Rich Hill, 2009 Topps Heritage #666

If you were clinging to any pipe dreams about a last-minute Orioles surge into the playoffs, being shut out at the hands of Rich Hill on two hits and ten strikeouts ought to kill that good. Yes, the same Rich Hill who hadn't even made a big league start since bombing out with the O's in 2009. So of course he's slipped into the Boston rotation this September and allowed three runs, ten hits, and two walks while striking out 30 in 23 innings. Man, baseball drives me bonkers.

Rich Hill, 2009 Topps Updates and Highlights #UH29

Sometimes, you dig into a box of cards and come out with a reminder that Rich Hill, Baltimore Oriole used to be a thing. Looking at his delivery in this photo, I'm not sure how the lefty won three games for the O's in 2009. His 7.80 ERA in 57.2 innings, however, makes a bit more sense. Yes, I'm picking on Rich. This is obviously a spring training picture, and he could just be doing some long toss...but from the mound? Maybe. I don't know nearly as much about baseball as I'd like to think.

Hill seemed to find his niche as a lefty relief specialist for the Red Sox, but he couldn't stay healthy. From 2010-2012, he posted a cumulative 1.14 ERA in Boston, but saw action in just 40 games comprising 31.2 innings. He went to Cleveland in 2013 and made it into 63 games last season, but his 38.2 innings did not go so smoothly: 38 hits, 29 walks, and a 6.28 ERA. Rich re-signed with Boston this spring, but is biding his time at AAA Pawtucket, where he has a 3.62 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 17 appearances. At 34, it may seem like time is running out for Hill to establish himself...but he is left-handed, so he'll probably get a few more chances in the majors before all is said and done.

Rich Hill, 2009 Upper Deck O-Pee-Chee #410

Ask and ye shall receive. Just one week after lamenting my inability to pull any Orioles from a couple big packs of O-Pee-Chee, I came home to find a bubble mailer stuffed to the brim with O's cards from Patricia and Lucy, whose blog is always a breath of fresh air in the testosterone-addled baseball card blogosphere. There were oodles of goodies inside, including scads of Cal Ripken Juniors and a parcel of cards starring personal favorite Brian Roberts. There was a nifty autographed 2000 Bowman Keith Reed, and lo and behold: this O-Pee-Chee card, featuring the maddeningly scattershot lefty Rich Hill. Now that the pressure is off, maybe the next pack of these that I rip will be sprinkled with a few Birds.

It's just as well that P and L sent me this card, because I would imagine that it offends their general collecting sensibilities. The normally baby-faced southpaw looks dour and weary, and the overcast Fort Lauderdale skies behind him mirror his mood (or possibly have caused it). Rich is showing the photographer his curveball grip, but everything about him says, "Here's the blasted pitch that's caused me so much trouble." If you look closely, you'll also see Hill's name stitched on the side of his glove in blue, a wistful reminder that the Cubs organization that he served for seven years has suddenly and unceremoniously dumped him.

Four months or so after this dreary photo was snapped, Rich is at another sort of crossroads. He's got a winning record (4-2), and the O's have won a large majority of his starts (8-3). But those pretty numbers can be attributed to a robust offense and some remarkable comebacks. Hill was set to be skipped in the rotation just before the All-Star Break, but Jeremy Guthrie's illness bought him another shot. He held the Blue Jays to two runs in six-plus innings, but that lowered his ERA to a still-nasty 6.92. Two years ago, during his breakout season, the lefty struck out nearly three batters for every one he walked; now that number stands at 1.3 to 1. Top prospect Chris Tillman is mowing down the competition at AAA Norfolk, and is already knocking on the door. But don't tell Rich; you might put him in a bad mood.