The Blue Jays signed righty Shawn Hill to a minor league deal, according to the team's official Twitter account. The 28-year-old Canadian has pitched for the Expos, Nationals and Padres in his five-year MLB career. He has pitched 218.1 innings in total, allowing 249 hits and 70 walks, striking out 137 for a 4.95 ERA. His best season came in 2007, when he posted a 3.42 ERA in nearly 100 innings for the Nats.
As MLB.com's Jordan Bastian notes (via Twitter) Hill had a second Tommy John surgery last year.
Looks like AA is sticking to his plan to build an all-Tommy John pitching staff.
He’s got some upside still so if he shows something they could hang on to him for 2010. But worst case, he comes in at midseason and eats some AAA innings once some of Stewart, Cecil, Rzep, Mills, Ray, etc get called up to the majors.
the Jays bring in a Canadian pitcher for AAA. maybe if the younger pitchers are not ready/not pitching well with the Jays then Hill can come up and eat some innings while getting beat around the park. Hill has been brutal in the NL, im affraid to think what he could do in the AL East. in 2007 with Washington he wasnt that bad, 3.42 ERA. wasnt that when they still had that big time pitchers park? i wouldnt count on him for much.
A no risk shot in the dark, and a good one. Every team has a bunch of these every year.