The Mariners have interest in free agent right-hander Kevin Millwood, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets. Seattle is looking at veteran pitchers who could join Felix Hernandez, Michael Pineda and Jason Vargas in the projected 2012 rotation.
Millwood posted a 3.98 ERA with 6.0 K/9, 1.3 BB/9 and a 42.2% ground ball rate in 54 1/3 innings for the Rockies over the course of the final two months of the 2011 season. The 37-year-old Scott Boras client spent most of the year pitching for the top minor league affiliates of the Yankees and Red Sox, posting a 4.32 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 89 2/3 minor league innings. The Rockies are the only other team that's been linked to Millwood so far this offseason.
with his home run rate, safeco will do him wonders
…why?
Because Seattle is where players go right before retirement… OR when they have no other choices. You choose.
Why you ask?
I will try to theorize!
Mariners PR Department wants to try out a new tactic in attracting the crowds to Safeco Fields. They want to directly market to fans who watch baseball and get seasick when whale watching. In other words, they want to kill two birds with one stone. What could be more perfect than Whale Watching while watching Baseball? Signing Millwood and Fielder would be a tremendous step forward in addressing the needs of those fans! =)
Plus, Boras promised a discount if the Mariners signed them both!
How many chances do you get in obtaining a discount from Boras?
if they plan to go for Fielder eventually than going for Millwood at a cheaper 1 year deal per say is smart for their rotation. Esp. since they traded away Doug Fister.
It would be smart if they’re looking for a stop gap before Hultzen gets to town.
Waste of money
Why? because the A’s can’t afford him.
Targeting Millwood is literally scraping the fungus from the bottom of the barrel.. heck, it even beats out the SFG grabbing Ponson who at least has some talent.
Targeting Millwood is literally scraping the fungus from the bottom of the barrel.. heck, it even beats out the SFG grabbing Ponson who at least has some talent.
Mariners are locking up pitching that can handle Pujols
Mariners are locking up pitching that can handle Pujols
Safeco is a big ballpark, but it doesn’t suit right handed soft tossing pitchers nearly as much as it benefits the leftys. He is a work horse, and threw 190.2 MLB innings as recently as 2010. If the M’s do have interest and sign him, it will probably be a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. There is nothing wrong with this type of depth move.
If he’s cheap it’s not a bad option to fill up space till Hultzen or Paxton comes up
I like the move if its minor league contract with invite to camp or incentive laced 1 year contract. Would help let younger pitchers get more time in minors and not be rushed.
I don’t mind the M’s looking at cheap temporary veteran guys like Millwood or even Jon Garland (if his shoulder is ready) to consider for the back of the rotation, these veterans are better options than letting Furbush continue to pitch out of the rotation.
I don’t mind the M’s looking at cheap temporary veteran guys like Millwood or even Jon Garland (if his shoulder is ready) to consider for the back of the rotation, these veterans are better options than letting Furbush continue to pitch out of the rotation.
Wow, you probably could snatch a AAAA guy and do better.
Millwood should only be in a major-league uniform again at an old-timers game.
They are looking for an older veteran, actually, to help keep the young pitchers on track. His clubhouse role would be the most important part of his job. Jamey Wright’s role last year.
The Mariners would hope that Kevin Millwood would post impressive numbers at Safeco Field so the M’s can flip Millwood for prospects at the trade deadline to continue the rebuilding process.
It worked with Erik Bedard last season and on a larger scale with Cliff Lee the previous season.
Signing Kevin Millwood will totally address one of our biggest needs. Everyone knows that having a good batting practice pitcher will help your offense get going.
In all seriousness, why the hell not? He can still pitch a little and it’s low risk. If he can hold it together long enough to appear respectable at the deadline we can flip him for some organizational depth and maybe a B level prospect if someone’s desperate.
NOBODY would be desperate enough to give the M’s a B level prospect for Millwood…
They’re not going to use Millwood to pitch, he’s going to be providing a strong bat in the middle of the order…
You have it confused with the upcoming Figgins/Zambrano swap, so the M’s can use Carlos as a DH.
YAWN
A team like Oakland would better off signing Kevin Millwood while going after Prince Fielder, Carlos Lee as a DH if still available. Plus, Baltimore needs some pitching help as we can use a short shop JJ Hardy via trade to reunite w/ GM Jack Z. and Prince Fielder by packaging pitchers Paxton and Shawn Kelley, Chone Figgins, and Justin Smoak to the Baltimore Orioles in a three team trade w/ Figgins going to Colorado Rockies; Seth Smith & a minor-leaguer to Baltimore; JJ Hardy, Tommy Hunter, and Luke Scott to Seattle Mariners. This will definitely help all three teams for a long while, esp. for the Mariners to compete w/ Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels in the upcoming season after what Seattle Seahawks went through during this football season w/ a losing record. Let’s bring in some guys that can help us be winners.