Saturday, December 24, 2005
To Overpay for Millwood
Scouting Report:
Millwood has delicate mechanics and it doesn't take much to get him out of rhythm. When he was in Atlanta, pitching coach Leo Mazzone was able to keep him in synch, but he never developed the same kind of relationship with Joe Kerrigan in Philadelphia. While his fastball still hits 92 MPH consistently and his backdoor slider and sinker remain effective weapons, command has been a concern. In the last year and a half, he too often fell behind, raising his pitch count in the process. He's also been prone to leaving too many hittable pitches up in the strike zone.
2004 Season:
Kevin Millwood pitched his way out of the Phillies' plans in 2004. That was a crushing disappointment both for the team, which had made him the No. 1 starter for the second straight season, and for Millwood himself, who filed for free agency on the first allowable day after the World Series. He made only 25 starts, mostly due to elbow tendinitis that landed him on the disabled list. Conditioning became an issue-he never went deeper into a game than seven innings and only managed to pitch that long six times.
File Under: Compound your mistakes.
The best thing for the Red Sox to do at this juncture is to save the money that was earmarked for Johnny Damon, fill their gaping holes in center field, shortstop, and first base, keep Manny, and try and stay in the hunt until the trading deadline. By then, they will know more about Andy Marte, Dustin Pedroia, Johnathan Papelbon, and Craig Hansen, and will be able to make the smart moves necessary for a 2006 playoff run.
-Red Sox Trade Rumor-Hot Stove Hub
