Perry Hill: Debilitating knee problem brings untimely end to stellar coaching career

In three months the majority of free agents will be signed and spring training will loom. Preview capsules listing key additions and losses for every team will surface. One name that shouldn’t be omitted from the Marlins’ notable departures is that of Perry Hill. A renowned infield coach, Hill made the gut-wrenching call not to fulfill the remainder of his contract due to a chronic left knee problem. By September, Hill realized every hobble from dugout to first base coaches’ box signaled his 17-year career as a major league coach was closer to its end. “It looked so bad people were asking me about it,” Hill said. “There were a couple of times, I never said anything, but my knee gave way and I actually fell. It was time. The Marlins were so good to me and gave me a nice contract. I thought I had more than one year left in me.” Hill has undergone five knee surgeries and will require a replacement at some point. All the ligaments have been repaired, but the arthritis-riddled joint is d...