Cubs' Sign Hill One Year

September 14, 1999 / 8:18 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Outfielder Glenallen Hill agreed to a one-year contract extension Tuesday with the Chicago Cubs, hoping he can be part of a turnaround in 2000.

Hill has been one of the Cubs' most important backups, starting 52 games in left field, right field and as a designated hitter. Hill has hit .332 with 14 homers and 42 RBIs as a starter, and contributed three pinch homers.

"I like where I'm at," said Hill, who also got a contract option for 2001. "I love Chicago as a city. I love the stadium. I love the direction the team's trying to establish. I'm convinced they're moving in the right direction."

After making the playoffs last season, the Cubs have fallen to last in the NL Central at 56-87. Hill is interested in seeing how many players the Cubs retain during the offseason.

"We've got some good players on this team," he said. "I think it's going to be a really a tough decision on what players they bring back. It's going to be very difficult."

Hill thinks the Cubs started to struggle in large part because Lance Johnson went on the disabled list June 20 with a strained abdomen. The Cubs were in second place at the time.

They went into a tailspin after losing Johnson, their leadoff hitter and center fielder. When he was activated on Aug. 21, the Cubs had fallen into last place.

"What really hurt this team was when we lost Lance Johnson," Hill said. "When we lost Lance, it took the sail out of our ship."