Free Agent Player Profile: Andrew Miller A Good Fit For The Yankees?
By Matt Mirro
Sometimes we don’t appreciate the value of a player until he’s on the trading block. That was the case with Andrew Miller who was traded from the Red Sox to the Orioles in exchange for minor league pitching star Eduardo Rodriguez. Miller would pitch fabulously with the Orioles, going 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 20 innings of relief.
Now, the 29 year old south paw is headed for free agency and is one of the top bullpen arms available. After playing with the Red Sox and Orioles in 2014 he could be looking at a contract with another American League East team. Miller could be on the the New York Yankees radar.
Miller didn’t always have an easy time on the mound but after becoming a full time reliever he’s been a weapon. In 325.0 innings as a starter he sported a 5.70 ERA with 255 strikeouts. His opponents’ batting average against him was .286 and he held a record of just 21 wins and 29 losses. As a reliever he’s pitched in 167.2 innings, put up a 3.38 ERA with 235 strikeouts and held batters to a .193 batting average. In 2013 and 2014 combined he went 6-7 with a 2.23 ERA and proved himself to be one of the best relievers in baseball.
His slider, which (according to FanGraphs.com) averages a speed of about 80.9 miles per hour, is devastating and leaves hitter baffled more times than not. His fastball tops out at about 92 mph which seems like a lot faster when you just swung at a slow slider down at your feet. Miller also boasts a curveball, changeup and cutter in his arsenal and mixes his pitches extremely well. He can pitch one inning no problem, two innings without showing signs of tiring and three innings without a hitch. That’s pretty valuable for any bullpen especially one of the game’s best like the one out in the Bronx.
The Yankees are going to make an effort to resign closer David Robertson to maintain their superb 8/9 combo along with the dominant Dellin Betances as the setup man. Betances himself can also go two innings with great effectiveness. Adding Miller would form a horrifying (For the opposition that is) three headed bullpen monster with Miller taking the 7th, Betances in the 8th and Robertson closing out the game (If he re-signs).
That rivals the best in the game including the American League Champion Kansas City Royals’ Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis, Greg Holland bullpen or the World Champion Giants’ Jeremy Affeldt, Sergio Romo, Santiago Casilla combo. Oh, and let’s not forget what makes Miller such a premium luxury in the first place.
Top bullpen guns are hard to come by and quality left handed arms are even harder. Miller is a left hander and would sure up a problem in the Yankees pen this past season. Boone Logan left to join the Colorado Rockies last off season and the Yankees spent most of the year having to deal with the likes of Matt Thornton (You’re groans of pain are warranted), David Huff, Jeff Francis and Rich Hill to fill that roll.
That wasn’t fun for anyone involved.
But with minor league left handed standout Jacob Lindgren, nicknamed the Strikeout Factory, looked poised to start the season in the Yankees bullpen adding Miller to go along side him would help with Lindgren’s development as well as give the club two lethal lefties which is a huge plus for any team.
This is an obvious fit for the Yankees. Bringing in someone like Miller would help bolster the Yankees’ already monstrous bullpen as well as weaken the rival Orioles team. He’d help to further the development of one of the Yankees’ top prospects and solidify both the 7th inning as well as be the Yankees’ primary left-hander out of the pen.
He’s a luxury for sure and while spending money on relief pitching isn’t a top priority Miller should definitely be on their list of off season targets.