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06-11-2002, 07:27 PM
By Teddy Greenstein
Tribune staff reporter
June 10, 2002, 11:38 PM CDT
HOUSTON -- Cubs manager Don Baylor's comments about Bobby Hill before Monday's game were easy to interpret. Baylor left little doubt that he believes Hill should go down to Triple-A Iowa for more seasoning.
Asked if the issue was Hill's ability to adjust his swing while remaining in the big leagues, Baylor replied: "That's not going to happen in two or three days. It doesn't happen that quickly."
Baylor then asked the next question: "Do you continue to send the kid out there and let him get deeper and deeper into a slump? Or [do you] send him out? If [Delino] DeShields and the other second basemen had been playing well, Bobby wouldn't have been here anyway. We called him up to fill a need."
Hill, who believes he would benefit more from staying in the big leagues, went 1-for-3 Monday with two strikeouts.
Astros right-hander Wade Miller struck him out in the third inning on an 0-2 curveball. Hill went down swinging again in the fifth on a 1-2 fastball that was a foot outside.
But Hill rebounded in his final at-bat by lining a first-pitch fastball into center field in the seventh. That ended an 0-for-22 slump that had dropped his average to .172.
Baylor said the Cubs would resolve the matter Wednesday, when DeShields will be activated from the disabled list.
Infielder Augie Ojeda was recalled Monday from Triple-A Iowa. He hit .241 with five extra-base hits during his two weeks on the farm club.
Ojeda's fate appears to be tied to Hill's.
"We'll see what's best for the team and for Bobby," Baylor said.
"His defense has been OK. He's still learning that too. And now he has to adjust to playing every day in the big leagues, hitting all types of pitchers and making adjustments."
Another opinion: After shuttling between the majors and minors last season, Corey Patterson can relate to Hill's predicament. Patterson would like to see Hill stay in the big leagues.
"He's putting together good swings," Patterson said. "I don't see anything wrong with his mechanics. I just think he needs to play.
"It would be different if he were late or way out in front, but I don't think that's the case. I just think he needs to play and when he gets his timing down, he'll be OK."
Patterson said he would not necessarily have benefited from more time in the majors last season.
"For me it didn't matter if it was A-ball, the big leagues or Triple-A," he said. "I would have struggled no matter where I was because I wasn't being myself."
Tribune staff reporter
June 10, 2002, 11:38 PM CDT
HOUSTON -- Cubs manager Don Baylor's comments about Bobby Hill before Monday's game were easy to interpret. Baylor left little doubt that he believes Hill should go down to Triple-A Iowa for more seasoning.
Asked if the issue was Hill's ability to adjust his swing while remaining in the big leagues, Baylor replied: "That's not going to happen in two or three days. It doesn't happen that quickly."
Baylor then asked the next question: "Do you continue to send the kid out there and let him get deeper and deeper into a slump? Or [do you] send him out? If [Delino] DeShields and the other second basemen had been playing well, Bobby wouldn't have been here anyway. We called him up to fill a need."
Hill, who believes he would benefit more from staying in the big leagues, went 1-for-3 Monday with two strikeouts.
Astros right-hander Wade Miller struck him out in the third inning on an 0-2 curveball. Hill went down swinging again in the fifth on a 1-2 fastball that was a foot outside.
But Hill rebounded in his final at-bat by lining a first-pitch fastball into center field in the seventh. That ended an 0-for-22 slump that had dropped his average to .172.
Baylor said the Cubs would resolve the matter Wednesday, when DeShields will be activated from the disabled list.
Infielder Augie Ojeda was recalled Monday from Triple-A Iowa. He hit .241 with five extra-base hits during his two weeks on the farm club.
Ojeda's fate appears to be tied to Hill's.
"We'll see what's best for the team and for Bobby," Baylor said.
"His defense has been OK. He's still learning that too. And now he has to adjust to playing every day in the big leagues, hitting all types of pitchers and making adjustments."
Another opinion: After shuttling between the majors and minors last season, Corey Patterson can relate to Hill's predicament. Patterson would like to see Hill stay in the big leagues.
"He's putting together good swings," Patterson said. "I don't see anything wrong with his mechanics. I just think he needs to play.
"It would be different if he were late or way out in front, but I don't think that's the case. I just think he needs to play and when he gets his timing down, he'll be OK."
Patterson said he would not necessarily have benefited from more time in the majors last season.
"For me it didn't matter if it was A-ball, the big leagues or Triple-A," he said. "I would have struggled no matter where I was because I wasn't being myself."