Kevin Millwood and Scott Boras

So today Mark Teixeira dropped Scott Boras as his agent. Big deal. Teixeira got his big pay day and doesn't really need to worry about anything until after the 2016 season when Teixeira may even decide to call it quits. Kevin Millwood meanwhile sits at home unemployed because Scott Boras can't seem to find him a major league job.

Even Javy Vazquez who will be 35 and last year posted a miserable 5.32 ERA for the Yankees got a job paying him $7 million this season pitching for the Marlins. Millwood will be 36 this season and posted a 5.10 ERA (nothing to brag about certainly) against the same competition Vazquez faced (even better competition actually when you consider Millwood had to pitch against the Yankees while Vazquez did not).

Millwood has been an innings eater and there are usually jobs for pitchers who can normally be penciled in for 190 innings. No job for Millwood though. Is Boras to blame? I know I praised Boras for getting that big contract for Millwood with Texas back in 2006 but now I think that overall Millwood has been ill-served by Boras.

I say this for three main reasons:

1. Boras really screwed Millwood with his phantom 4-year offer from mystery teams after the 2003 season which left Millwood with a 1-year deal with the Phillies as his only option.
2. Millwood has made about $89 million over 14 seasons while Vazquez (a similar pitcher) has made over $92 in 13 seasons (plus another $7 million this year). Could a replacement level agent have made Millwood more money in his career?
3. Vazquez has a job and Millwood does not.

Maybe Kevin Millwood should fire Boras and hire the folks who represent Javier Vazquez? Maybe he should have done that a long time ago.

Linky Links

Some stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- How bad has Javy Vazquez been for the Yankees?

- Excellent column by Joe Posnanski on heroes

- Heh heh - Lesbians who Look like Justin Bieber

- Blend a Cigar in Five (Not So) Simple Steps

- Top 15 Greatest Drinking Quotes

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Next time I'm in Vegas I will find a casino offering an over / under prop on Javier Vazquez' IP next year and I'm going to take the under. Everyone is talking about how Vazquez is almost a guarantee for 200 IP which will help save the wear and tear on the Yankees bullpen. When everyone is going one way - it is often very profitable to go the other... Heh heh - Milton Bradley takes out full-page ad telling Cubs fans to rot in hell... Happy 45th birthday to Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. I didn't realize he was that old... Heh heh - Tweet of the Day from kbabak: "So in the last 24 hours, the Braves have landed themselves Chip Caray and Melky Cabrera. That's outstanding work. ::snicker"... Very cool. Video from a winter train ride in Norway from the point of view of the very front of the train (video about 10 minutes long)... Here's where I announce my geekhood, Doctor Who achieves record US audience. "The Waters of Mars watched by 1.1 million viewers on BBC America – the channel's biggest prime-time audience." I was part of that audience and I must admit I was surprised by the ending. I am looking forward to watching the final two episodes very much.... I'm a fan of Dr. Who but I'm also a fan of Dr. Tits... Interesting. A comparison between Harry Reid's Healthcare Bill and Stephen Douglas' Kansas-Nebraska Act. I love historical comparisons like this.... Happy 31st birthday to Red Sox catcher Victor Martinez.... Happy Festivus everyone....

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

From now until Christmas instead of saying "Hello" - I will instead say "I bring you tidings of comfort and joy." Comfort and joy... According to the Rasmussen Poll 29% of people polled expect the Colts to win Super Bowl, 26% Saints, 14% Vikings (poll taken before last night's loss by New Orleans)... 40 things that were popular at the beginning of the decade that aren't popular any more... Iron Man II trailer. Cool... People keep talking about a possible Javier Vazquez deal to the Dodgers. I don't understand that. Vazquez got traded to the Braves in the first place because he didn't want to play on the West Coast... 20 Secrets your waiter will never tell you. I never understood people who are condescending to the people who handle your food in restaurants. The golden rule people - the golden rule...

Just Saying

Yes the Yankees signed CC Sabathia to a big contract but how will that convert into wins and losses for the Yankees? I have long believed that the first year in the Bronx is taxing on any pitcher and even the biggest names have struggled in their first season. Here's how the last 6 big name pitchers have fared during their first year at the House that Ruth built.

Carl Pavano - 4-6 with a 4.73 ERA
Randy Johnson - 17-8 with a 3.79 ERA
Kevin Brown - 10-6 with a 4.09 ERA
Javier Vazquez - 14-10 with a 4.91 ERA
Roger Clemens - 14-10 with a 4.60 ERA
Mike Mussina - 17-11 with a 3.15

Everyone is optimistic that CC won't be overwhelmed by the experience of playing in the Big Apple. The argument goes that his temperament and his experience of playing in the American League will cancel out any extra pressure of playing for the Yankees in New York. That clearly hasn't been the case historically.

The Yankees will be lucky to get 17 wins out of Sabathia. Lucky! More likely they are looking at 14 (if history is any guide). Keep in mind that Sabathia is taking Mussina's slot and Mussina finally won 20 for the Yankees in the 8th and final year of his contract. Everyone was optimistic that given the run support of the Yankees that the super free agent Mussina could be penciled in for 20 wins a year. How did that work out? How many rings does Mussina have again?

Vazquez to the Braves

The White Sox have supposedly traded starter Javier Vazquez to the Braves.

In exchange for Vazquez and relief pitcher Boone Logan, according to a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Braves will send four young players to the White Sox: catcher Tyler Flowers, third baseman Jon Gilmore, pitcher Santos Rodriguez and infielder Brent Lillibridge. Lillibridge is a player White Sox GM Ken Williams has been after for awhile.

Lillibridge may be the best known but catcher Tyler Flowers may be the real diamond in the group. The Braves have Brian McCann standing in Flowers way - so he was expendable but two years from now he very well could be the American League Geovany Soto.

Many, many people are down on Vazquez as a soft pitcher without enough heart to match his God given skills. It could be that in the more polite than passionate atmosphere of Atlanta - that Vazquez finds his game. With the trade of Vazquez to the Braves - I can't help but think of Russ Ortiz who went 36-16 in two full seasons in Atlanta. In any case - if Vazquez is anything but a #4 starter for the Braves then Atlanta will once again miss the playoffs.

Chicago White Sox Trade Possibilities

With the trade deadline looming on the horizon - I will try to take a look at what chips some of the teams who are out of playoff contention may put in play. Earlier I looked at the Baltimore Orioles, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Kansas City Royals. Today I will take a look what players from the White Sox may hit the market.

- Javier Vazquez - with Mark Buerhle newly signed to an extension, it makes sense for the White Sox to dangle a couple of starters on the trade market. It would make sense for the White Sox to keep Vazquez because he is under contract until 2010 at a reasonable amount ($11.5 million per year) but that won't keep them from finding what the interest level is. If Vazquez is traded it is almost guaranteed to be to an East Coast team. That pretty much makes the Red Sox, Mets, Braves and Phillies the only real possible trading partner possibilities. My guess is that he stays put.

- Jon Garland - he's another starter who will be dangled. Garland has one more year on his contract ($12 million for 2008). Garland is a guy you can almost pencil in for 200 innings and 15 wins each year. Unless the White Sox get a great offer - I'd expect Garland to stay put too.

- Jose Contreras - now here's a contract the White Sox will definitely be trying to offload. Contreras makes $10 million in both 2008 and 2009. Maybe the Mets or Phillies are desperate enough to take a chance and probably the White Sox will have to pick up some of the remaining contract for Contreras to get a deal done.

- Jermaine Dye - he's been dangled for some time now and the Mets seem to be the team everyone is linking to Dye. However, the Cubs also need a power-outfielder but I'm guessing the last thing Kenny Williams needs is for Dye to lead the Cubbies to a playoff spot.

- Juan Uribe - the White Sox are dead last in the AL as far as offense is concerned and carrying a player like Juan Uribe n the line-up is a big reason. Here's a trade hypothetical to toss out there - how about Jermaine Dye and Juan Uribe to the Dodgers for Nomar Garciaparra and either Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier. I would then slot Nomar in as the shortstop. The Dodgers need another power bat in the lineup and may be just as well off with Wilson Betemit at 3rd. I know Nomar has lost a step but he still has a good glove and and a strong arm.

The White Sox will also probably dangle players like Tadahito Iguchi, Scott Podsednik and Darrin Erstad but I just wanted to concentrate on players with names that began with "J".