News surfaced from baseball’s General Manager meetings that Kevin Millwood’s agent, Scott Boras, is seeking a five year contract for the righthander who led the American League in ERA in 2005. Indians’ GM Mark Shapiro, who won the Executive of the Year Award from The Sporting News at the meetings, will never give Millwood that long of a deal, nor should he.
In fact, it would be a stretch to give the 30 year old pitcher a guaranteed four year deal as well. Let’s face it, pitchers are more prone to injury than everyday players, and think about the payroll struggle the Tribe would be in if Millwood hurt his right arm in year one of a four year pact. They would be seriously hamstrung on money for the remainder of the deal.
Boras’ wish for a five year deal means the end of Millwood’s time with Cleveland, and I don’t have a problem with that. So, Shapiro will have to look elsewhere for a front of the rotation hurler. Matt Morris, Jarrod Washburn, Esteban Loaiza, and Paul Byrd are the best available options, but Morris and Washburn are the most consistent over the long haul.
It has also been reported that reliever Bob Howry wants a three year deal. If Howry signs, it means that Bob Wickman will not return to Cleveland. You have to remember that the Indians have Arthur Rhodes and Matt Miller returning from injury, and Fernando Cabrera could be with the team all year. I would ink Howry if the money is right.
With the slim pickings in the free agent market, the Indians will probably have to look at making trades to obtain the first baseman or right fielder they seek. They also could be in the market for a starting pitcher who will be a free agent at the end of the 2006 season, and whose current team doesn’t feel can sign him. Cleveland still has a very good farm system.
The front office has to be happy with the performance of Ryan Garko, Brad Snyder, and Brian Slocum in the Arizona Fall League. Garko, my choice to play first base in 2006, is hitting .314 with 5 HR and 27 RBI. His RBI total ranks third in the AFL. The right handed hitter, who can also catch, has hit for power and average wherever he has played in the minors, and comes from a top notch college program at Stanford.
Snyder, drafted out of Ball State in 2004, has been a big surprise, hitting .367 with 3 HR and 19 RBI. Snyder will open next season at either Class AA Akron or Class AAA Buffalo, and may arrive in Cleveland next year. He can play right field, so he may be the long term answer at that spot, competing with Franklin Gutierrez. Snyder does strike out a lot (26 times in 98 at bats), which is something he must improve on.
Slocum, a right handed pitcher, has pitched well out of the bullpen compiling a 2-1 record with a 3.15 ERA in 20 innings. He has struck out 19 and walked 8 in his outings, and hitters are batting just .192 against him. He likely will start 2006 at Akron or Buffalo after a 7-5 mark in Class AA last season.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 