around? He was set to earn about $775K. Whoever his replacement is will earn at least the league minimum of $400K and Rotoworld claims (cannot confirm) that there's a $130K termination pay due to Hill for being released.
Granted, Hill has battled injuries, but is saving a few hundred thousand worth dumping the guy who has performed the best on your team the last two years? He's not particularly good, but he's useful and the Nationals just have no pitching. Wouldn't you be much better off keeping him around, hoping he stays healthy and if so, if you really don't trust him, trading him off in July? I don't get it, from any angle this seems to be a preposterously short-sighted move.
That's okay, I'm sure Daniel Cabrera and his plummeting swinging strike rate will really help stabilize your rotation guys.
0 recs | 50 comments
They're worried over $300K?
STRASBURG
Graham MacAree - March 18, 2009
My thoughts exACTLY
.Taylor - March 18, 2009
ExACKLEY you mean?
R.J. Anderson - March 18, 2009
?
JI - March 18, 2009
Dustin Ackley.
R.J. Anderson - March 18, 2009
ExACTAly?
Two Rs and Two Ls - March 18, 2009
Exlackey.
ThundaPC - March 18, 2009
Maybe this means they're trying to make salary room for Strasburg though :d
OlSalty - March 18, 2009
It would be best if we all gave up hope.
JI - March 18, 2009
Wouldn't you prefer that my hope explodes all at once on draft day?
Graham MacAree - March 18, 2009
You're not Robert.
JI - March 18, 2009
and eww
JI - March 18, 2009
I hope that Graham would take special effort in not ruining LL for others and consolidate his outburst into one post.
Robert - March 18, 2009
Seems like it would be easy to shop him into a Cardinal hat
JI - March 18, 2009
Or a DUI mugshot.
abender20 - March 18, 2009
Often synonymous
JI - March 18, 2009
Only for Tony
abender20 - March 18, 2009
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2853149
JI - March 18, 2009
I can't believe I'd already forgotten that.
abender20 - March 18, 2009
The Nationals best pitcher posted a tRA of 4.90?
Dear lord…
OlSalty - March 18, 2009
We simulposted again
What I said:
Shawn Hill Released/Nationals citing unreliability and injury-proneness.
Hill (28 in April) has a career tRA of 4.90 as a starter, against a league average of 4.92, with good groundball rates that make up for mediocre stuff and decent but iffy command. Last year’s tRAs for Washington’s now current starting five:
5.33 (Lannan)
6.58 (Cabrera)
5.38 (Olson)
5.25 (Balester)
? (Zimmerman, AA experience)
Yeah, this clearly had to be done.
Jeff Sullivan - March 18, 2009
One day there will be some earth-shattering news
that neither of us will write about because we just assume the other one already is.
And the LL denizens will wait and wait and wait…. eventually starving to death. Or something.
Matthew - March 18, 2009
I'm happy with us both writing about it and trying to one-up the other
Jeff Sullivan - March 18, 2009
Hey everybody read my post instead of Matthew's!
Jeff Sullivan - March 18, 2009
This strategy would require you to make a post.
Matthew - March 18, 2009
This isn't fair because you take longer to write and thus, your posts inevitably appear above mine on the fold.
Matthew - March 18, 2009
And also they are better
Jeff Sullivan - March 18, 2009
I don't see how that matters.
Matthew - March 18, 2009
Coach?
Graham MacAree - March 18, 2009
I bet someone would make a diary about it.
JI - March 18, 2009
Or make a Fanpost.
Aaron Campeau - March 18, 2009
Late.
JI - March 18, 2009
Correct terminology.
Aaron Campeau - March 18, 2009
I'm not into your PC liberal bullshit thank you very much.
JI - March 18, 2009
Good thing I have a mini-fridge next to my computer
OlSalty - March 18, 2009
Remember when they released O Perez!?!
I thought you were kidding when you had Elijah Dukes listed as a pitcher.
JI - March 18, 2009
Couldn't Hill make a decent designated closer?
Robert - March 18, 2009
His fastball works to both sides and he has a useful change for LHB and a slider to RHB
Yeah, could be good in that role.
Matthew - March 18, 2009
Quit deleting your unnecessary threads before I can mock you
that’s two today
JI - March 18, 2009
Failing to reply never gets not embarrassing
JI - March 18, 2009
Hummm
I wonder where he lands…
Houston, Sea, Mets, Det or LAD could all be possibilites
laxtonto - March 18, 2009
I wonder if this at all changes the Dodgers plans
with Pedro.
bluemax - March 18, 2009
I would say something about Washburn, but...
…you know, the whole ~$7 million/year hurdle in the way.
JLProck - March 18, 2009
What $7 million hurdle?
Matthew - March 18, 2009
It's a little more than that, isn't it?
Seeing as how he made ~$9 million last year. Oops.
JLProck - March 18, 2009
Like $3.25 million more.
Matthew - March 18, 2009
What's a few million between organizations?
JLProck - March 18, 2009
About 50%
Matthew - March 18, 2009
Miguel Batista face down on a high school track?
abender20 - March 18, 2009
He makes more than $7 million.
Also, that would be a terribly easy thing to hurdle.
Matthew - March 18, 2009
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