CLOSED: AROUND the MLB Thread

fwiw...

Agent: Miller a closer-in-waiting
Updated: November 11, 2014, 5:55 PM ET
By Jerry Crasnick | ESPN.com



PHOENIX -- After establishing himself as one of the game's premier setup men in 2014, free-agent lefty Andrew Miller might be ready to graduate to a more prominent role.

Miller, 29, went 5-5 with a 2.02 ERA and struck out 103 batters in 62 1/3 innings with Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles this past season. Although he has recorded only one save in 259 big league appearances, his agent, Mark Rodgers, said Miller is generating strong interest from several teams in the market for a closer this offseason.

"I think Andrew's evolution in the bullpen and his numbers this year fortify the belief in baseball that he's a closer-in-waiting -- and maybe the time for waiting is over,'' Rodgers said Tuesday from the MLB general managers' meetings.

Although Rodgers declined to comment on potential suitors for Miller, several contending clubs with big payrolls are looking for late-inning relief help. That list includes the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers.

New York's incumbent closer, David Robertson, became a free agent after rejecting a $15.3 million qualifying offer Monday. While Dellin Betances is a strong in-house closer candidate, Robertson's departure still leaves a late-inning relief void in the Bronx.

The Dodgers (Kenley Jansen) and Red Sox (Koji Uehara) have established closers on their staffs but are looking to make bullpen upgrades. And the Tigers had major bullpen issues in 2014 and previously expressed interest in Miller during the July trade deadline -- although sources said their main objective at the moment is re-signing designated hitter Victor Martinez.

Miller, selected by Detroit as the sixth pick in the 2006 draft out of the University of North Carolina, blossomed out of the Boston bullpen in 2012 and took his production to new heights this season. His 14.87 strikeouts per nine innings were the most in American League history by a pitcher with more than 50 innings. Miller also dominated hitters from both sides of the plate, holding lefties to a .467 OPS and righties to an OPS of .446.

In Baltimore's postseason series against Detroit and Kansas City, Miller threw 7 1/3 shutout innings with eight strikeouts.

"He's the closest you're going to get to Randy Johnson these days -- him and probably Chris Sale,'' Orioles reliever Darren O'Day said during the American League Division Series.

Rodgers said he plans to be "methodical'' in his discussions with teams and doesn't expect anything to happen quickly. The agent also didn't rule out the possibility of Miller signing with a contending team as a setup man or a Plan B to an entrenched closer.

"For us, there are no demands or expectations on what role it's going to be,'' Rodgers said. "A team that signs Andrew Miller is a team that has put a premium on its bullpen -- because no matter how the bullpen is, he's going to make it better.''​

 

i don't even know who you are any more

 

no it isn't
and having three wouldn't deplete the pen of LOOGYs in certain situations

@chrisdodgers @VRP ^see, i'm even making stat references now :woot::irish:

 

so glad you posted this
it's a stat i've often wondered about since relievers ERA's can be so nebulous and misleading

 

Sandoval and David Ortiz in the same city? How will other people eat?

 

RA Dickey winning because of feel good story reasons still bothers me.

Kershaw should have four in a row.

 

• Diamondbacks GM Dave Stewart confirmed the team’s interest in Chad Billingsley, saying the right-hander is “definitely a possibility for us.” Billingsley has been sidelined for almost two full seasons due to Tommy John surgery and a torn flexor tendon. Stewart represented Billingsley back when the GM was a player agent.

 

• Don Mattingly received votes on 10 of 30 ballots for the National League Manager of the Year Award, which was won on Tuesday by Matt Williams of the Washington Nationals. Mattingly received one second-place and nine third-place votes for leading the Dodgers to their second consecutive NL West title. Clint Hurdle of the Pittsburgh Pirates finished second overall and Bruce Bochy of the San Francisco Giants was third. With a 94-68 record, Mattingly has guided the Dodgers to winning records in each of his four seasons as manager.

just curious how many 15th place votes he got :mattingly:

 

• Left-hander Eric Stults has chosen to become a free agent after the Padres outrighted him to Triple-A, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (Twitter link). Stults was designated for assignment by the Padres last week.

perfect example of a hack who will probably sign with the cards or gnats and pitch lights
of course if we sign him, he'll be eric slults

man i had a great pic of him back in the day
i'll have to try and find it...