Andrew Miller is the best pitcher in baseball right now
If you thought there was no way Andrew Miller could get better at what he does, you need to think again. He's somehow managed to find a whole new level to pitch at. He continues to separate himself from his peers - on the national stage in October, no less. Miller is simply the best pitcher in the sport right now. Overall, Miller has faced 33 batters in the postseason this year... He's struck out 20 of them. Miller has faced 17 batters in the ALCS... He's struck out 13 of them. Miller has 17 strikeouts on his slider this postseason. No other pitcher has more than five. Miller has the most strikeouts through a player's first nine innings pitched in a single postseason in MLB history with 20. He leads Jacob deGrom, Kevin Brown and Bob Gibson who all have 17. What? His numbers don't make any sense at all. They're mind boggling, and he's doing it for multiple innings at a time. Miller is building a nice career postseason resume, as well. In 17.1 career innings in October, Miller has yet to allow a run. He has a 0.462 WHIP and a 15.6 SO/9 over five postseason series. Dave Cameron of Fangraphs put things into perspective. "While Aroldis Chapman throws the hardest, Zach Britton will get the most Cy Young votes, and Kenley Jansen has been consistently incredible for the Dodgers, no reliever in baseball has been as dominant as Miller over the last three years," he wrote. "Miller is basically the walking embodiment of the perfect relief pitcher." Miller is even drawing comparisons to Mariano Rivera, the greatest postseason pitcher of all-time. That's how good Miller has been. "Andrew Miller, right now, is something not that different from a left-handed Mariano Rivera. And given the way the Indians are using him, he's about as valuable as any relief pitcher can be," Cameron said. Terry Francona deserves a ton of credit, too. He has utilized his greatest weapon perfectly, picking and choosing the right game situation to bring Miller in. Whether it's the fifth inning in a close game against the heart of the order, or in the ninth to preserve a win, Francona's use of Miller has been absolutely masterful. Miller may very well win the MVP of the ALCS (something that I predicted before the series started) since he's been the overwhelming x-factor. He should consider splitting it with Francona, one of the best managers in the game who knows how to handle a bullpen. I feel like a proud parent watching Andrew Miller pitch now. I'm happy he's showcasing his talent on the national stage. He's making it look so easy, that it's almost scary. Right now, he's the best pitcher - starter or reliever - in the sport.