Decision Approaching on Kevin Millwood

By EJ Fagan On April 27, 2011 · 6 Comments · In Roster Decisions

On Sunday, Kevin Millwood will be allowed to opt out of his minor league contract with the Yankees and seek employment elsewhere if they do not add him to the 25-man roster. Going into Spring Training, I think Millwood was probably considered a better pitcher right now than Bartolo Colon or Freddy Garcia. However, Colon and Garcia have combined for 31 innings and an ERA of 2.32, with Colon throwing great stuff while Freddy Garcia is getting by with junk.

Millwood’s stuff hasn’t looked good in the minors, but we knew that would happen already. His stuff hasn’t been good for years. According to Fangraphs, he has consistently lost a half a mile per hour on his fastball every year since we started getting Pitch/Fx data. He’s old, that what happens when players get old. But, unlike Garcia and Colon, he’s consistently been a healthy innings eater in the American League over that time. I’m not sure if he’s still a better bet to pitch more effectively than either Colon or Garcia, but he’s got to be the favorite to at least stay healthy.

As far as I can tell, the Yankees have three options with Millwood:

  • 1) Allow him to opt-out and seek employment elsewhere.
  • 2) Stick Millwood in the bullpen.
  • 3) Hand Millwood a rotation spot, and demote one of Nova, Colon or Garcia to the bullpen or minor leagues

None are particularly good options. Millwood’s stuff isn’t likely to play particularly well in the bullpen, and his innings-eating value is mostly useful as a starter. While Colon or Nova might make good bullpen options in long relief, I don’t think you’d be smart to move either from starting. Nova is still young, and looked pretty good last night. And Colon is throwing serious heat. And Garcia is in Millwood’s boat – he throws junk, which won’t be as effective in shorter stints.

I don’t see any scenario where retaining Millwood, and his $1.5 million salary, makes any sense. While Colon and Garcia may break down as the season goes on, the Yankees will have more pitching options as the season goes on. They’ll have the Triple-A crew (Phelps, Brackman, Warren, Noesi) to draw from, plus the trade market and a recovered Phil Hughes. They’ll be slightly less covered for a month or two, but I think the odds of an injury to Colon or Garcia increase later in the season, as their bodies break down from workloads.

But that’s just me. What do you think the Yankees should do about Kevin Millwood?

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6 Responses to Decision Approaching on Kevin Millwood

  1. Patrick says:
    April 27, 2011 at 2:22 pm

    I say let him opt out. Considering the depth of old guys we already have and the quality pitching we have in AAA and AA, let him go. Besides there always is Carlos Silva…. (Please God, NO!)

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  2. UYF1950 says:
    April 27, 2011 at 3:03 pm

    I say you cut Millwood lose. If the Yankees were to do something with Colon or Garcia the way they have pitched so far and Millwood tanks it. There would be hell to pay and rightfully so. Millwood isn’t worth it at this point. There will be better options for the Yankees if need be in 60 or so days. Let him go.

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  3. Justice Beaver says:
    April 27, 2011 at 4:45 pm

    I personally think it all depends on what Hughes test results say. I can easily see the Yankees putting him on the 40 man in Lance Pendleton’s spot as the new long man and spot starter if Colon or Garcia have a bad game.

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  4. Brads says:
    April 27, 2011 at 5:28 pm

    Can we follow the Ted Williams approach where we freeze him and cut off his head so we can clone him to a younger age and recover that fastball?

    Oh wait, he’s probably expecting that….never mind.

    [Reply]

  5. nyyankeefanforever says:
    April 27, 2011 at 6:08 pm

    I say let Millwood go and bring on Manny Banuelos and the Killer Bs. Frankly, I’d like to see all the B’s become a 5th-man committee. Rotate each of them on through for a start or two so they don’t lose work back on the farm and let’s give them some looks. Bet it would drive the other teams nuts just like that Humber kid did to our guys the other day.

    [Reply]

    T.O. Chris Reply:
    April 27th, 2011 at 8:11 pm

    You’re joking right? Obviously you have to be.

    [Reply]

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