Talking strikeouts with Andrew Miller

As it turns out, Andrew Miller can't strike out everyone.

The Orioles lefty faced four batters last night against the Yankees and one actually put the ball in play. But of the last 12 outs Miller has recorded over his past four outings spanning four innings, he has gotten 11 via a strikeout.

Miller has fanned 14 over his last 5 2/3 innings and has struck out 28 with just three walks in 16 2/3 innings since the Orioles acquired him July 31 from Boston.

Call it filthy or nasty, or use some other adjective, but Miller has some dominating stuff.

So is he trying for strikeouts?

"Sometimes, yes," Miller said before yesterday's game. "It all depends on the game situation. If I have a runner on first and one out or no outs, I want a ground ball. You pitch to what the situation calls for.

"A strikeout is always good. There is hardly ever a situation where you don't want one, but the best outings are the usually the quickest with the least damage done. If you can have a four- or five-pitch inning rather than a 12- or 15-pitch inning, you'll take that."

Miller is getting all these strikeouts by using just two pitches - a fastball and a slider. Which pitch produces more strikeouts?

"I think I get way more on the slider," he said. "I have tons of confidence with my fastball. I believe it's a good pitch, but from what I gather, I think my slider is my best pitch and it makes my fastball better. My thought would be my fastball plays up because of my slider."

Miller averaged 14.1 strikeouts per nine innings in the Boston bullpen last season. This year, he averaged 14.7 strikeouts per nine innings with Boston and that number has gone up to 15.1 as an Oriole.

"Every now and then, you see (strikeout) stats on a video board or something, but I don't really keep up with it. My goal is get outs and help us win games, not building stats," Miller said.

"Fortunately, I don't have to go through arbitration anymore, so I don't think stuff like that really matters any longer," Miller said. "I just do what I can to hand the ball to the next guy in the best shape possible.

"I've had probably my best strikeout numbers in the last couple of years. But I've gone through stretches where I haven't gotten a strikeout in two or three outings and I've pitched well. It doesn't really matter. I don't know whether it's certain teams or situations.

"It seems like guys are striking out more and more frequently over the course of my short career even. I think that is part of it, (but) I don't think it's necessarily anything I'm doing differently."

As an Oriole left-handed batters are 5-for-30 (.167) against Miller with 14 strikeouts. Right-handed batters are 2-for-25 (.080) with 14 strikeouts.

He is a lefty pitcher, but feels his devastating slider is actually more effective against right-handed hitters. He can throw it to both sides of the plate, while he is reluctant to come inside with a slider and possibly hang it to a lefty batter.

"I have lots of confidence in my slider against right-handed batters. If anything, I feel like I have more options with my slider against right-hander hitters than lefties. Lefty you generally want to keep it away.

"With right-handers, I can throw the ball backdoor (to the outside corner) and I have a few more options," Miller said. "When I have good command of it, I feel like it allows me to be more creative and use it in different ways. I'll take my chances with my two pitches against anybody, really."

Miller has been a strikeout machine with the Orioles, and the Yankees got to see that firsthand last night at Camden Yards.