I agree with everyone of the reasons to not bring back Millar, BUT....there are many intangible reasons to bring him back for one more year. Namely, keeping a clubhouse loose, being a mentor to the younger players and providing knowledge to a young group of hitters. Think of him as a quasi coach.

The investment would be minimal in terms of dollars. Personally, I do not agree with the Oriole's decision.

The Birds need a right handed bat; without they will see a stream of southpaws all year long.

I get the whole leadership thing, but let's be honest, the guy made you cringe when he stepped to the plate with a guy at third and less than two outs. Invariably, he would pop up, unless there were runners at first and third, in which case he would ground into a DP. Millar epitomizes the type of player that has put this stale taste in our mouths. It's not surprising there isn't much interest out there for him. I'm not saying he's a bad dude, just not a player that serves any purpose on this team. Look at the way the Rays made the Series- team baseball. That means making good outs. I will miss his dig at first (I'm a little concerned about Huff's defense), but this is a move in the right direction. That guy was always just baggage.

I love the 2009 blue print. I have been waiting for it for 11 years.

You are dead on. The Orioles are not about 2009; they are about 2010+. Millar is not part of those plans. When you make a transition, it is better to make a clean break than let it linger. Let the leaders of the club in th future (Markakis, Adam Jones, Guthrie, potentiall B-Rob if he is signed) develop as leaders this season on their own.

I always liked Millar, it's a little sad to see him leave. I agree with your points here, and will take it one step further. I also was uncomfortable with the level of camaraderie he shared with his former teammates from Boston. I'm all for sportsmanship, but for a team leader, I'd expect a "meaner" (for lack of a better word) attitude towards a division rival, at least on the surface. Maybe I have it wrong, did it seem this way to you when you covered the O's?

Pete,
I am in complete agreement as to the value of Kevin. His clubhouse presence put he team in a front running status te 1st half ast year. He keeps th clubhouse light and wnating to play. He has taught the professioanlism of effort and work ethicto th young player. He could be used at fill in at 1b, DH, and pinch hitter.
What are they going to pay him $1 mil so what.

Another way to view kevin is a future coach. The O's need to coder all angles of this for now and the future.

The Ravens run to the playoffs this year has masked the quietly competent job that Andy McPhail is doing with the Birds in this off season.

McPhail's plan is now evident to all - the Orioles are going younger - a lot younger. We have at least 3, possibly 4, five-tool players in the lineup for '09.

Like you Pete, I love Millar. But there's no space and no place for him on O's this year.

I'm not sure I understand the O's thought process here. You have a real good veteran bat, who is willing to take a paycut and is willing to take a backup roll and mentor the younger players, and you don't sign him? He wants to come back. He knows he'll be on the bench. He's a GREAT clubhouse guy, great mentor, great leader, and he can still play. And he's cheap! I don't get it?!

Peter:

Good thoughts. Focus on Andy M's long range plan.

Peter:

Good thoughts. It is unfortunate Millar won't be back next year. But hey, can't dwell on the past - look forward to the newcomers! Let's see what they can do!

Pete, from all indications the O's are about to trade for Rich hill, whose control makes Daniel Cabrerra look like Scotty Mcgreggor. The last reclamation project of this ilk that I remember, was the St Louis Cardinals' Rick Ankeil who eventually gave up the thought of ever pitching again and became an outfielder. IF, and I do mean IF pitching coach Rick Kranitz can convince Hill that home plate doesn't move, where does he fit in the grand-sceme-of-things, in '09 and beyond?

great post - I agree with all that you said.

Millar is a guy who wants to play. He would not be happy as a bench jockey. Eventually he would make noise about it. As Stengel once said, "the trick of managing is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who ain't sure."

Oh, did you catch the Sporting News' nice article on Mussina's decision to retire. Class article on a class guy.

Have I missed Jack's post informing us that the injection of Cubs is merely a ploy by the Angelos family so fans will blame curse transferral instead of the owner for losing seasons?

Hmmm Jack . . . Angelos . . . Cubs curse . . . why am I thinking "old goat"?

I will say that for a team that hasn't had much going for it since I did my last keg stand, Kevin Millar's wanting to be a part of this team has really meant something to me.

How 'bout as the dreaded "player coach " ? I know , dumb thought .

Pete,

On an unrelated topic, do you know approximately what date the Orioles could call up Wieters where he wouldn't count as a "Super Two?" I've seen information that says something about 86 days of major league service, but I've also seen stories about players who were called up as early as May of last years who did not gain enough service time to be considered a "Super Two." Does playing after September 1st not count towards service time when rosters expand?

millar was good. he filled a role, that role is done. good call by andy M, just like every single one he's made.

let's go O's.

I gave up on Millar when I turned on FOX in the postseason and saw him throwing out the first pitch at a Red Sox game....

Give me a break!

Thank you Pete for making some sense of the Kevin Millar thing.

Wow..such an outpouring of emotion for a "slugger' who is on the downside of a respectable, but hardly overwhelming career. Good role-player on a great team (i.e. the Red Sox), but anywhere else (Baltimore included) he was a part-timer playing the imposter of a full-time 1B. Not his fault, he is what he is...a good quote and a mediocre bat.

Cowboy Up! Up on out of here and on to his next paycheck somewhere else before he fades into oblivion.

I think you're exactly right, Peter. It's time for youth, youth, youth!! While the O's and their fans are facing another sure-loser of a season, we need to throw the young guys on the field and let them play so MacPhail and Trembley and company can evaluate their future value. NOW is the time for that. Having a guy Millar's age taking ABs away from Scott, or Pie, or Montanez, or any other YOUNG guy is just wasting evaluation time. Millar is great in the clubhouse and has a lot of value in that sense, but it's time to move on. Hope things work out well for him.

You don't sign players for their personality and resigning a 37 year old marginal player is a waste of a roster spot. Clubhouse chemistry isn't for fans or sportswriters to decide.

You will be able to tell if the O's made the right decision when you see how long it takes for another team to sign him (or not). Either way he was always a Red Sox cast-off and won't be missed in Baltimore.

Main reason I'd like millar back is to see what he a Freel would get into sitting on the bench together. you know they'd have some interesting hijinks.

I've never been a fan of Millar. He had his moments with the Red Sox, but clearly in his mind he's still a member of the Red Sox. Also, he's never played well in a part-time role, and if you play him everyday, he's a waste of 500 at-bats, just as he's been a waste of at-bats for the last few years. He doesn't hit for much of an average, he doesn't have much power, he is one-dimensional defensively and he's not a particularly good defensive first baseman. Yeah, he's funny, but maybe he should be in the broadcast booth, not occupying a roster spot. Millar is arguably a good 25th man on a team competing for the postseason. He hasn't been a good fit for a team rebuilding and he is definitely not right for the Orioles. Unless he can pitch...

OK Pete.... Have at it. Convince us they should bring him back. After you post it, tighten your seatbelt. It could get bumpy.

Pete, it seems that most fans can't believe that Kevin is going away and think that means that the Front Office is stupid and short sighted. I understand that they would like to keep him around because he is cheap, because he is great in the clubhouse, and so forth. But this is the natural outgrowth of Andy McPhail's success with the organization.

The truth is, we can't keep Kevin on the team, because we have too many young players to develop, give playing time too, and those that will be coming from the minors too. I was looking at the roster and if we carry 13 pitchers, then we will only have 12 position players. Those players are Markakis, Freel, Jones, Pie, Scott, Huff, Roberts, Izturis, Mora, Zaun, and some B/U catcher. That leaves just one open position for a bench player (likely Gomez), yet we have many other players who deserve a chance to play based on their minor leauge performance - most notably Montenez and Salazar. Then, during the course of this season and next - what do we do with all the talent that is ready to play (at a more productive level than Kevin Millar) in the majors (like possibly Justin Turner, Blake Davis, Snider, Reimold, Rowell, etc.

So, I agree ... I will be sorry to see Kevin go ... but it is only the natural order of things. We can only hamper our future team and player development by keeping Kevin here. I would love to see him as a coach or broadcaster here. But if Kevin wants to keep playing baseball, he has to do it elsewhere now ... that is best for the team.

I think Millar is a great guy to have on your team, BUT when he was with Boston and his playing time was cut, he pouted and wasn't the cheerleader that he was, when he was playing. I know he is older now, but saying you will accept a part time role and actually doing it, is a lot different. I wish him well, but from his comments, it seems that perhaps history would have repeated itself, because one has to think that Kevin still feels on a bad club like the O's, he has a legit shot at 400 ABs, so I really think he doesn't truly expect to be a part time role player in 2009. Just my opinion.

This is a little off the subject but here is a comment about lefty Hill right out of the article in the BS........ "He walked 18batters in 19 2/3 innings and at times seemed incapable of throwing strikes."

My comment: Seems like a perfect fit.

Good blog. Millar is a good guy and a lot of fun, but it is time to move on. But thanks for some fun and a few really good innings. At least we have had some quality people through here: Surhoff, Conine, Millar, to name three.

Pete (and readers),

The following site listed all the A and B free agents along with the stats used. You have to scroll down to the bottom to see the stats.

The comment about expecting to lose is enough reason not to bring him back. He is a good dude but the leaders on a team can't have that attitude. No one is expecting a world series title in '09 but that type of attitude is a big part of what has been wrong for the past 12 years. If someone on the Rays roster said that last in spring training last year, Joe Maddon might have cut him before he finished the sentence.

Even for 2009, with a three or even four man bench, how do you keep someone who is just a 1B/DH?

You need a utitliy infielder, back-up catcher and 4th outfielder at a minimum.

The only thing this post proves is what suckers and saps sportswriters are. Millar is near the bottom for production for first basemen for the last three years. Yet, you get all misty now that he's gone. Cry me a river if you want, but this team's a lot better off without Millar's presence--both on the field and the clubhouse. A big goof who wallows in mediocrity is bad for team chemistry. He sure provided a great example of upstanding behavior by throwing that ball out during the R Sox World Series game too, didn't he?

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Pete's reply: That's Mr. Sap to you, sir.

It may be time for Millar to go, but I do worry (a lot) about first-base defense. I hope and pray (but don't for a moment believe) that Huff is a ML first baseman. The guy's a born DH.

HEY, it's a game, and games are supposed to b fun and enjoyable, Millar made them both. Look the world is not going to end if the O's don't suck this year! But lets remember it is a game.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GO O"s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can the O's bring him back as a PR coordinator? He did more than anybody in the warehouse in that respect.

Peter,

Why are we even discussing Millar?? He's a nice guy, that's super, the guy is done and was mediocre in his prime. Plus after all that Bo Sox nonsense in the series, I'm having a hard time feeling for him.

A slow as sin .250 hitter who is 37 years old is not what we need unless he can be counted on for 30 HRs and 100 RBI. We already have Huff, who is just slightly slower than a three-toed sloth. Thank Millar for his efforts and move on to some more athletic, younger propects.

Even though the Orioles are trying to get younger, faster etc.. I still think you give Millar a minor league contract and see what he does in the spring before you cut him loose. Even though he is at the end of his career I still think he is the most patient hitter the olders have besides Nick.

In 07' and the first half of 08',Kevin was a 'tough out' at the plate. Because he is such a goofball and out of shape, , no one gave him credit for his quick reflexes and great hands at first. He dug a lot of throws out of the dirt. Melvin will have more throwing errors this year I hope they find a 'clubhouse character' by the dog days of summer, or Trembley's head may explode.......We still need a right hand bat or lefties will eat us alive.....Anything new on Wiggy?

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Pete's reply: Not yet. If I hear anything, I won't keep it from you.

First Things First, for me the Oriole organization has been rebuilding since 1999. I'm tired of all the front office excuses. Millar, does not need to be on this team to help mentor the young Oriole outfield talent being assebled in Baltimore. Ken Griffey Jr however, does need to be on this team as the everyday DH and yes, mentor to this young crowd of outfielders. I hope the O's are not really counting on Luke Scott as thier everyday DH. If they are, It will be another long, hot, power puff season.

Millar is a strong clubhouse presence, but from a stats POV, has only occasional "pop" and a good batting eye. If he was much more effective against lefty hurlers, it might make sense. But his stats clearly show he hits the same against both, seldon. It's not worth it to have him take up a spot on the 40-man roster. They can lose 90 games with or wothout him.

I like Kevin...if not for his playing...but his honest thoughts. People don't like a person who tells it how it is or will be. And he's right...the O's will lose games. Truth hurts sometimes.

I like the idea of Griffy jr as dh! Good riddance to Millar. Go Andy, O-R-I-O-l-e-s

Go Andy , lets get some players that can run a little bit. In Andy we trust

Dear Peter,
Thank you for the Millar article. I live in Boston and miss Kevin. He was the reason why I loved the Sox. His wit and antics in the dugout (and out) are to me, what made him a team player. The only Sox games I went to last year were when the Orioles were in town. I think he would make a great coach if he does not continue to play. I can't think of another player in history like him. He's just that kind of likable guy.
Cowboy up!
Lisa