Bobby Hill Called Up
The Chicago media was beat to the punch by . . . the Iowa Cubs website. As that website reported well before anyone else, Bobby Hill was called up in time for Monday’s game against Cincinnati. Hill pinch-hit in the game, striking out, but the Cubs won 4-3.
Hill may get some looks at third base, but he also may not spend much more time in Chicago than David Kelton did. The Cubs will have to make a roster move when Hee Seop Choi comes off the disabled list. They’re highly unlikely to drop down to 10 pitchers, which means a position player has to go. So Hill may be sent down to make room, unless the Cubs make a trade that opens up a roster spot before Choi returns. No other position player has options.
The really bold move – and it’s only bold because it’s something Cubs management has historically been unwilling to do: cut a veteran player in the middle of a winning season – would be for Jim Hendry to keep Hill on the big league roster and cut Lenny Harris loose, preventing Dusty Baker from playing him anymore. But is Hendry really the type of GM who would take away a player from his respected manager when that respected manager appears to like that player? Hendry hasn’t been on the job long enough for us to know, but we could soon find out.