Monday, June 20, 2011 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 9 Q&A: Boston's Rich Hill By DANIEL WASSERMAN Daily Sports Writer Entering the 2011 MLB season, the Boston Red Sox were a favorite pick to vie for another World Series berth. But while Red Sox Nation was restless for the hyped season to begin, a longtime Boston fan and former Michigan pitcher, Rich Hill, was stuck in Pawtucket, R.I. with the Red Sox's Triple-A affiliate - the Pawtucket Red Sox. Hill grew up dreaming of play- ing in Fenway Park; his high school is just nine miles away from the storied stadium. So while Boston was off to a sluggish start, Hill's numbers were impressive. He was shortly rewarded with a call-up to the bigleagues. The Michigan Daily recently spoke with Hill about his experi- ences at Michigan and his dream fulfillment to pitch with the Red Sox. Unfortunately, since the inter- view, he injured his elbow and will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery. The Michigan Daily: As a Bos- ton kid, what factored in your deci- sion to come to Michigan? Rich Hill: The opportunity to attend the University of Michigan and play baseball there and obvi- ously the academic-athletic com- bination you get there - I don't think you find that at too many universities. That's not to dog other universities; it's just a very unique situation at Michigan. TMD: After your sophomore year, you were drafted by the Ana- heim Angels. Why did you pass up that opportunity and decide to return to Michigan? RH: To get a year closer to my degree and also to come back and play for a Big Ten title. I wanted to come back and play with a lot of the guys that I came in with and the friends that I had over the couple years. It was that opportunity to play with them again one last time and that was pretty special. TMD: After you left Michigan, you told the Daily that finishing school and getting a degree was important to you. Are you still plan- ning to graduate? RH: Yeah, I've been working on that as of late. The last couple of years, I've been trying to figure out when I can do this, but it's been very difficult with the baseball season going into late October, when the first semester is at least a good way through. (That makes it) difficult to work through the last year of my degree. It's been tough, but with a lot of courses being offered online now and a lot of universities around Boston, I could take some classes in the Boston area and have them transfer over to the University of Michigan. TMD: What were your favorite parts of being at Michigan and in Ann Arbor, away from the baseball field? RH: When I look back on it, just the campus itself and going to the football games and hockey games. Obviously, those were a , blast. Wherever you go, you carry Uni- versity of Michigan with you as part of your identity. My wife and I (a graduate of Michigan's Nursing School) went on a trip to the Gala- pagos Island and there was a doctor who was on the trip who's a doctor at Mott Children's Hospital. We did some work with Mott (when I was there). It's just a small world with over 450,000 alumni. TMD: For most of your life -- at Michigan and with the Cubs - you were a starting pitcher, but now in Boston, you've found success as a reliever. Would you like to become a starter again, or are you happy in the bullpen? RH: I enjoy coming out of the bullpen. It's been something that I've had to make some adjustments and find your routine that you stick with and that's been the biggest thing - just getting into a good rou- tine coming out of the bullpen and sticking with it. I think that's some- thing that's my niche. TMD: Growing up in Boston, you had to live with the Curse of the Bambino and all the Red Sox's dis- appointments. This year, Boston is an odds-on favorite to win a World Series. Obviously, the Red Sox have won a few recent titles, but what would it mean to win a World Series for your hometown team? RH: It'd be great. Just to see how the teams from 2004 and 2007 were embraced in Boston - and obvi- ously the fans in Boston are very studious and they understand the game and the ups and downs, they live and die with the team - you're representing an entire city. In the end, if it comes to fulfillment with a World Series Championship, that would be - for me, especially, being from the area - something that I'd never forget. CHECK OUT MICHIGANDAILY.COM for coverage throughout the week affordable rates. pet friendly. resort-style amenities.