Duke deal must make Miller want more
By Roch Kubatko
If the floor seems to be vibrating beneath your feet, it's just reliever Andrew Miller jumping up and down.
The guy is 6-foot-7. The tremors are going to travel.
The White Sox announced today that they signed left-handed reliever Zach Duke to a three-year, $15 million contract. Duke, 31, will be paid $4.5 million in 2015, $5 million in 2016 and $5.5 million in 2017, according to the team's press release.
By the way, kudos to the White Sox for announcing the terms of the contract and not just confirming the years. Why try to keep the dollar amount a secret and force the media to search for it? Just put it out there.
Miller, 29, also is a former starter turned left-handed reliever, and he's searching for a four-year deal. If Duke is worth $15 million over three years, where does that put Miller?
A euphoric state.
Duke quietly had an outstanding season for the Brewers, going 5-1 with a 2.45 ERA in 74 appearances. He averaged 2.6 walks and 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings. Left-handers batted .198 against him and right-handers batted .242.
Miller went 5-5 with a 2.02 ERA in 73 appearances this season and was 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 23 games with the Orioles. As I noted this morning, he averaged 1.8 walks and 15.3 strikeouts per nine innings and held right-handers to a .145 average and left-handers to a .163 average.
A four-year, $40 million contract may be a starting point for the reliever. Whatever he gets will destroy Duke's deal.
The Orioles have made left-handed relief a priority while anticipating Miller's departure. Keep an eye on Neal Cotts, a free agent who enticed the Orioles during the non-waiver trade deadline.
Cotts was 8-3 with a 1.11 ERA and 0.947 WHIP in 58 appearances with the Rangers in 2013, but he slipped to 2-9 with a 4.32 ERA and 1.335 WHIP in 73 games this year.
Left-handers have posted a higher average against Cotts than right-handers - they hit .270 against him this season - so he doesn't qualify as a lefty specialist.
There's nothing special about him compared to Miller, but every left-hander on the market is going to pale in comparison.
They're also going to cost a lot less.
Miller, 29, also is a former starter turned left-handed reliever, and he's searching for a four-year deal. If Duke is worth $15 million over three years, where does that put Miller?
A euphoric state.
Duke quietly had an outstanding season for the Brewers, going 5-1 with a 2.45 ERA in 74 appearances. He averaged 2.6 walks and 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings. Left-handers batted .198 against him and right-handers batted .242.
Miller went 5-5 with a 2.02 ERA in 73 appearances this season and was 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 23 games with the Orioles. As I noted this morning, he averaged 1.8 walks and 15.3 strikeouts per nine innings and held right-handers to a .145 average and left-handers to a .163 average.
A four-year, $40 million contract may be a starting point for the reliever. Whatever he gets will destroy Duke's deal.
The Orioles have made left-handed relief a priority while anticipating Miller's departure. Keep an eye on Neal Cotts, a free agent who enticed the Orioles during the non-waiver trade deadline.
Cotts was 8-3 with a 1.11 ERA and 0.947 WHIP in 58 appearances with the Rangers in 2013, but he slipped to 2-9 with a 4.32 ERA and 1.335 WHIP in 73 games this year.
Left-handers have posted a higher average against Cotts than right-handers - they hit .270 against him this season - so he doesn't qualify as a lefty specialist.
There's nothing special about him compared to Miller, but every left-hander on the market is going to pale in comparison.
They're also going to cost a lot less.
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