As expected, the Cubs demoted Rich Hill to triple-A Iowa today, reports the Daily Herald. They called up Sean Gallagher to take his spot on the roster. Gallagher will go to the bullpen and Jon Lieber will go to the rotation. Sean Marshall remains in the bullpen, despite the fact that after last night's game Lou Piniella said, "I would think that if we did something, we'd put Marshall in the rotation, for now." Marshall has not thrown more than an inning in a game this year since being recalled, though, and in his last four appearances he has faced just five batters. It would take some time before he was fully stretched out. One of the strange things that occurred this spring was the Cubs not giving Marshall a chance to make the rotation.

The last time Hill was at Iowa, in 2006, he was utterly dominant in 100 innings.

Rich Hill has allowed an 83% (39/47) stolen base rate during his career. To help improve that, he has made some alterations to his delivery, which he will use whether or not runners are on base, reports the Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan.

2-12 is the Cubs' record in 1-run games, after today's loss to the Dodgers in 11 innings. Today's culprit was a poor offense -- 7 hits and 1 run in those 11 innings, though it would not have looked so bad if Aramis Ramirez's 8th inning, bases loaded, pinch hit flyout had traveled just 10 more feet -- and a hanging 0-2 breaking ball from Scott Eyre. Fittingly, the final play was a bounced Carlos Marmol pitch that struck Juan Pierre in the leg with the bases loaded.

You can't blame Lou Piniella for bringing in the struggling Eyre for Michael Wuertz when the Dodgers used Andre Ethier to pinch-hit to lead off the bottom of the 8th inning.

As I wrote on opening day 2006, big innings win games. Tonight, the big inning came in the 1st inning: 6 runs off Brewers' starter Dave Bush. Bush wasn't throwing too hard, but the Cubs were sure hitting it hard. You don't have to walk all that much if you're hitting doubles and homers all over and out of the yard. (Bush doesn't walk that many: just 5% of the batters he has faced over his career, so it was no surprise that the Cubs only drew one walk off of him.)

Rich Hill, of course, was magnificent, allowing only a solo home run to Corey "I wear my sunglasses at night" Hart. One of the best parts of the night was that he threw just 78 pitches in 7 innings.

Hill climber in Chicago (Nick Cafardo, Boston Globe, 2/4/2007)

Baseball officials are known to gush about their pitching prospects almost as if they were speaking about their own children. Such is the case with lefthander Rich Hill. For while the Cubs spent zillions this offseason, some in their organization are far more excited about Hill than Alfonso Soriano, Ted Lilly, or any of their other acquisitions.

Could Hill be a budding Barry Zito or Tom Glavine?

Obviously, it's too early to tell. But Hill, a 1999 graduate of Milton High School who attended the 2004 World Series parade in Boston as a fan, is one of the Cubs' untouchables, especiall

SI.com's Tom Verducci provides his list of 10 potential breakout players in 2007. Coming in at #4 is the Cubs' Rich Hill:

Chicago pushed Hill to 199 1/3 innings between Triple-A and the majors last season -- way beyond his pro high -- so a potential breakdown looms. But if Hill stays healthy and gets a regular turn in the crowded Chicago rotation, he has the stuff to win 15 games.

That's the way to end a complete game-less streak. The 2006 Chicago Cubs have now avoided becoming the only team in major league baseball history to not have a starting pitcher throw a complete game the entire season, thanks to Rich Hill. Hill not only threw a complete game today (118 pitches, 85 strikes), he shutout the Cincinnati Reds, a team with a good offense desperately trying to stay alive in the wild card race. Hill is now 6-2 with a 2.65 ERA in 68 innings since the All-Star Break. He has 62 K's and just 20 walks during that stretch. He continues to cement his status as a lock for the 2007 rotation.

Baseball America's Jim Callis discusses the Cubs' eight rookie starting pitchers this year in his latest "Ask BA" column. (Hat tip: Chicago Cubs Minor League Baseball.) He says Rich Hill (5-2, 3.05 ERA, 52/19 K/BB ratio, in 59 innings since the All-Star break) is the only "lock" to be in the 2007 starting rotation. Read the rest. Luke Jasenosky and Derek Smart also have praise for Hill.

(Courtesy of The Sports Xchange) Mark Prior was hoping to come back this season -- even as a reliever if possible -- but indications are that it's a long shot.

I'm not sure this is what Jim Hendry envisioned when he was calling triple-A manager Mike Quade at midnight last night asking him who he could send to Houston real quick to start today's game. The answer was Ryan O'Malley. The Cubs' exciting 18-inning win last night (I stayed up, did you?) included the use of today's scheduled starter, Rich Hill, for the final two innings. Angel Guzman also threw three innings. In an attempt to avoid using Hill, Dusty Baker also used Ryan Dempster -- pitching for the third straight day -- for three innings. (Astros manager Phil Garner used poor Dave Borkowski (longest outing of the year: four innings) for six innnigs.)

Scott Eyre, who strained his right hamstring in last night's game, was placed on the 15-day DL to make room for O'Malley.