[ESPN] Rangers grab Millwood, Purpura/McLane sit on sidelines

I'm torn on this one. I really think the Astros are working on bringing in a high-priced bat via trade and will then rely on Roger coming back after May 1. If they threw $12 million on Millwood, that would probably prohibit them from adding a bat via trade which would also probably mean Roger wasn't coming back. While Millwood and the lineup as is would be better than not having Millwood, is it worth throwing away that chance to get an Abreu, Tejada or even Manny to give Millwood 4 years, $48 million?

That being said, if we don't add another bat via trade and Roger doesn't come back, we should've gone after this guy. Of course, we have no evidence that management did not and I'm sure they would be reluctant to get into a bidding war over a Boras' client, rightfully so.

I'm still holding out for a trade. If that doesn't happen, I'll have to call this offseason a bust (even knowing how they were hampered with the Bagwell situation). Of course, with my rosy outlook on life, I'll take that over calling the real season a bust, just like last year.

This is very premature, but is there anyway to find out the 2006 free agents? I really believe had the Bagwell situation not been the mess that it is, we would have been bigger players in the free agent market.

 

I'd hate to pay $12MM for filler... Especially filler that has 2 good year in the last 6. He's had an ERA above 4 in four of those seasons. He's simply never lived up to his potential until last year. No way I put $50MM into a pitcher like that - that's just screaming for disaster. If you were going to do that, AJ Burnett would have been a *far* better option than Millwood. He's younger, has better stuff, and has better numbers.

 

I'm with you RM, this would be a nice pick up is Roger doesn't come back. for you guys who say that's too much, he had a 2.86 era in the American League last season. he's worth at least 10mil. Yeah, it was a contract year, but that's very solid.

 

you should put quotes around improve

 

just because he can get that kind of contract doesn't mean he is worth that much. is millwood worth nearly as much as pedro? no


they way overpaid and this would be a nice pickup if millwood's contract was cut in half.

 

Once again, Tom Hicks gets OWNED by Scot Borass. You'd think he learned his lesson from the Chan Ho Park disaster.

 

What the heck are the Rangers doing picking up pitching. Every year for the last dozen they have trotted out a pitching staff that gives up an ERA of like 9 and a half, and every year they correct the problem by picking up yet another bat.

Must be a new strategy.....hmmm

 

Pettitte had a 4.02 american league era when the astros signed him and they got him on a discount.

 

Yeah, but it was a one-year aberration. He has a history of not being very good. Why give a 5-yr deal to a guy who had one good season? Someone just AJ Burnett, who's had multiple good seasons, is a much better bet if you're putting that kind of money on the table.

Pitchers have fluke years all the time... and they cash in and some team gets stuck with an albatross salary. Kevin Millwood has that written all over him. I'd give Millwood a one or two year deal, but no way in hell do you give him five.

 

Pettite (like Pedro) had a 10 yr history of success. Millwood does not. And he's not young either.

 

Millwood for this kind of cash is just stupid... yet another reason the Rangers have sucked for oh so many years.

 

pettitte had also been a playoff ace and had a much better the prior 3 years than millwood.

and that doesn't change my opinion of millwood. he is not the kind of pitcher that i would invest that kind of money in. kind of like how kenny rogers had a good year last year too but i don't even want him (forgetting he is a headcase) for the money he got.

i would take pettitte over millwood anyday of the week. thats just the bottom line.

 

You guys act like this guy is kerry wood. He's been as much as an innings eater as Pettitte for the last 5 years. He's had two bad seasons two good ones and two okay

Games IP ERA
00 36 213 4.66
01 21 121 4.31
02 35 217 3.24
03 35 222 4.01
04 25 141 4.85
05 30 192 2.86

 

Exactly - he's mediocre. And he's being paid like he's an ace. That's a bad, bad idea.

 

Pettitte's numbers in the years before the Astros signed him


G IP ERA
98 33 216 4.24
99 31 192 4.70
00 32 205 4.35
01 31 201 3.99
02 22 135 3.28
03 33 208 4.02

mediocre

 

IIRC, you weren't too happy with the Pettitte signing. Are you upset that they didn't sign Millwood?

 

I wasn't happy with the Pettitte signing because I thought they could have spent that money else where. I do find it funny that everyone's jumping on this signing like this guy is Jose Lima. The money isn't that bad. Its not a great deal but this contracts are risk reward. If he duplicates his better years, this will be a good deal.

 

I wonder if Hicks can clain Boras on his taxes?

 

Pettite came with a lot of intangibles (postseason success, etc) that Millwood doesn't have. This guy is getting money similar to the top pitchers in the game and there's nothing there to suggest he's in that class - I don't see how it would be a good signing? He's getting paid at the same level as all-star everyday players (Abreu, for example) - and he's just not at that level.

A pitcher that's noticably better than Millwood signed for less just a few weeks ago (AJ Burnett). This is an example of the Rangers being desperate for an ace and going out and getting one. And for a team like the Rangers with such a good offense, maybe that's not a bad idea. But for a pitching-strong team like the Astros, $12MM on more pitching is a waste. First off, if Clemens comes back, then Millwood would be our #4 playoff starter which is just not that importnat. Second, this team would benefit more by overpaying for a hitter than a pitcher - if you want to spend $12MM, at least do it on some hitting.