The Brewers announced that they’ve signed right-hander Shelby Miller to a minor league contract. The Roc Nation Sports client will be in Major League camp as a non-roster invitee this spring.
It wasn’t long ago that the 29-year-old Miller was considered to be among the game’s rising young pitchers, but he fell on hard times following a 2015 trade to the Diamondbacks. An All-Star who posted a 3.02 ERA in 205 1/3 innings back in 2015, Miller posted an unexpectedly poor 6.15 ERA in 101 frames in his first season with the D-backs. A year later, he underwent Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for more than a year. He wasn’t able to regain his form upon returning and ultimately was non-tendered in the 2018-19 offseason.
Following that disappointing run in Arizona, Miller inked a one-year, $2MM deal with the Rangers but saw his struggles persist. In 44 innings with Texas last year, he allowed nearly a run per frame before being cut loose. Miller latched on with the Brewers on a minor league deal over the summer but didn’t make it to the big leagues. He’ll now return as a no-risk flier, giving the Milwaukee organization a free look in Spring Training.
Ha! Great trade diamondbacks, that one really worked out!
Thankfully they have a new regime now, but yeah, this trade was something else.
It’s a trip to think this will be his fourth team.
5th. St. Louis, Atlanta, Arizona, Texas.
He was already with Milwaukee last season.
The Milwaukee platoons are becoming the laughing stock of baseball give me your tommy john rejects your wheel chair bound making a come back we will take them all what a joke
Laughing stock of baseball? Maybe let them have even an average or worse season before bringing in this BS. The current run is one of the most successful in franchise history so get a clue.
Bean dip?
Getting fired up over a minor league deal with zero risk? Makes sense. Also Garcia, Anderson, Narvaez, Sogard all had really good seasons last year. Smoak can easily produce Thames numbers and Lindblom is well worth the risk. Yeah we took fliers on Jedd and Healy but what team doesn’t take some fliers
While some of the players you posted had good seasons last year doesn’t mean hardly any of them have a decent track record. Was the roster assembled well the last few seasons? Yes, but the brewers had crazy roster turn over this isn’t half the team they had last season. And the lack of starters that are any decent shows red flags last years bullpen usage by the brewers wasn’t sustainable.
Their starters are better going into this year compared to last. It’s funny to me when someone argues the brewers being not a good team they first say “their staff isn’t good”. We were a playoff team two seasons in a row with that “terrible staff”
And a bullpen used up more then more then most starting rotations. It’s unsustainable to have every reliever pitch 70-80 innings each year. Clearly your unaware bullpens are much more volatile when over used. I can name you an army of over used big name relievers who’s arms fall to dead arm after too many seasons with too many innings. There is a reason relievers don’t make it as starters.
How threw significant innings in our pen last year? 75 innings for Hader is actually less than he threw in 2018 and he has 200 career innings so he has very little miles on his arm. Not to mention we only got 120 innings out of Woodruff which should go up health permitting, we also only had 111 innings out of Hauser who should give us more this year as well. Not to mention Knebel will be back. On top of all that we had to deal with nearly 250 innings combined out of Albers, Burnes, Jeffress and Chacin who were all atrocious. With all of that we still finished middle of the pack in the bigs in ERA as a staff.
That’s why most relievers are relief pitchers: MOST don’t have the stamina or arsenal to throw multiple innings multiple times a week. A starting pitcher is EXPECTED to throw 5-7 innings every 5 days. Why is it so hard for “professional ” relief pitchers to throw 1-2 innings 2 to 3 innings at least 2 times a week? For the price they’re getting paid, they should be able to throw at least 5 innings per week (if the need arises).
This is false. It’s a lot different to throw consistently once every five days with full recovery time in between to the inconsistent usage of relievers. It’s not the number of innings that is the issue, it’s not having the time in between outings to fully recover from throwing a max effort inning if they are used four times a week.
Because up until recently there hasn’t been development of relief pitchers that way
Laughing stock of baseball? There giving this man a minor league contract and giving him a chance in spring training what is laughable about that? This is a low risk high reward type of move. Just mad because this team keeps doing stuff by making moves like these. Sleep on David Sterns, he could be better but he’s done a lot of good stuff for the brewers
How can they be the laughing stock of baseball when they aren’t even the worst team in their own division?
We’re you this distraught when they signed him last year?
Were you this distraught when they signed him last year?
Shouldn’t laugh at contenders
Again, I’m a Cardinal fan through and through but I must defend the Brewers. They are unquestionably the best in MLB of living within their means and finding above average performances in the bargain bin. I love the Shelby Miller signing. It’s a cheap lottery ticket with decent upside. Was hoping the Cards would give Miller a shot.
Burned that bridge.
Maybe they should give Luke Gregerson a 2 YEAR MAJOR LEAGUE DEAL for $11M?
Counsel is a hell of a good mgr!
Put him in the bullpen! Try it out..
Might as well give it a try on a minor league deal. He has a far better track record and far more upside than most minor league signings in late January. If it doesn’t work, you lose nothing. If it does, you could have a quality big league starting pitcher.
Of course, Miller just keeps going from hitter’s paradise to hitter’s paradise. I’d like to see if he could get his confidence back by pitching in Seattle or San Fran or Pittsburgh. But it is what it is. Somebody has to pitch in the hitter’s parks.
Get him as far away from Texas as humanly possible. If you want to be down 5 runs in the 3rd, he’s your guy.
I was hoping the Rockies would sign him to a major league deal just so we could see how absolutely horrible Miller can be.
He’s probably going to turn into Drew Pomeranz, and I’m here for it.
So have a good month and sign a 4yr deal with the padres?
This poor guy has never been able to live up to his hype! Mercy
He got hurt. Not really the same as not living up to the hype.
He was already bad before being hurt.
This is kind of tradeable asset the Pirates need to stockpile.
Can he play second base?
Does a Pooh poo in the woods?
“Oh bother.”
Great signing, no risk high reward. Wish Os would have got him
I recall watching Miller pitch a Sunday night game in which he had Molina, Matheny, and Lilliquist visibly frustrated with his endless need to shake off pitches. Speak less, listen more.
that was his problem. he always had the answer. he never realized that he had a HOF catcher that was trying to teach him. his demeanor on the mound was always that of an arrogant kid rather than a student of the game. it’s s shame because the guy’s got talent.
Well it’s a team leadership failure if that’s the case.
just stop with your cardinal hate. it’s tired. find a better hobby.
Cardinal hate? Let’s dissect that. What happened to Lilliquist and Matheny? What have the Cardinals done since Miller was traded? Where are those guys they got for him? Is Molina in the HOF?
Sweet now trade him to Diamondbacks for there 3 best prospects.
As long as he comes cheap he will have a home with the Brewers
I’m trying to figure out if you feel they should have given him more money to not be cheap, or you simply don’t comprehend that its a minor league deal.
No, real risk in this signing. Why all the grief?
Because some people a) have to whine about everything, b) think for some reason Milwaukee should be signing high priced guys despite c) and d) none are available and even when they were didn’t want to go there.
Nice pick up for the Brewers. No real risk with it being a minor league deal. Just surprised Pirates didn’t sniff this out.
This will fail unless he changes or reinvents himself.
I really hope he is able to regain some of his talent – such a shame
LOL , the Reds sign Castellanos and the Brewers sign Shelby Miller. That sums it up.
. Stearns has now signed an army of players who once had good seasons but have washed out or went sour for various reasons. Reds and Cardinals really improved their teams considerably but the Brewers are destined for 3rd or 4th in the NL Central.
The Brewers were llinked to so many top free agents in the sports media in the off season. Another fine example of Fake News.
What did St. Louis do to improve their team this off season?
For all the people that think young players improve linearly, I give you Shelby Miller.