Kevin Millar does everything off the field the Chicago Cubs need in the clubhouse. He keeps his teammates loose. He entertains them when the team bus breaks down and reminds them baseball is just a game. Millar has lived up to his reputation in his short time with the Cubs. He has said and done everything the Cubs expected off the field.
Millar has outperformed expectations on the field this spring. He has listened to Rudy Jaramillo and has hit the ball. After nine games and 15 at bats, Millar is hitting .333/.545/.600 with seven walks, a double, a home run and three RBI.
Several of the veterans are "rooting" for Kevin Millar to make the team and the feeling is Millar could break camp on the Cubs roster. But when the games actually count, can Kevin Millar help the Cubs win games?
Seemingly everyday there is a new report from the mainstream media on Kevin Millar. The latest from the Tribune labeled Millar as the designated goofball. But in the role the Cubs need to fill, Millar's career numbers prove he is not the right player, on the field, for the Chicago Cubs.
In his career, Kevin Millar has hit right-handed pitchers and lefties about the same for average but not for power.
- vs. RHP - .274/.357/.459/.816 in 3336 career at bats with 213 doubles, 13 triples and 126 home runs
- vs. LHP - .273/.361/.435/.796 in 1532 career at bat with 83 doubles, 2 triples and 44 home runs
(Link to Millar's Baseball-Reference full career platoon splits)
So in half as many at bats, his power numbers against southpaws, which Lou Piniella would use him late in games or to give his regulars a day off, likely would not benefit the Cubs as the team's 25th man.
Kevin Millar is used to being an everyday player. His career numbers as a player coming off the bench and as a pinch hitter back up that statement.
- Off the Bench (substitute) - .217/.316/.336/.652 in 167 games (152 at bats) with 19 walks, seven doubles, a triple and three home runs
(Link to Millar's Baseball-Reference starter or substitute splits)
- Pinch-Hitting - .198/.309/.294/.602 in 149 games (126 at bats) with 18 walks, six doubles, no triples and two home runs
(Link to Millar's Baseball-Reference defensive positions splits)
Kevin Millar hit better against lefties last season in Toronto, when he started at first base. As the team's DH, Millar hit just .129/.247/.243/.490 in 22 games (70 at bats).
(Link to Millar's Baseball-Reference 2009 splits)
Kevin Millar might be the right man for the Cubs in the clubhouse ... unless Major League Baseball allows the Cubs to add a 26th man to their active roster, his career numbers show he probably will not them win many baseball games.
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My first reaction to the Millar signing was, "two seasons too late".
And that's still the consensus even now.
But, I don't buy into pinch hitting and righty/lefty splits. Too many variables. We've seen the likes of John Mabry and Daryle Ward come in to mixed success. It's a crap shoot.
Maybe Millar can come in and hit .260 with some pop. Get on base a few times and remind all these Chicago-media stricken ballplayers that they are just that -
ballplayers.
There's a couple of thoughts regarding Millar making the roster.
1. If Nady gets some extra time in extended spring training in Arizona, the 5 bench spots could then be, Baker/Fontenot, Snyder/Colvin/Fuld, Tracy, Millar, and Hill. I would much prefer many other options all the way through that bench, but if this team starts out hot and Millar keeps the team loose, he could make a point to stay say when Castro arrives. Castro shifts Theriot to 2nd - thus eliminating the need for both Baker and Fontenot. Blanco is healthy by then, or Barney is tearing it up, both Fontenot and Baker should be traded.
2. Millar making the team will definitely move Tracy to another team, assuming Nady gets held back to start the year. He will go to somewhere like a couple guys mentioned yesterday, Minnesota, or St. Louis. Just what the Cubs need is another thorn within the division (DeRosa w/ Cards last year, McGehee in Milwaukee). Then watch Jermaine Dye sign with the Pirates or Astros and see him beat up on the Cubs after blowing him off.
3. Millar signed with Chicago to be the link that got Boston to the World Series and potentially the Cubs. Maybe he knows his role will be in Triple AAA, helping Ryno bring up the kids. Given the more than likely injury that is sure to happen at 1B or 3B this year, he gets the first call.
4. Millar gets designated, he retires!
I am hoping #3 is the way it happens. It would be nice to know we have a viable backup plan in place for a change. Having a clubhouse guy waiting just in case - actually shows a slight improvement over last year. Am I wrong?
I'm hoping for #4.
If you're looking for backups at 1B, think Nady, Hoffpauir, Tracy, Synder, and forget about the 38 year old .198 hitting "self-proclaimed idiot."
IF the Cubs need a comedian to keep the team loose, go hire Jay Leno. He's looking for a job, isn't he?
Yeah, Leno needs a job, that gig hosting something called 'The Tonight Show' will never last...Yeah, right...As for Millar, I for one like him and hope he sticks with the team out of Spring Training.
Per the Tribune on the Cubs designated "goofball"...
"We like chemistry, we like for this team to be loosey-goosy and have fun," manager Lou Piniella said. Atta boy Lou!
The issue still is that you have a 38 year-old (with limited fielding options) potentially taking a roster spot from a younger, more athletic player.
Let's see how jovial he and the team are if they don't get out of the shoot early in the season.
Just lunacy on the north side.
I did like Rosenbloom's comments though (regarding the Toyota signage) that the
"neighborhood sells rooftop space without contributing so much as a dollar to buy out Lou Piniella’s contract?"
Wishful thinking!
Ron Washington doing cocaine. GREAT. You have Josh Hamilton down there who's had his issues, and now your manager is snorting coke. And he tested positive LAST YEAR. Texas management must be as dumb as Cubs' management. What is taking them so long to fire him?
I've got a solution: bring in Tim Raines to be a bench coach. That ought to get the team together on this thing!
Totally agree. How's MLB going to handle this? Oh, rehab, right.......it's the American way. He'll get fined and suspended to clean up and then he'll get his job back making a hell of alot more $ than me. Then he'll be welcomed with a standing ovation from the fans. Imagine if he was in St. Louis? Derryl Kile dies of "natural causes" in his sleep during his prime of his career. Hancock dies in a DUI. McGwire admits to steroid use. MLB needs to get their asses going on this drug abuse crap!
And speaking of drug problems, Elijah Dukes just got cut off the Washington squad. He's was supposed to be their starting RF. A look at his stats doesn't make me think we need another Milton:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=28640
Neil, I think you wrote this column to get me all fired up again!
Woody: If the Cubs signed Millar thinking that he is a "link that got the Red Sox to the World Series" then I just give up now. As Aaron has pointed out many times, the Red Sox won the WS because they had the best 1-4 lineup in baseball centered on an Ortiz/Manny combo that produced 80HR and 250+ RBI themselves! And yes Millar was on the team, but 7 years ago he was also a productive hitter!
Look, the simplest point, actually FACT, is that Millar will take the place of Tracy. Tracy is a Third baseman AND First baseman, Millar is barely a 1Bman. So, when Aramis misses time (he will), who is satisfied with one of our current 2B platoon men moving over to play 3B everyday? All of a sudden the platoonies are both everyday players. Yeah, I do not want to see an everyday lineup with Fontenot AND Baker in it.
Or I guess there is a #5, Woody: Millar makes the team, Tracy get picked up by the Birds, Aramis goes down and the Cubs spin into another free-fall (just like last year - this is what kills me - it already happened! they lost it last year because they did not have a backup at 3B and they are willing to do that again?) and do not recover thus leading to the dismantling of the current team and the rebuilding begins!
JC:
your #5 is basically the #2. And I did not mean that Millar was the reason the Sox won. Simply he was a piece to the puzzle. It's a given he was not a offensive catalyst on that Sox team, but maybe he adds to the chemistry of the clubhouse that is needed to succeed. I in no way want Millar on the 25 man roster to break spring training, just merely stating the possible outcomes on what happens to him this year.
Even though Millar is having a solid ST, he should only make the team in case of an injury to Lee and or Ramirez.
I like Millar, and in some ways, I wish he could make the team. But the truth is, we would be better with him in AAA as an injury backup. I think what worries all of us is that keeping him on the big league roster sounds like a mistake this team seems prone to make. Can't you just feel it happening? I hope I'm wrong. I really want to see Tracy on the team for his success as a pinch hitter.
Did we have a Colvin discussion on here yet (I was out of town on business for a few days)? Will being a fourth OF hurt his development?
Guzman is going to have the surgery
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100318&content_id=8828550&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc