Ask him to be a setup man? He’ll do it with no complaints. Ask him to close? He’ll go out there and shut the door 1-2-3 in the ninth. When he broke his glove-hand, Andrew Miller said that if he was told he couldn’t pitch, he would find another doctor for a second opinion.
These are only a few reasons why Miller is one of the best free agent signings in Yankees history, in my opinion.
He’s not the best signing in team history, but he’s up there with the big ones like Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter to name a few. Regardless, give me 25 Andrew Millers and I like my chances day in and day out.
These are his numbers as a Yankee entering play today: In 65 games, he’s 3-2 with a 1.89 ERA and has converted 39 of 41 total save opportunities. He has amassed 112 strikeouts in just 66.1 innings. I guess to sum things up, these numbers are absolutely eye-popping.
He’s not only valuable on the field, he’s valuable off the field as well. He’s been a model citizen and the perfect Yankee so far. Whenever there were trade rumors, Miller always said the right thing. When the team acquired closer Aroldis Chapman, Miller stated that he just wanted to win. He didn’t care what his role was in the bullpen, as long as it meant winning ballgames.
Isn’t that what it’s all about? The guy is pitching with a broken hand. He easily could’ve sat out for a month, but no. He wants to be on the mound for his teammates.
Some guys just can’t cut it in New York. It takes a different kind of player to excel on the biggest stage in the world. I love the fact that Miller wanted to be here. He wanted to put on the pinstripes. He turned down more money from the Houston Astros to sign here. You have to respect that.
Miller will move into the setup role once Chapman comes back from his suspension, but you won’t hear a peep. He’ll likely have close to 10 saves by then and a sub-two ERA, but he’ll do whatever is asked of him.
When you look at the four-year, $36M contract he signed before the 2015 season, he’s worth every penny. Maybe even more. Yes, he’s only one year plus a couple weeks in, but he’s simply one of the best free agent signings in franchise history.
