Hill, LA’s advertised starter for Game 4 of the World Series on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, signed a minor-league deal with the Cardinals before the 2010 season with an intention to compete that spring for a spot in the big-league rotation. Bested by Kyle McClellan for the opening, Hill headed to Class AAA Memphis, where he could rebuild strength after shoulder surgery the season before and rework his pitches. The Cardinals thought he could excel as a sinkerballer — or as a lefty out of the bullpen.
“Their philosophy was to … design a pitcher that maybe, so to speak, age-wise, should become a sinkerball pitcher, and that’s just not who I am,” Hill said Friday.