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Kevin Millwood

Quick Hits: Millwood, Furcal, Drese, Varitek, Young

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Some links to sift through on a slow Sunday evening…

Indians Notes: Masterson, Bonderman, Carmona

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Paul Hoynes and Terry Pluto at the Cleveland Plain Dealer have the latest on the Tribe….

  • In a mailbag, Hoynes explains that the Indians likely didn't consider bringing back Manny Ramirez because they preferred to add a player who could handle the outfield – like Austin Kearns.
  • Within the same article, Hoynes says that the Red Sox have approached the Indians multiple times about the possibility of re-acquiring Justin Masterson. The Indians aren't likely to move the right-hander, but Hoynes points out they'd be "silly not to listen."
  • Hoynes also adds that he still thinks Jeremy Bonderman could become an Indian, on a minor league deal. However, he doesn't see the team signing Kevin Millwood unless the veteran's asking price goes down.
  • In a separate piece, Fausto Carmona tells Hoynes that he's happy in Cleveland and unfazed by trade rumors involving him: "I never read the newspaper in the Dominican Republic. I can't control the situation. A lot of people see something on the Internet and call me and say do you know about this trade? I just tell them I'm ready to play, no matter what the situation."
  • Pluto says he's come around on the Orlando Cabrera signing after finding out it was only for $1MM. He notes that, if Cabrera plays well, the Tribe could turn him into a midseason trade chip as they did with Russell Branyan last year.

Millwood Rejected Yankees’ Minor League Offer

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One of the few notable names left on the starting pitching market, Kevin Millwood still appears to be seeking a Major League contract. The veteran right-hander recently turned down a minor league offer from the Yankees, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. According to Sherman, the deal was structured similarly to the one Freddy Garcia signed with the club.

Despite their ongoing need for help at the back of the rotation, the Yankees are "adamant" about not guaranteeing Millwood big league money to compete for a starting pitching job. If the righty were to sign a minor league deal, he would have to beat out New York's other in-house options to earn a roster spot.

Considering most teams have figured out their rotations by now, there may not be a Major League offer out there for the 36-year-old. While it's never safe to underestimate Scott Boras, Millwood doesn't seem to have many suitors, with the Yankees and Indians among the few teams linked to him in recent weeks. When we asked you last weekend for predictions on Millwood's landing spot, those two clubs combined to earn about 70% of over 6,800 votes.

Quick Hits: Ortiz, Cabrera, Pujols, Astros

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On this date in 2008, the Rockies signed Scott Podsednik. The Blue Jays did just that yesterday, agreeing to a minor league deal with the speedy outfielder. Here are some links for Thursday…

East Notes: Millwood, Bartlett, Manuel, Jenks

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Pitchers and catchers are reporting in Arizona and Florida, but up in the northeast, it doesn't feel like spring has arrived quite yet. Here are a few AL and NL East-related links while we wait for the snow to melt….

  • Although the Yankees and Kevin Millwood are still talking, they have "a ways to go," tweets SI.com's Jon Heyman. Yesterday, nearly 43% of over 6,300 MLBTR readers voted that Millwood would eventually sign with the Yanks.
  • The Rays were close to sending Jason Bartlett to San Francisco before they worked out a trade with another NL West club, Giants GM Brian Sabean tells Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.
  • John Gonzalez of the Philadelphia Inquirer wonders why it's taking so long for the Phillies and Charlie Manuel to work out a contract extension.
  • The Red Sox topped baseball's list of spenders this offseason, as ESPN.com's Katie Sharp writes. Since the turn of the century, the piece notes, only the 2009 Yankees have won a World Series after having outspent the rest of the league the previous winter.
  • Bobby Jenks spoke to the media in Fort Myers today, discussing his decision to sign with the Red Sox. The right-hander said he had offers elsewhere to close, but wanted to play in Boston, adding that he knows his role as a setup man and "didn’t come here to step on anybody’s toes." Alex Speier of WEEI.com has those quotes and more from Jenks.
  • Mike Puma of the New York Post and Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun each pose 10 questions that could shape the Mets' and Orioles' seasons, respectively. In addition to discussing how new arrivals will fit in, each article addresses the back of the bullpen. Will the Mets let Francisco Rodriguez finish 55 games to trigger his 2012 option? And will it be Kevin Gregg, Koji Uehara, Mike Gonzalez, or someone else closing in Baltimore?
  • For updates all year long on the closing situations in Boston, New York, Baltimore, and everywhere else, be sure to follow @closernews on Twitter. A great resource for fantasy players, @closernews will keep tabs on injuries, ineffectiveness, overuse, and anything else that could affect which relievers are getting save opps.

Indians Making Progress With Kevin Millwood

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FEBRUARY 12: The Indians are still unwilling to sign Kevin Millwood to a one-year, $4MM deal, tweets Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer.  Meanwhile, the club still has interest in Jeremy Bonderman, but on a minor league deal.

FEBRUARY 5, 3:26pm: Millwood is still talking with multiple clubs and has yet to decide where he will pitch in 2011, a source tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Meanwhile, even though the Indians would prefer to bring someone in on a minor league deal, the team has not ruled out signing a pitcher to a big league contract, writes Bastian.

11:50am: The Tribe may try to bring in one starting pitcher but not two, and there's a still a chance they won't sign anyone, writes MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.  Cleveland has been connected to Jeremy Bonderman recently, and Bastian says the Millwood talks seem to indicate that a snag has been hit with Bonderman.

9:34am: The Indians are making progress with free agent Kevin Millwood, tweets Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. He notes that CEO Paul Dolan would have to approve the signing if it's a big league contract.

Just a few days ago we heard that Millwood's camp was still seeking $4-5MM, prompting MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith to list some potential suitors for the right-hander. Millwood, 36, is familiar with the Indians, having pitched in Cleveland back in 2005, when he led the league with a 2.86 ERA and finished sixth in the Cy Young voting.

If the Tribe manages to bring Millwood back, one thing they can count on are innings. He's made no fewer than 29 starts or thrown fewer than 168 2/3 innings since 2004, eclipsing 190 innings in each of the last two seasons. Unfortunately he's posted an ERA north of 5.00 in three of the last four years, and his strikeout and ground ball rates have dipped down to 5.9 K/9 and 39.8%, respectively, over the last two years while his homer rate has climbed to 1.3 HR/9. 

Poll: Kevin Millwood’s Next Team

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Yesterday we learned that the Yankees are still considering Kevin Millwood to help round out their rotation.  The Bombers might feel compelled to boost their starting five, even after bringing Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon aboard recently.  They could also afford the veteran’s $4-5MM price tag – something that other clubs are hesitant over.

The Indians have long been linked to Millwood but would prefer to bring someone in on a minor league deal.  A $4-5MM deal would be too rich for their blood but as time passes one has to wonder if the right-hander’s camp might be willing to take less.  The 36-year-old also hasn’t ruled out a return to Baltimore and MLBTR’s Ben Nicholson-Smith recently wrote that it would make sense for teams like the Royals, Rockies, and Mariners to join the fray.

AL Notes: Millwood, Soria, A-Rod, Barton

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MLBTR sends its condolences to the friends and family of Ernie Tyler, who passed away on Thursday night.  The long-time umpire attendant at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium and Camden Yards worked 3819 consecutive games between Opening Day 1960 and July 27, 2007, only halting his streak when the Orioles' other iron man (Cal Ripken Jr.) invited Tyler to Cooperstown for Ripken's induction into the Hall of Fame.  Tyler, 86, is survived by his wife and 11 children.

Some news from the Junior Circuit…

  • The Yankees are still considering signing Kevin Millwood, tweets SI.com's Jon Heyman.  We heard about New York's interest in the right-hander last week, and recent rumors have linked him to Cleveland, though the Indians don't want to pay Millwood the $4-5MM he's seeking.
  • In a recent online chat with fans, Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star said it is "unlikely bordering on inconceivable" that the Royals will look to move Joakim Soria at the trade deadline.  We heard earlier this winter that K.C. was firm on keeping Soria in the fold, despite interest from a few other clubs.
  • Fangraphs' Dave Cameron argues Andy MacPhail's recent statement that Alex Rodriguez's contract with the Rangers was "the worst signing in the history of baseball."  As Cameron notes, the problem wasn't Rodriguez, but rather the fact that the Rangers surrounded him with mediocre talent.
  • Is Daric Barton a better first baseman than Ryan Howard and Mark Teixeira?  Citing wOBA, defense and contracts, ESPN.com's Evan Brunell believes so.
  • John Tomase of the Boston Herald profiles Te Wera Bishop, who is trying to become the first New Zealand-born player in Major League history.  Bishop, 17, starred for New Zealand's national softball team before being signed to a $60K contract by the Red Sox.

Indians Notes: LaPorta, Sizemore, Rotation, Chisenhall

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Even on a day filled with football news, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer has a pair of Indians articles up filled with some information on what we can expect from the Tribe in 2011. Let's look at some highlights:

  • The upcoming season will play a large role in gauging the return that the Indians got from the C.C. Sabathia trade. Both Matt LaPorta and Michael Brantley are expected to play full seasons as part of Cleveland's rebuilding efforts. LaPorta, who recently turned 26, is fully healthy unlike 2010 when he underwent two mid-season surgeries.
  • Both Grady Sizemore and Fausto Carmona could be traded if they perform well in the first half. Sizemore is more likely, given that he's only under Cleveland's control through 2012 (the $8.5MM club option on his deal becomes a player option if he's traded). Carmona is through 2014 through a series of club options.
  • The club is still interested in both Kevin Millwood and Jeremy Bonderman, though Hoynes says the Indians haven't changed their stance on Millwood's asking price; they don't want to invest $4MM-$5MM.
  • Lonnie Chisenhall will open the season at Triple-A Columbus no matter what, according to Hoynes. He has a chance to push some current big-leaguers eventually, as do Jason Kipnis, Jared Goedert, and Cord Phelps. Keith Law recently ranked Chisenhall as the game's 39th best prospect. Kipnis placed 56th.

Cafardo’s Latest: Pettitte, Millwood, Blanton

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Even now that Andy Pettitte has announced his retirement, it seems the debate over whether he'll pitch again won't die. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe talked to one scout who, following Pettitte's press conference, was still unconvinced the left-hander is done for good.

"I get the feeling his career isn’t over. For one, he can still pitch at a high level. Secondly, he didn’t retire with any conviction. The stuff about going back and forth on whether or not to pitch leads me to believe he’ll decide to pitch again."

Whether or not the scout is on to something, the Yankees are looking elsewhere for starting pitching. Cafardo has a couple notes on their search among this week's hot stove updates….

  • We heard yesterday that the Indians were "making progress" with Kevin Millwood, who is talking to multiple clubs. Cafardo names the Yankees, Mets, and Tribe as teams still in on the right-hander, with salary as the primary hang-up. Given Scott Boras' success so far this offseason, it would actually be somewhat surprising if he and Millwood don't eventually get what they're asking for.
  • The Yanks will "see what they have" with pitchers like Freddy Garcia, Bartolo Colon, and Sergio Mitre before they consider trading for someone like Joe Blanton.
  • The Red Sox are eyeing former Yankee Alfredo Aceves as a potential injury rehab project.
  • According to Cafardo, it would be the "shock of the century" if Adrian Gonzalez and the Red Sox don't come to terms on a contract extension by the end of Spring Training.
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