PHOENIX -- By losing weight, Aaron Hill felt he'd prepared all the right ways heading into the season. He was feeling healthy as can be, and this was a fresh start needed from a veteran on baseball's worst team from a year ago.
So imagine that being his thought, then facing a demotion.
Thirty-three years old and coming off a relatively down season, Hill learned three days before the 2015 season opener he'd begin the year as a backup. He expressed frustration over the news, even hinting he could be open to a trade if it meant he could play regularly.
"It's just as far as the sample size that I've had so far in my career ... I know how I feel as far as physically, and I know that when I feel good and I stay healthy, I know I'm going to perform," Hill said Wednesday.
"That was my comment in spring. I knew I would perform when put in the right situation."
So far, his assessment seems spot on.
Hill has a .284/.333/.444 slash line for the season -- despite starting the season 6 for 39 and bottoming out with a .154 average on April 24. Since the calendar turned to May, he's hitting .452 with a .500 on-base percentage and .806 slugging percentage.
Hill has done everything from a production standpoint to make it harder for Chip Hale to keep him out of the lineup -- just not where everyone might've expected.
Nick Ahmed and Chris Owings won the middle-infield positions in spring training, and Jake Lamb got the nod at third base -- giving the D-backs two rookies and one second-year player in the starting infield. Hill was ticketed as a backup at his former starting position -- second base -- as well as third base, but with Cuban signee Yasmany Tomas getting a long look at third base this spring, it seemed that opportunities would be few and far between.
Lamb got off to a hot start but then injured his foot -- leading to a major-league callup for Tomas and a job-share at third base with Hill. But while Tomas' defense has been less worrisome than originally feared, it's been Hill's hot bat that has earned a larger portion of playing time.
"It's fun because it's a challenge," Hill said of playing the hot corner. "We did it just a little bit, experimented last year at the end of the season. It's different, much different, especially when you're going back and forth (between second and third). Like, yesterday was the first bunt I've seen."
Hale expected Hill would handle the demotion professionally, but he also knew it ate at the veteran. The infielder was notorious under former manager Kirk Gibson for having the drive to never take a day off. Hill attempted to play through a broken hand in 2013 before finally being shut down.
"I remember the day, it was in Washington, when we got him," said Washington Nationals manager Matt Williams, who served as D-backs third base coach when the team acquired Hill in 2011. "Loves to play. Plays every day if he can. That will never change."
The solid play from Hill and Hale have enabled the Diamondbacks to avoid rushing Lamb back from his foot injury. Lamb had the boot removed from his left foot a week ago Wednesday and his return appears to be at least two weeks away, but Hill's play will make for more tough decisions for Hale.
But that's not necessarily a bad problem to have.
"Ever since that conversation we had, I don't know if it freed him up or it just made him mad," Hale said. "But he's reacted in a real positive way as a teammate. He's helped the other guys when he wasn't playing, he's understood when he's not in the lineup and when he's gotten into the lineup, he's done some damage for us."
Follow Kevin Zimmerman on Twitter
