Tim Hill, Underrated Bullpen Star

Last month, I wrote about the one thing that united us as a baseball family. Actually, if you talk to most baseball fans, the majority will say bullpens are terrible. Much like the offensive line in football, bullpens seem to catch the most flak for a team’s troubles. The New York Yankees are no exception as two of their three deadline deals for relievers have not worked out. Jake Bird made two appearances and is now stuck in the Minors. Camilo Doval‘s ERA hovers near 6.00 as a Yankee. David Bednar, the third arm, has morphed into the Yankees’ closer thanks to the mid, bordering on subpar, performances of Luke Weaver and Devin Williams. He has been a savior since his arrival at the trade deadline. It’s easy to think he’s the team’s only reliable man from the ‘pen.

Don’t forget about Tim Hill.

It’s so easy to focus on the failings of Doval, Williams, Weaver and the rest of the crew. Bullpens bring out irrational emotions. Hill has made 66 appearances, most on the club, to the tune of a 3.09 ERA. I will grant you that he has been below average for the last month or so. Still, he’s probably the one guy aside, from Bednar, I would want to close out a game. Crazy? Sure, I will submit to that. However, until we get more consistency from Williams and Weaver over these last two weeks, I will stand by that take. Plus, I am always partial to guys that throw submarine style. Think Tyler Rogers across the bridge in Queens and Dan Quisenberry and Kent Tekulve from a different era. That fact Hill is a submarining left-hander makes him even more a favorite of mine.

During last year’s World Series run, Hill allowed one earned run in 8 1/3 innings. That tells me he is battle tested and is reliable when it counts. Right now, the bullpen pecking order is Bednar, Hill and then everyone else. If the crew, specifically Williams and Weaver, pitch to their ceiling, they become the next guys up. However, don’t forget the importance of Tim Hill to the New York Yankees’ bullpen.

Author: Tom Lynch

Family is everything to me. Baseball is a close second. What better way to combine my two favorite passions than to write about them! My three children each have a different baseball team, hence the title, "Three Unassisted". I write about not only my thoughts but also the musings of Ryan (Yankees), Caitlyn (Phillies) and Matthew (Mets). I may have grown up a Yankees fan but since family is greater than ball, I also root for the Phillies and Mets. I love talking about my kids. I love talking about baseball. That lethal combination will keep you coming back for more. Happy reading! View all posts by Tom Lynch