wolves025
01-08-2005, 01:14 AM
CLEVELAND -- Indians general manager Mark Shapiro has reportedly ended his quest for a quality starting pitcher after agreeing on a one-year contract with free-agent Kevin Millwood.
Shapiro and the Indians are expected to announce Millwood's signing Saturday morning during a news conference at Jacobs Field. Their announcement will officially end what had been an offseason-long search for pitching, particularly somebody who could slide into the No. 2 or No. 3 slot in the rotation.
With the 30-year-old Millwood, the Indians might have exceeded their hope, because he has the potential to be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher.
For his career, Millwood boasts a 98-64 record with a 3.89 ERA. Twice, he has won 18 games (1999 and 2002 with the Braves). In 25 starts last season, he went 9-6 with a 4.89 ERA with the Phillies, who paid him $11 million.
Millwood's deal with the Indians is expected to be for around $7 million. His contract would reportedly include incentives that could bump his salary to close to $8 million.
But signing Millwood, his pedigree notwithstanding, isn't without risk. He spent most of the last two months of the '04 season on the disabled list with acute tendinitis in his right elbow.
His elbow problems raised doubts about Millwood, lessening his appeal on the open market. So a one-year deal benefits Millwood, because it allows him to prove that his right elbow is sound and frees him to return to the open market after the 2005 season.
In Cleveland last week, Millwood took a physical, and the poking and prodding turned up nothing that appeared to scare off Shapiro. If Millwood signs in Cleveland, he will give the Tribe a dominant pitcher who is capable of anchoring its rotation.
His best pitch is a two-seam fastball, and he throws it in the low 90s with heavy sink. His changeup has been described as "above average," and he has a good slider that can freeze hitters.
Landing somebody like Millwood had been a high priority for Shapiro this offseason. He had first targeted a closer, settling on veteran Bob Wickman. After Wickman re-signed, Shapiro focused on a starter.
He pursued Millwood after pitchers David Wells, Jon Leiber and Matt Clement signed multi-year deals elsewhere.
With problems in the Indians rotation resolved, Shapiro will now go after a bat. He is reportedly in talks with free agent Juan Gonzalez, who spent the 2001 season with the Indians.
Gonzalez, a 35-year-old outfielder, is expected to sign a minor league deal with the Tribe in the next couple of days. He spent last season with the Royals, though a bad back limited him to 33 games. He batted .277 with five homers and 17 RBIs.
Not a bad pickups for the Indians though I think that he isn't worth quite that much but niether are some of the other pitchers that have signed.
Shapiro and the Indians are expected to announce Millwood's signing Saturday morning during a news conference at Jacobs Field. Their announcement will officially end what had been an offseason-long search for pitching, particularly somebody who could slide into the No. 2 or No. 3 slot in the rotation.
With the 30-year-old Millwood, the Indians might have exceeded their hope, because he has the potential to be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher.
For his career, Millwood boasts a 98-64 record with a 3.89 ERA. Twice, he has won 18 games (1999 and 2002 with the Braves). In 25 starts last season, he went 9-6 with a 4.89 ERA with the Phillies, who paid him $11 million.
Millwood's deal with the Indians is expected to be for around $7 million. His contract would reportedly include incentives that could bump his salary to close to $8 million.
But signing Millwood, his pedigree notwithstanding, isn't without risk. He spent most of the last two months of the '04 season on the disabled list with acute tendinitis in his right elbow.
His elbow problems raised doubts about Millwood, lessening his appeal on the open market. So a one-year deal benefits Millwood, because it allows him to prove that his right elbow is sound and frees him to return to the open market after the 2005 season.
In Cleveland last week, Millwood took a physical, and the poking and prodding turned up nothing that appeared to scare off Shapiro. If Millwood signs in Cleveland, he will give the Tribe a dominant pitcher who is capable of anchoring its rotation.
His best pitch is a two-seam fastball, and he throws it in the low 90s with heavy sink. His changeup has been described as "above average," and he has a good slider that can freeze hitters.
Landing somebody like Millwood had been a high priority for Shapiro this offseason. He had first targeted a closer, settling on veteran Bob Wickman. After Wickman re-signed, Shapiro focused on a starter.
He pursued Millwood after pitchers David Wells, Jon Leiber and Matt Clement signed multi-year deals elsewhere.
With problems in the Indians rotation resolved, Shapiro will now go after a bat. He is reportedly in talks with free agent Juan Gonzalez, who spent the 2001 season with the Indians.
Gonzalez, a 35-year-old outfielder, is expected to sign a minor league deal with the Tribe in the next couple of days. He spent last season with the Royals, though a bad back limited him to 33 games. He batted .277 with five homers and 17 RBIs.
Not a bad pickups for the Indians though I think that he isn't worth quite that much but niether are some of the other pitchers that have signed.