Cubs catcher Koyie Hill 'having a blast' with more playing time

Koyie Hill has caught 16 straight games since Geovany Soto went down with an oblique injury, but don't ask him if he's tired.

[Larry]

Koy Hill is the worst position hitter player I have ever seen!!

[Tommy Boy Hendry]

I am so happy that Koyie is having a blast. When I assembled this $140M team with no back-up catcher, I knew Koyie would be here, and he would be having a blast. Who cares that he is hitting .195 and slugging .276, and has 41 strike outs in only 123 at bats (apparently the writer of the column doesn't think it is relevant).

And don't even bring up that we are still paying Paul Bako ...

[Miro]

Koyie is a BACKUP catcher who's putting up backup catcher numbers, so why the complaining??? I'll be very happy if he can just make it healthy until Soto can take over again.
Even elite catchers need days off, and he hasn't been getting any, so take what he can give!

[Des Moines Register]

Tommy Boy Hendry wrote:

I am so happy that Koyie is having a blast. When I assembled this $140M team with no back-up catcher, I knew Koyie would be here, and he would be having a blast. Who cares that he is hitting .195 and slugging .276, and has 41 strike outs in only 123 at bats (apparently the writer of the column doesn't think it is relevant).
And don't even bring up that we are still paying Paul Bako ...

Tommy Boy:

Koyie has been about as productive as last year's "Rookie Of The Year/This Year's Pretty Much Bust - Soto. Could "G" catch this many games in a row and still have a few productive hits?

[Joey Elrod]

I don't care about his personal stats.......as of right now he is the starting catcher of the FIRST PLACE Chicago Cubs.

[Larry]

And he suck!!

Joey Elrod wrote:

I don't care about his personal stats.......as of right now he is the starting catcher of the FIRST PLACE Chicago Cubs.

[Papasblues]

This years Mark DeRosa?

Jake Fox singled home a run in the seventh. He has played five positions with the Cubs and started at first base in place of Derrek Lee on Sunday.

[Rod from Tennessee]

I give Jake Fox a ton of credit for being able to keep such a positive attitude, despite Pinella's attempts at wasting him away on the bench. There's been no reason at all that Pinella couldn't have given Fox a couple games at catcher. He was a catcher his entire amatuer career, and up until AAA when the Cubs were certain they were going to go with Soto, did they finally decide to see where else they could play him.

Fox is a pure hitter, yet just like Hoffpauir, won't get near enough AB's to be able to remain crisp. I've been reading about all of the criticism about Hoffpauir of late; however, those doing the criticizing don't stop to think, that when a hitter is getting maybe 2 AB's a week, and those are usually in a big situation in which the opposing manager brings in relievers, which throw the same way they bat. Then if they don't come through it's as if they can't hit. I guarantee if you gave Lee, ARam, Soriano, or anyone else only 2 AB's a week, it would be the same thing.

[The Hellusay]

Larry wrote:

Koy Hill is the worst position hitter player I have ever seen!!

I gather you've never seen Paul Bako play,lmao. I'm not suggesting he's a threat at the plate,but compare him to other inept offensive players and he's not at the bottom of any list you might compile.I can think of other worse non threats.

[chitownguido]

Gee Koyie, maybe you would have more of a blast if you learned how to hit and stopped taking called third strikes.

[WBrown Memphis]

Koyie cannot hit, but he is a very reliable defensive catcher being put in this position for the first time in his career. He is an offensive liability, but he generally calls a good game and the staff seems to enjoy pitching to him.

[Dean]

Hill is a nice back-up and is serviceable as long as he is playing only once every 5 or 6 games. More than that and he gets exposed and his numbers become much more problematic.

Now that he is a starter, he needs to:
1) learn his role in the 8 spot. For example, with runners in scoring position and 2 out, he has to be more aggressive at the plate. He keeps looking for a walk that just brings up the pitcher.

2) With two strikes, he needs to remember what we all learned in little league--protect the plate.

[Flyover Dude]

Why are the Cubs not going after the Indians Victor Martinez?