Only on the Orioles would dropping a guy who's 2-14 be a tough decision. Face it fans, this team is going nowhere fast.

i do not see the difficulty in what shuld be done with kevin millwood. when you can't cut the mustard itis time to get that person out of there. in the present orioles situation being this late in the season let millwood go. if memory serves me another team is paying the bulk of his salary so the orioles do not have much invested in him. the oriles only need to bring up a pitcher ot replace kevin millwood. let the rest of them at norfolk . maybe to a lot of people this might be short sighted,it sounds ligical to me.

Give the O's credit for honoring a veteran who has been a true professional through a very tumultuous season. However, that being said, the decision should not be that hard. Sit Millwood down and explain to him that the O's need to evaluate some of their younger player and will do so for the remainder of the season. Let Millwood know that in the best interest of the team's future, his rotation spot would be used for that purpose and that he would be moved to long relief. Also thank him for his contributions this season. That's it.

Millwood knows that overall he has not pitched well this season even factoring in the early stretch this season. He also knows that we are trying to build for the future and he is not a part of that. He may be mad for a few days but he will get over it and can start getting ready for next season.

In an unrelated issue - What's up with Markakis this year? Is this an off year for him or is this a reset of his production level? He has been a .300 ba/20 hr/ 100 rbi, excellent defense player. Although he is still an excellent defensive player, his product should be of great concern to the O's. Large contract aside, we need his power number at past levels. Meaningless hits and doubles will not help this club compete - period. Let's hope Nick finds his power stroke next year. It may be time for Nick to add strength and weight to his frame via a weight lifting program. Right now he is no more than a 6th placed or lower hitter in the lineup and these types of hitter do not merit $66 million contracts.

When Millwood starts, I don't even bother tuning into the game. He's making like $12M this season to pitch to an ERA near 6. Waive him if necessary to give the young starters some games. Why even wait until Sept 1?

Lou

The Kevin Millwood experiment is a BIG FAILURE. UNLOAD him. All he's doing is learning how to LOSE !!

yesterday millwood had hamilton 1-2 with a man on and two out and still pitched around him. walked him and guerrero homers. that's pathetic. has aguy in then hole and lets him go without really making a good pitch to get him out.

Hopefully Millwood gets moved to a contender, like Tejada. He deserves it. Joppa ... why do you waste your time posting negative banter? Obviously you have to clue to what's going on, but you'll be the first one to jump on the bandwagon when they starting playing well again. Hopefully fans like you will stay home and watch on TV. Camden Yards isn't a place for part-time fans like yourself. I'd rather sit next to a Red Sox fan.

I don't get. Joppa juicer wants to just go ahead and drop millwood and couldn't care less about showing loyalty. Yet I bet he will be the first to complain when the O's don't sign any free agents in the off-season.

Newsflash: If you don't show any loyalty to players like Millwood then you want get anyone interested in coming to the Orioles in the off-season.

Hold on a minute. If Millwood retains Class B free agent status and the Orioles offer arbitration and he rejects it, and then is signed in the offseason, we would get a compensation pick.

How likely is that set of scenarios? It seems to me that that should be a rather important consideration before the Orioles do anything with him.

---

Given he made $12M this year, 2010 was a disaster and his salary cannot be reduced significantly -- 20 percent, I believe -- if at all (never know what an arbiter will decide) it would be hard to imagine he wouldnt accept arbitration if offered.

Check out the stats--you could make an argument that he's been the worst starting pitching in the AL this year. Not only that, but he gives up so many runs in the first inning that the team is constantly playing from behind every time he starts. Check out yesterday, top-1st, single, walk, 3-run dinger. How many starts has he had this year that have been just like that???

"He has two more losses than any pitcher in the American League. He also leads the AL in earned runs (95) and hits (188) allowed. He has surrendered 26 home runs, tied for the second-highest total in the league and tied for the most he has allowed in any season in his big league career."

Um, call me Stupid, but if the 'only reason' Mr. Zrebiec is mentioning Millwood's stats is because Buck wants to get a look at some new blood, he should pinch himself. Millwood needs to be waived, fired...and sued for impersonating a Major League pitcher (something he's been doing since around 2002). The O's would be better w/ Eddie Gaedel on the mound right now, and I hear he works for a lot less than $12 mil these days. Oh, and that stuff about a six-man rotation, jeez, don't you get it, Jeff? Let's try going down to 4 first, and figure the rest out later. Put the guy out of his misery before Baltimore becomes Balti-less. I'm sure Millwood's a nice guy, and I'd have him over for dinner any day...but calling the guy 'washed up' is just being nice. He can't pitch. Mark my words, Mario Mendoza will be forgotten soon.

What some people fail to realize is that the way a team treats its veterans has an impact on how the team is seen by players from outside the organization. Treating players, even ones who've underwhelmed in their contracts, like garbage doesn't make Baltimore any more appealing in the free agent market.

I'm not saying that the Orioles don't need to free up Millwood's spot in order to evaluate some young arms for next season, but they're smart to make a show out of how tough the decision is for them.

Meaningless hits and doubles will not help this club compete - period.

Hits and doubles are never meaningless. They always put someone on base and in the latter case they put someone in scoring position.

Jeff -

Thank you for putting Millwood's stats in here. It's bothersome how much we hear about Millwood not getting run support, and how much a mentor he is, when the reality is he's been one of the worst (if not the worst) starting pitcher this year.

Jeff, would our releasing him impact other free agents' decisions in the offseason? Would they really say "Wow, look how the O's treated Millwood. I don't want to go to a club that treats players that way." I'd find that hard to believe.

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Jeff Z's reply: I can't speak for the free agents or whether Scott Boras, who represents Millwood, would pass along tales of the O's treating Millwood poorly. I can say that Millwood has a ton of friends around the game and is extremely well respected. I can also say that dumping him would tick off a lot of people in the Orioles' clubhouse.

Orsulakfan - Dave Johnson discussed this yesterday and said it won't happen (the O's won't offer arbitration to get the compensation pick) because the maximum cut would still be way, way above what the O's would be willing to pay him. He held out very slim possibility that O's might still be interested in him next year but would let him become free agent and then signed to greatly reduced $. However he also inferred that this might be the end of the line for his career.

Mark, leave Markakis alone. He was trying too hard to carry the offense in the early going and his batting went in the tank with everybody else's. Bulking him up makes absolutely no sense and has a tremendous downside. Let him be who he is -- a batter with a great eye, who plays great defense and is emerging as a team leader. Bat him #2 or #3 with a power #4 guy behind him, and teams won't pitch around him as they've done a number of times this year. He'll be just fine.

You can let the guy go without treating him disrespectfully. The fact is he hasn't been a very effective pitcher for the O's, the team is going nowhere and they need the spot for the young guys. Thank him for his efforts, pat him on the back and show him the door, he's been around the game long enough to understand. If you can trade him to a contender, so much the better, but you can't be making personnel decisions based on the feelings of a guy who has no future with your club.

Why are we so worried about Kevin Millwood?
He is 2-14, for heaven’s sake.

I mean he has 60 million reasons to be happy over a 5yr period ending in 2011
He should be very thankful he got a nice contract from the Rangers.

And as for ticking off the clubhouse that is insanity the Orioles are 44-81.
The Orioles certainly don’t play like they’re ticked off when Millwood is pitching.
So why would they get upset if the Orioles dumped him?
Are they going to pull a Derek Bell “Operation Shutdown”

This is MacPhail’s fault he brings in all these stop gaps and they are terrible.
The only thing they stop is the
development of our younger players.

Wow. thanks for addressing this far overdue topic.

Millwood will not be here next year. The team needs to assess pitchers for next year. Millwood gets paid either way. To me, there is absolutely no rationale in having him throw one more pitch.

as to Markakis, he's a huge disappointment. Sure, he's got a classic stroke, nice batting eye, and should already have some gold gloves.
But the lack of power is alarming. He was hitting about .300 when Showalter came aboard and changed his hands again somewhat presumably to pull the ball with more authority. Hasn't worked. He's been swinging right through, or behind, fastballs all year. Not, in my opinion, a question of him being pitched around. Why would pitchers avoid a guy with no power.? they don't, its a myth perpetuated sometimes by Palmer on telecasts.

Unbelievable.....

There actually remain Millwood defenders out there.

Nice guy?
Clubhouse loves him?
Media loves him?
He has friends?
Soldier?

Tell me...... what does ANY of that have to do with holding onto the worst starting pitcher in the AL. It's not 'arguably', it's not 'one of the worst'.....

It's flat out - look at the stats across the board - the worst in the league.

And it can EASILY be argued that FA's won't come to Baltimore because the team continues to be loaded with stiffs like Millwood year in and year out.

When will it ever be about winning when it comes to this team? Instead, many want to defend one of the worst starting pitchers the O's have ever had, yet he'll make more money this season than most posters will make in their entire lives...

Fascinating.... simply fascinating.

Out of respect for Kevin Millwood, it might be best for the Orioles to outright release him - and maybe the sooner the better.

Millwood has largely accomplished what the Orioles wanted of him when they signed him. That was primarily to provide some stability at the top of the rotation, but also to act as a bridge until some of the O's young starters were ready to make the transition to more consistency as big league starters.

Millwood has accomplished both. He had an excellent first half of the season which provided stability and bought time for the younger pitchers. He has earned what the Orioles are committed to paying him through the season.

Now the Orioles need to evaluate some of its young starters. By releasing Millwood, they are providing him with the opportunity to latch on to another, possibly contending, team.

At some point, the Orioles need to stop worrying about upsetting the clubhouse and worry about how they've upset the fans for 13 years.

Perhaps Millwood's run support would be better if he wasn't constantly putting the team in a hole before the first inning is over.

Millwood is done. He had a nice career, but now he has become an anchor to a club that needs to set sail.

As for Millwood having friends around the league? Please. There's no friendship that a little extra cash can't desolve. And if there are free agents that are more worried about how their washed up buddy was released then about playing winning baseball, then I don't want that kind of player in the clubhouse.

Any other Oriole pitcher would have been sent down, released, or put in the bullpen by now. The Orioles have shown enough respect to the worst starter in baseball. Enough is enough.

Hmmm. Sadly, I live in the Phoenix, AZ area, so its difficult for me to even HEAR the Orioles games. What I'm curious about, however, is if perhaps Millwood would make a better reliver. Granted, he's no Dennis Eckersley, but many starting pitchers have made the switch to relief and become greatly successful. Maybe its time for Mr. Millwood to be given that chance.

If Millwood is released or traded, maybe Jake will get his favorite number # 34 on his jersey?

Even with the losses I have enjoyed Oriole's baseball of late.

Once again, wayne, a fascinating post. BTW, I thought you only infected Schumck's blog, what are you doing here?

Anyway, I do agree that something needs to be done with Millwood. When I got in the car and turned on the game and heard they were down three zip after one, I was like, "Here was go again." Like many people, I wondered if it isn't time to let Millwood move on. Maybe his release is the right thing to do, I'm quite sure someone will grab him.

But, waynnnne, for you to say that only the Orioles would have trouble dropping a 2-14 pitcher shows how little you know about team sports or the makeup of professional athletes. In every one of his starts through the early part of the schedule, Millwood was the only pitcher that when he went out there, you thought he had a chance to win. He set the pace from the beginning, and the Orioles failed to back him up. His run support is the lowest in the majors and frankly, trying to pitch perfectly every time out wore him down. Instead of going after people, he nibbled, trying to make the perfect pitch, and voila, bam! homerun. It happens all over the game.

When he inevitably started to lose effectiveness, whether from his injury or trying to be perfect, his troubles snowballed. But in whatever situation, he took the ball, and ate innings.

Now wayne, and the rest of you, feel that the guy is the worst in baseball, well, fine, think what you want. Doesn't really matter. But you can't just unceremoniously release a respected veteran. You do have to think about certain repercussions. He knows how to pitch, he has had enough good outings to show that he can still get people out and you can't overlook the influence on the younger pitchers.

The problem here is, everyone thinks that when an Oriole doesn't perform like Babe Ruth or Sandy Koufax, there's something wrong. Wieters, Matusz, Tillman, Jones, Pie, Bergeson, et al, are all busts and never-will-bes to so many of you people just because they are going through the normal growing pains associated with 90 percent of major league ball players. And if vets like Millwood don't win every start, then they are obviously a waste. Please.

I've said many times, some of the problems of this team extend beyond the field and right into the stands.

Jeff

Your arguments for retaining Millwood are unconvincing. He has not performed anywhere near expectations and there are more important ways to spend the remaining starts in evaluating the young pitchers.
If he is a "soldier", then he will realize this decision is what is best for this organization and will handle himself as a professional and not badmouth the team that will continue to pay him the rest of his 12 million without actually requiring him to go to work (something I wish I was offered).
Or maybe he could become a roving pitching instructor for the organization.
Your other point, that somehow free agents will look less kindly on Baltimore because we released a guy who is on a one year deal for 12 million and is 2-14...
well, that is the kind of free agent we definitely do not want in Baltimore- i.e. the ones who are mainly interested in being able to underperform and still somehow get all the perqs and money and "respect" they think is due them.
It seems like we have actually had many of those kinds of free agents come here before...no, thanks.

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Jeff Z's reply: I was just laying out the situation and why it will be a difficult decision. Nowhere was I making the argument that they should keep him. Also, I said specifically that I had no idea what other free agents would think if they dumped Millwood. I never said that free agents will look less kindly on Baltimore. I have no problem with people disagreeing with me, but I don't recall giving my opinion on the matter, so I'm not sure what you are disagreeing with.

To every baseball career an end must come, and now it has come to Millwood's. There is no shame in that, and therefore there need not be any disrespect in recognizing it and doing what's best for the team's future. The only tough decision here is how to let him go gracefully, and with proper recognition of his long career and what a great guy he is. And that's all a matter of diplomacy. If Showalter has a good relationship with him, then he should be able to accomplish that.

ken,

Just thought I'd chime in a bit since this has been a subject close to my heart.

And it was a headline story in the SUN, thus it caught my attention.

But again sir, you are wrong. By the way ken, when was the last time you were right? Doesn't it every bug you?

And I think someone owes me a drink?

Players like Millwood have become symbolic of the Oriole Way for a very long time. Even more so however, since AM got to town.

And no ken, we don't want or expect any of them to perform like Babe Ruth. Did you really say that?

All we want is average. Not even good ken.... just average.

In this town, I know that's asking for too much....

I like Millwood a lot.
There is one more month to go..... 37 games. No need to release him. No interest from other teams to acquire him in a trade.
Just bring up the guys from the minor leagues at whom Buck wants a closer look.
If a decision is made to sit Millwood down in favor of a farmhand who needs a look, then Millwood, "soldier" he is, will take it in stride.
I would say that the chances of his returning next season should be about 0.
He was acquired for a purpose and he has served it. When it's time, just sit him down, period.

Next season, Guthrie will be the "veteran" and mentor and we will have a very young and talented staff.

I know this is not about Markakis but we need more production from him. 40 or so rbi at the point in the season from a guy who averages nearly 100 rbi is cause for concern. Yes I realize that Markakis has not had a lot of production in front or behind him, but the drop off in his production is too drastic. Let's hope he bounces back next year. And yes – I still believe that he could stand to add strength.

Millwood is being paid $12 million this season. It is nearly September and he has two wins.

"Respected veteran", "lack of run support" or whatever, $12 million dollars and two wins equals immediate, outright release.

Goodbye, Kevin. Have a nice life on all that money.

Hey Stupid....I'm callin you Stupid. Although I too think Millwood should either be traded for an A or AA ballplayer or allowed to be claimed on waivers, but....Since 2002 he is 98-83 with a 4.17 era (not great era but not horrible). So before you go spouting off about someone, check your facts.

RE: Markakis......

RBI total: For a greater part of the season, he came up with few runs in which to drive. Roberts was out. The guys ahead of him were not getting on that much.

HR total: HR's are not as important as when they are hit. Nick leads the league in doubles. If there are any runners on, a double almost always scores one of them. The pressure should not be on Nick to hit more balls over the fences.
His job at bat is simply to drive in runs.
A HR, double, triple, or even a single can't drive home baserunners if they don't exist. Put some better guys ahead of and behind him and all of his totals will rise.

Goodbye, Mr. Millwood.

ken,

Your distortion and hyperbole are both an insult to Orioles fans and to reality.

The Orioles are one of the worst teams in MLB; they are in the midst of a 13-year (and counting? let's hope not) streak of losing seasons.

"The problem here is, everyone thinks that when an Oriole doesn't perform like Babe Ruth or Sandy Koufax, there's something wrong."

Please. Yes, the negativity can get monotonous, but I think most O's fans are reasonable in their expectations. Did you forget how poorly the pre-Buck O's hit with RISP this season? They are awful, not merely below average. They were sub-Ruthian in every other hitting category and sub-Koufaxian in every pitching category, not to mention below average.

"Wieters, Matusz, Tillman, Jones, Pie, Bergeson, et al, are all busts and never-will-bes to so many of you people just because they are going through the normal growing pains associated with 90 percent of major league ball players."

Your comment here has some validity, as some younger players take more time than others to get on track, but the Orioles recent history of developing younger players has been woeful. Aside from B-Rob, Markakis, Jerry Hairston (?), and Bedard(?!), I can't think of any other player that has come through this organization in the past 13 years that has been successful at the major league level. Maybe that will change, and hopefully the new success stories will include the likes of Wieters, Matusz, et al., but I think you should cut the fans some slack given the organization's recent track record in player development.

"And if vets like Millwood don't win every start, then they are obviously a waste. Please."

Every start? Double please!!!! Do you understand the wide chasm between, say, 16-0 and 2-14? How about 8-8 and 2-14? Even if Millwood were 7-9 at this juncture I dare say that most fans would consider his tenure here a success.

Most of us are aware of the lack of run support that Millwood has received, especially early on this season, but his ERA has ballooned, the opponents' batting average against him is extremely high, he's given up tons o' homers, he's bumbled through many a first inning, etc.

I don't think Millwood was necessarily a bad acquisition going into the season, but his benefit to this club as a pitching staff leader/innings eater ended months ago. His numbers make Steve Trachsel look like Cy Young, and yet he is making millions more per year.

Millwood may be able to right himself to pitch for some other team next year, but for you to act like O's fans have had unreasonable expectations for Millwood this season is ridiculous.

Easy decision. You release him, but you do it with tact. Of course, that's how all players should be treated, whether you're a total bust (a la Garrett Atkins); a minor league scrub who failed to perform at the big league level; or an established veteran at the end of the line.

He knows he hasn't gotten the job done, and that he doesn't fit into the club's plans for next year. Why waste time, when you can help position another pitcher for next year AND give the team just as good a chance to win a few more games this year?

One more thing... Although Millwood certainly fell short of expectations, did anyone outside the warehouse ever truly believe that he'd have a stellar season? I never understood why there was any hype surrounding his signing. Best case scenario, he could have been a nice #3 starter. But despite some good years, he has never been a true staff ace, so I never saw much reason to get too excited. He may be able to land somewhere and win 8-12 games next year. I wish him well.

Ken: Wieters, Matusz, Tillman, Jones, Pie, and Bergeson all have potential. They will play next year -- either in Baltimore, or somewhere else (if MacPhail can get value in return via trade).

But Millwood's Orioles days are over -- either now, or a month from now. Why drag it out?

Jeff,

Regarding your comment that dumping Millwood would tick off a lot of people in the clubhouse, what would be their reaction to him staying in the rotation and going 0-5 or 1-5 in his remaining 7-8 starts? Is there more of a personal loyalty to a teammate than to the team winning in September against AL East competition? Do they hold themselves at least partly responsible for Kevin's poor record due to poor run support? Sure it's demoralizing to be down 3 runs on Sunday before you're first at bat, but have we seen any evidence that the team has busted a gut trying to rally behind him and get some come from behind wins?

What the Orioles need to do is treat Kevin Millwood with respect. Sit down with him, explain that Buck needs to see some of the guys like Patton and Tillman pitch, and solicit his view on any preference he may have with regard to continuing with the club or trying to catch on with someone else. He deserves at least that much.