Winter Meetings, Day 1, Open Thread

by Charlie Wilmoth on Dec 8, 2008 8:18 AM EST

The Tigers and Pirates will meet sometime early in the Winter Meetings, which begin today, to discuss a trade for Jack Wilson, the Post-Gazette reports. The same article also reports that the Pirates may be interested in signing corner-guy Kevin Millar. There was a time when Millar was a very underrated player, but now he's 37 and has little left except walks and a bit of power. In the past three seasons, his batting average has dropped from .272 to .254 to .234, and that's a warning sign for a player his age. (UPDATE: The P-G now says the Bucs aren't interested.)

Also in the Post-Gazette, Dejan Kovacevic describes the scene at the Winter Meetings.

Finally, Greg Maddux will announce his retirement today. Of course Maddux wasn't the same pitcher he was in his heyday with the Braves, but he's been quietly average-ish since about 2004, thanks in part to some favorable home parks but also to good control. I bet he could have remained about average for another year or two.

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Yeah, I'm a little surprised

Maddux didn’t milk it some more. Not a lot of other jobs where you can pull $10-$12 mil for 32 days of average work.. Maybe he just doesn’t want to hang on a year too long and go from average to poor. And maybe he has all the money he’ll ever need. And he must know he’s an HoF lock.

So what’s left?

Bravo to guys who know when it’s time to hang it up and leave on their own terms.

by bucdaddy on Dec 8, 2008 9:36 AM EST reply actions

If you've followed Greg Maddux's career closely...

him retiring “quietly” (compared to most superstars) shouldn’t be surprising. He has never really been know for wanting to be in the limelight. He seems to truly enjoy pitching, and the thinking processes behind it. He’s always been a “thinking man’s” pitcher.

by Thunder on Dec 8, 2008 10:56 AM EST up reply actions

Millar --- Major Mistake

by thegunner on Dec 8, 2008 10:16 AM EST reply actions

Probably, yeah.

He’s still got enough to be worth a minimum deal as a benchie, but he’s not a viable option as a non-emergency regular anymore. Maybe they’re looking for a platoon partner for LaRoche?

There’s a decent chance that he’ll end up as the last active replacement player of them all. At this point, I think we’re down to Millar, Matt Herges, and Brendan Donnelly. Am I forgetting anyone?

by Vlad on Dec 8, 2008 10:46 AM EST up reply actions

Dejan clarified that he was just giving Millar as an example of what’s out there. I’m not sure they’re really after him.

by WTM on Dec 8, 2008 10:52 AM EST up reply actions

Dejan's clarification:

Link. Seems pretty unambiguous.

by Vlad on Dec 8, 2008 4:20 PM EST up reply actions

Wouldn't platooning Adam LaRoche...

totally devalue any potential return at the all-star break?

I think the signing if Millar would accompany an Adam LaRoche trade rather than the two share 1st base.

by RDV across the sea on Dec 8, 2008 4:29 PM EST up reply actions

Not necessarily.

I didn’t mean a full/strict platoon, just the opportunity to exploit LaRoche’s rest days by scheduling them against lefty starters and giving him a righty backup. LaRoche isn’t horrible against LHP (.765 2008 OPS, .767 career), but everybody needs a rest once in a while, and every edge counts.

Not a big deal, and seems like a moot point now anyway.

by Vlad on Dec 8, 2008 4:56 PM EST up reply actions