Rich Hill on playing for Team USA at WBSC Premier12: “I’ve never been on a team that won the World Series but winning a gold medal, wearing the uniform representing your country, that’d be pretty darn close. It would be amazing.”
November 17, 2024
Rich Hill on playing for Team USA at WBSC Premier12: “I’ve never been on a team that won the World Series but winning a gold medal, wearing the uniform representing your country, that’d be pretty darn close. It would be amazing.”
2 comments
If you’re probably wondering, no, he still isn’t planning on retiring. In fact, his goal is to “win a gold medal now, win a World Series title in 2025 and then win a gold medal for Team USA in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.” His wife quipped that perhaps he could be a coach at 2028 LA.
He also revealed that after being released by the Padres in 2023 he turned down 3 major league offers so he could watch his son play little league. In the preceding 3 years he’d only watched 4 of his games. He served as the team’s pitching coach and first base coach.
> He informed Team USA officials this past summer that he was interested in pitching for the Premier12 team since he’d be free. He turned down three major-league contract offers during the winter and spring so that he could coach his 12-year-old son Bryce’s Little League team in Milton, Mass.
> “It was his last year in Little League,’’ said Hill, who had seen his son play in only four Little League games the past three years. “I couldn’t pass that up. I’m thankful I didn’t miss that. It was too important to me.’’
> So, he hung out all summer with the kids in Milton, coaching on the same field where he pitched 32 years ago, helping lead the Milton Reds to the District championship game as their pitching coach and first base coach. When the season ended, he informed Major League teams he was open again for business.
> “I know I passed up some good opportunities,’’ said Hill, who has a career 90-73 record, going 8-14 with a 5.41 ERA with the San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023. “But I would do the same thing over and over again. We had great moments we’ve been able to share. Watching him be able to play and get that opportunity is the reason why I stayed home.
> “It was everything I hoped.
> “I don’t regret a single thing.’’
I wonder if there will ever come a day when I’m no longer angry that he doesn’t have a 2017 ring.
2 comments
If you’re probably wondering, no, he still isn’t planning on retiring. In fact, his goal is to “win a gold medal now, win a World Series title in 2025 and then win a gold medal for Team USA in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.” His wife quipped that perhaps he could be a coach at 2028 LA.
He also revealed that after being released by the Padres in 2023 he turned down 3 major league offers so he could watch his son play little league. In the preceding 3 years he’d only watched 4 of his games. He served as the team’s pitching coach and first base coach.
> He informed Team USA officials this past summer that he was interested in pitching for the Premier12 team since he’d be free. He turned down three major-league contract offers during the winter and spring so that he could coach his 12-year-old son Bryce’s Little League team in Milton, Mass.
> “It was his last year in Little League,’’ said Hill, who had seen his son play in only four Little League games the past three years. “I couldn’t pass that up. I’m thankful I didn’t miss that. It was too important to me.’’
> So, he hung out all summer with the kids in Milton, coaching on the same field where he pitched 32 years ago, helping lead the Milton Reds to the District championship game as their pitching coach and first base coach. When the season ended, he informed Major League teams he was open again for business.
> “I know I passed up some good opportunities,’’ said Hill, who has a career 90-73 record, going 8-14 with a 5.41 ERA with the San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023. “But I would do the same thing over and over again. We had great moments we’ve been able to share. Watching him be able to play and get that opportunity is the reason why I stayed home.
> “It was everything I hoped.
> “I don’t regret a single thing.’’
I wonder if there will ever come a day when I’m no longer angry that he doesn’t have a 2017 ring.