Yankees make Millwood deal official
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Mar 25, 2011 
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The Yankees just made their Kevin Millwood signing official. ESPNNewYork reports that Millwood can opt out if he’s not on the big league roster by May 1. My guess is that this is nothing but Colon/Garcia insurance, just in case one of those two falls apart in the first month of the season. Here’s the Yankees announcement.
The New York Yankees today signed right-handed pitcher Kevin Millwood to a minor league contract. The contract is contingent upon Millwood passing a physical.
Millwood, 36, owns a 159-137 career record with a 4.11 ERA in 414 combined games (406 starts) over 14 Major League seasons with Atlanta (1997-2002), Philadelphia (2003-04), Cleveland (2005), Texas (2006-09) and Baltimore (2010).
Among active pitchers currently signed with a Major League organization, Millwood ranks third in strikeouts (1,940) and fifth in wins, starts and innings pitched (2505.0). He has made at least 30 starts in five of the last six seasons and has surpassed 190.0 IP eight times in his career, including each of the last two seasons (198.2 IP w/ Texas in 2009 and 190.2 IP w/ Baltimore in 2010).
He made 31 starts with the Orioles in 2010, going 4-16 with a 5.10 ERA (190.2 IP, 108 ER) and 132 strikeouts. The Orioles’ Opening Day starter, Millwood finished with the second-worst run support in the American League in 2010 (3.26 runs/game), trailing only Seattle’s Cy Young Award winner Felix Hernandez (3.10).
Millwood limited opponents to three runs or less in nearly half of his outings in 2010 (14 of 31) and tossed at least 6.0 innings 19 times. Over his final 10 starts of the season, he went 2-5 with a 3.29 ERA (65.2IP, 24ER).
millwood could be destined to be the long man.
Millwood managed a 3 ERA with buck showalter at the helm, but with him as an enemy he may revert to his disastrous 6 ERA he had in the first half.
Hopefully Girardi could be half as good as Showalter and keep it down to a 5 ERA.
i like the millwood pickup. that era reflects pitching for a bad Oriole team. He knows how to pitch just like garcia n colon, vets. not real mop up men like mitre.
mick – while that’s certainly possible, I don’t think so.
If the Yanks wanted Kevin Millwood to open the season, they would have signed him a long time ago. I think he represents an insurance policy for the first set of insurance policies (Garcia and Colon). That would have been Mitre, if Mitre had a MiL option remaning. He didn’t, so they got rid of him, and acquired someone at low cost, who they could hold in reserve for a period of time.
I think it’s going to be Nova and one of Garcia/Colon (more likely Garcia), with the other as long man. And, if the proposed long man doesn’t like it, and walks, then it will be Millwood as long/mop-up man.
From last post:
I think there is a very high likelihood that Montero is a regular in the lineup by mid-season. I just find it highly unlikely that Martin returns to being a .850 OPS hitter AND Posada flourishes in the DH spot. I think the chances of both happening are very low and Montero is your best option to fill either spot should one of those guys falter.
I like the Millwood signing because it’s just another arm and you can’t have too many of them. If he makes it back up here, he’s really only likely to be a long man….. I know about our kids, but who’s to say they’d be ready and, if they are, who’s to say they’d perform? Even so, do the Yankees really want one of their kids wasting away as a longman? I mean, if the SP stinks, he’d get a lot of work, but if it doesn’t, what’s the use?
I assume this means Colon and Garcia are both on the team – which I like. I was never a fan of Mitre, but Milwaukee is a good place for him and I wish him luck.
Jerkface March 25th, 2011 at 1:29 pm
He’s not a middle reliever.
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Neither is Garcia.
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Correct. Garcia is the long man. Rather have a guy who volunteered to do it than Colon parking his butt days on end in the pen waiting for a disaster game to come into. Garcia seems better equipped mentally and physically for the job.
I really like this move. I preferred Millwood over Garcia in the off season when we were talking about signing desperation starters.
Now with Garcia, Colon and Millwood the Yankees have the depth to absorb injuries better than most clubs, not to mention if AJ goes out and stinks, the team has options than are limited by innings.
I like what Cashman is doing here. Cutting ties with Mitre in a deal said to me that he’s not concerned with Girardi’s security blanket/preference and he’s going to build the club to get the most out of every roster spot.
The minute a big team loses a starter next week they’ll be wishing they had the option of the 3 vets we currently have to step in and fill up innings.
Now they just have to settle the rotation spots and the long man designation and it’s time to get ready.
With the feeling that Gardner is going to lead off vs RHP, I like the changes they are making to the club/lineup.
That said, I still think you’re wasting Cano in the 5 spot. He should always get up in the 1st inning in my opinion. I’d rather have a high average hitter with power who uses the whole field in that spot than a masher who walks more.
Joe from LI,
The Yankees didn’t sign Millwood earlier because he was dead set on getting a major league deal. They waited him out and jumped on him when his demands lessened.
I’m not sure how the Yankees see Millwood but I’m inclined to think that he will come up unless Colon and Garcia are lighting the world on fire. I think Millwood is probably a better option than both.
Millwood throws about 4 pitches between 82 and 88 mph, and then mixes in a 70 mph curveball. Guys on MLB Radio were saying he has lost a lot of his stuff.
Correct. Garcia is the long man. Rather have a guy who volunteered to do it than Colon parking his butt days on end in the pen waiting for a disaster game to come into. Garcia seems better equipped mentally and physically for the job.
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Colon already volunteered to do it before Garcia. Garcia only said he would not mind being in the bullpen after he got hit around in spring.
Colon has the stuff and lack of variety for the long man role. Best used there to start.
Just read about Phil’s lack of velocity……that’s pretty alarming. 87-89? Last year his velocity was down until that Twins game where that poor guy hit his mom with the foul ball, but it wasn’t down that badly. I guess because most of his games haven’t been on tv, no ones really noticed?
Millwood, Garcia, Colon are all proactive choices by Cash.
Instead of waiting till the trade deadline he started early and will see how they develop.
Good thinking.
Anyone have a link to that story on the Yanks’ delaying the young Posada?
Much appreciated & good afternoon, all.
Joe – definitely agree with your assessment.
The Yankees are looking to hold the fort until mid-season when the big deals start to be discussed. Even Boston runs away and hides in the AL East race … and I don’t necessarily think they will … but if they do, then at worst, by July 1st the Yankees are in contention for the Wild Card (say somewhere within 2-3 games of the lead).
So no matter how the first half of the season plays out, unless they are just decimated by injuries and are buried 10 games under .500, they will be where they always are … in the hunt for a playoff spot.
These moves are just fortifying themselves and helping get to the point where they can make that big impact trade for a front line starter that everyone seems to think will happen.
Re: 2011 Phil Hughes Performance Thread
Joelsherman1 Joel Sherman
I can give amens to DKnobler’s scout take about Hughes’ velocity being down. #Yankees say was down last yr, too, and came up in Apr (cont)
But one scout said had Hughes at 90-94mph this time last yr and it is 87-89 now with heavy reliance on cutter
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The scout is correct about the velocity last year (though it really didn’t hit 94 until late in ST). It’s to be noted that he had a very heavy workload last year (compared to his previous high) and 2nd year starters with a heavy workload the prior year have often struggled.
Betsy,
I wouldn’t worry about the velocity until we can get some legitimate readings.
If I’m looking at PitchFX at the end of April and still see 87-89 then I’ll start worrying. Until then, who cares
JackCurryYES Jack Curry
CC said he had no thoughts on opt out clause because he’s focused on 2011. But added “I’m a Yankee” and can’t c self “playing anywhere else”
Why would Phil want to blow it out so early?
More crap by the media to draw attention.
I wouldn’t even bother looking at hughes velocity. as he learns to “pitch” he is going to go to his other pitches first which will make his fastball have that deceptive pop, regardless of what speed it is actually coming in at. it’s about separation between pitches, not just pure velocity.
Also I heard this rumor that it’s march and looking at pitch speeds is dumb.
Maybe Phil is working on his curveball, lol.
“I wouldn’t worry about the velocity until we can get some legitimate readings.
If I’m looking at PitchFX at the end of April and still see 87-89 then I’ll start worrying. Until then, who cares”
Exactly, maybe Phil is sitting at 87-89 mph because he is choosing not to air it out until the season begins … he clearly is working on his change up and cutter … that might just be where is his mindset has been all camp … he doesnt need to impress anyone at this point in his career in ST … he won 18 games and another in the post season … he has pretty much established himself.
Watching Hughes the other night his fastball looked good to me. I don’t think they were displaying velocity but it LOOKED ok…
Good move to sign Millwood. It’s low risk with a pssoble good upside.
These arms (Colon, Garcia, Millwood) really only need to hold spots until teams start to fall out of contention and shed payroll or the kids are ready.
i like the moves, it looks like it’ll be #4 nova and #5 colon with garcia in long relief and milwood as insurance.
i picked up mitre on the fantasy team, i have a feeling he’s gonna pitch well enough to keep a spot in the brewer’s rotation. good luck to him.
hughes trying to “win a starting spot” last year could easily explain why he was gassing the ball more in ST.
it can also explain why he ran out of gas in August.
Save it for when it matters IMO…
Patrick, those aren’t legitimate readings by the scouts?
lgy i left a response to our montero/martin discussion back a page… didn’t want to drag it out in a new thread
… and i’m going to lunch
Hughes said after his last start his velocity was 87-91 but added that it was the same last year at this time. I do remember in the early part of last year when he had his success, his velocity was 93-94.
Patrick, those aren’t legitimate readings by the scouts?
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We can’t see their guns, so have to take them at their word. Most spring training parks don’t have a radar so can’t really verify.
Well if that’s the case, why wouldn’t the Yankees just say he was working on other things instead of saying that his FB was down last year as well?
A mop up man could sit in the pen for a month before he’s used.
That is why Colon will not be that man.
Why would you sit a hot pitcher like that is beyond me?
He won’t be here by years end so use him now. Freddy will be.
The Yankees don’t owe you an explanation.
handheld radar guns have been found to be so largely inaccurate they can’t even be used in court anymore… so no I don’t trust the scout
Pitchfx uses timestamps and physical location of the ball to determine out of hand and across the plate velocities. infinitely more accurate.
Phil was not gassing the ball in ST last year- his velocity was down as well last year until late. As to the cutter, I guess the implication is that his arm hurts or isn’t right because he’s using it more, but I’m assuming that he threw it more because he wasn’t happy with it and Phil was hoping to work it out. Obviously it didn’t come and he changed grips.
phil will be phine
and so it continues…
his velocity was down as well last year until late
This is false, you only *think* this.
hughes sat at 91-93 all season.
Betsy,
Hearsay evidence isn’t allowed in court for a reason. Until I can see his velocity myself I don’t really care what scouts are saying. Not to mention, he’s most likely not throwing as hard as he can because it’s spring training and he’s working on other things like his cutter, change, curve..
I thought betsy wanted phil to work on his curve or did i misremember?
What are you talking about, ID? If you’ve read my posts and the tweets, you’d know I was talking about late in ST.
Patrick, that’s fine if that’s the case, but then as I asked before, why didn’t the Yanks just come out and say he’s working on his other pitches instead of saying that his velocity was down last year as well? I’m hardly going to lose sleep on it, but yes I think it’s something to watch.
you tweet?
you can bet whenever the board turns to dire predictions for phil that one person is always gonna be there.
More Phil bashing from the usual corner.
the yanks didn’t notify us of phil’s progress, isn’t that part of the protocol?
Betsy, Phil’s stuff looked really good the other night. He threw a variety of pitches and I would think that he is concentrating on perfecting his pitches rather than throwing gas. There haven’t been any reports of injuries with him, and he hasn’t been kept out of games. There’s really no need for him to be blowing out the radar gun at this point.
I’d say there’s nothing to be concerned about.
My dad’s mantra to us was always “don’t go borrowing trouble.” I do believe it’s a good one.
Trading Mitre makes sense, for the Yankees AND for Mitre. He was never going to start for the Yankees, and they seem to have a plethora of long relief / spot starter candidates.
Here’s what disappoints me. Given regular work, Mitre is a serviceable back of the rotation starter for most clubs. Plus, he’s only 30 years old. With starting pitching having become such a high priced commodity, I just think Cashman could have gotten a better return. Seems like he just gave him away.
off to the library…
betsy – What are you talking about… I quoted you.
Phil was not gassing the ball in ST last year- his velocity was down as well last year until late.
If you are telling me that he was throwing 94 in ST then I am telling you he was trying to throw too hard too early. You are also the one that constantly says he “ran out of gas” at the end of the year last year.
i wonder why that happened?
betsy – What are you talking about… I quoted you.
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Now that is funny.
Now she’s arguing with herself, lol.
What does that have to do with the price of beans. I did NOT say he was throwing 94 in ST last year…….why don’t you find a post of mine where I said that? My comment about his velocity being down until late was in reference to ST, NOT the regular season.
why didn’t the Yanks just come out and say he’s working on his other pitches instead of saying that his velocity was down last year as well?
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How should I know?
Both are true statements…
Patrick
They didn’t tell you either?
Not to mention, he’s most likely not throwing as hard as he can because it’s spring training and he’s working on other things like his cutter, change, curve..
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Isn’t that what Betsy wanted Phil to work on?
Betsy, I’m not piecing your own conversations and opinions back together for you… you have constantly talked about hughes velocity from last season being down and him “running out of gas” over the last 3 months.
Now you are worried about him not throwing 94mph in march, a situation which the scout you quoted says was the case last year… yet likely lead to your other complaints about last season.
From what I read scouts are making comments and the Yankees reply was that it was down last year also and came back in April. The Yankees didn’t initiate anything, merely responded to what the scouts were putting out there.
I think this is a potential tempest in a teapot and the Yankees need not say a word since when pitchers are refining their pitches they don’t necessarily concentrate on their money pitch because they don’t need to and why waste bullets. Anyway, I will back out of this one because I don’t expend energy worrying needlessly about anything. Plenty of time to worry if there is a legitimate worry.
Have fun.
I like the Yanks “glass-half-full” press release.
Forget his W-L last season. Means nothing.
Hits allowed, earned runs allowed, home-runs allowed. He was basically the Baltimore version of AJ.
if i were andrew brackman, i would be excited. milwood’s going to be gone from scranton one way or another in a month and after that there’s a big opportunity likely to open the first time the yankees need a spot-start.
i like the way cashman stood his ground on milwood. all milwood (or his agent) did was lose out on the chance to compete for a rotation spot and land him on the outside (aaa) looking in.