Millwood being stubborn

[love_that_reefer]

The New York Post's Joel Sherman reports that free agent Kevin Millwood recently rejected a minor league offer from the Yankees that was similar to the one given to Freddy Garcia.
Garcia will make $1.5 million if he makes the team, with an additional $3.6 available in incentives. It's not a bad deal, really, but Millwood, of course, wants a guaranteed major league offer. According to Sherman, the Yanks are "adamant" they will not give him one, but the two sides are still talking. Millwood has also drawn interest from the Indians, but they've also balked at his asking price. The 36-year-old might be forced to suck up his pride and take an offer less than what he feels he's worth.

Apparently Millwood doesn't want to compete with the greats like Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia for the last spot in the rotation. After the year he had in '10, he's lucky anyone is giving him a chance. He's 36 and not getting any better. When the Indians aren't even willing to give you a MLB contract, get the hint.

[missionhockey21]

I don't blame him. I don't know his asking price, but he is better than a MLC. Millwood had two really awful months, June and July, which destroyed his stats. Every other month he posted an ERA in the 3's (with the exception of one, which was in the 4's.) He doesn't deserve a mega deal, but a guaranteed one.

[catman]

I don't disagree with his attitude, either. He has his pride, and has earned the right to determine what deals are acceptible and which are not. He doesn't feel this is acceptible.

[realmofotalk]

When the Indians aren't even willing to give you a MLB contract, get the hint.

I don't know which is more pitiful: that Millwood is too shitty for even the Indians or that the Indians, a franchise that once lavished $27 million on Chuck Finley, are looking to fill out their rotation with minor league contracts. Perhaps Larry Dolan is the one who needs to get a hint, because he is absolutely fucking clueless as to maintaining a brand.

[love_that_reefer]

I can see he has his pride and that might be what forces him to retire. There were better pitchers this offseason that accepted minor league deals than the declining 36 year old so screw his pride. If I were the Indians, I wouldn't give him a guaranteed deal either. Millwood should have to earn it.

[Kingdom]

He should have taken the minor league deal with New York because, wouldn't it be exciting for us to watch Colon, Millwood, and Freddy Antonio Garcia battle for rotation spots? And see who survives the 2011 season? I say so!

[love_that_reefer]

Millwood threw for the Yankees yesterday. I don't see why since Garcia and Colon haven't pitched that badly.

[DirtyKash]

Millwood threw for the Yankees yesterday. I don't see why since Garcia and Colon haven't pitched that badly.

They're preparing for the inevitable trip to the DL by A.J. Burnett.

[love_that_reefer]

Nova pitched six scoreless today I do believe, another reason the Yankees don't really need Millwood.

[HollywoodLeo]

I like how the beginning of this thread mocks Millwood for not wanting to take a minor league contract because Colon and Garcia are the only ones standing in his way to making the roster, then in the bump it mocks the Yankees for offering Millwood because they already have Colon and Garcia.

[love_that_reefer]

He should have signed the deal to compete with the greats. You snooze, you lose.

[love_that_reefer]

According to Jon Heyman of SI.com, the Yankees are close to signing Kevin Millwood to a minor league deal.
Heyman calls said deal "incentive-laden," meaning it will carry a couple million in performance-based bonuses if he makes it to the major league level and hits certain innings marks. The Yankees will probably ask Millwood to open the season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and attempt to work his way up. He had a 5.10 ERA in 31 starts last year for Baltimore.

Way to be a few weeks late to the party

[love_that_reefer]

Kevin Millwood can opt out of his deal with the Yankees if he's not promoted after his next start.
Millwood threw seven scoreless innings at Double-A Trenton in mid-April and fired seven innings of two-run ball on Saturday at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Those results are nice, but ESPN's Buster Olney is hearing from scouts that the veteran's stuff has not looked good. The Yanks really don't have a need for him right now.

His velocity has been in the 85-88 mph range so he still has a long way to go but I can definitely see him opting out and finding a job elsewhere.

[Kingdom]

Colon and F.A.G. have been pretty solid so far, no reason to bump them. But I wonder if Nova begins to be pushed by someone (not necessarily Millwood), his numbers are pretty awful.

[love_that_reefer]

Millwood opts out of the deal and is once again a free agent.