In a deal that smacks of desperation (pitcher’s neck broken by a batted ball-type desperation), the Rockies signed Kevin Millwood. Millwood spent most of the 2011 season pitching in the Boston Red Sox system, although calling it “pitching” might be an overestimation. In his 16 minor league games (Red Sox and Yankees), Millwood has gone 7-2, almost in spite of himself. He’s pitched to a 4.32 ERA while posting a 7.6 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9—numbers that don’t seem to portend of future success.
Despite having posted some very good seasons early in his career, Millwood is just not a big league pitcher any more. The last time he posted a K/9 above 7.0 was way back in 2004. Since then, he’s averaged 6.4 K/9 over six seasons, during which time he’s also pitched to a 61-73 record, 4.37 ERA and 1.42 WHIP, making Millwood an average pitcher at best. The past four seasons, however, Millwood’s been even worse, pitching to a 4.73 ERA and 1.51 WHIP—numbers that would get him released from anyone’s fantasy team, and from every Major League team as luck would have it. There’s a reason he hasn’t pitched at the big league level this season—he’s just not good enough.
Alas, here’s the door, slightly ajar, mostly because Juan Nicasio is out for the remainder of the season after suffering a broken vertebra in his neck. IT’s a scary injury to be certain, but all indications are that Nicasio is doing well following a surgery to address the injury. Coupled with the departure of staff ace Ubaldo Jimenez (traded to Cleveland), the Rockies are terribly thin in their rotation. Don’t forget, they also lost Jorge De La Rosa to Tommy John surgery on June 3. So, that’s the bad news.
The infinitely worse news is that the team somehow feels that Kevin Millwood might be an upgrade over whatever they have going right now. Currently, the Rockies rotation includes Jhoulys Chacin, Aaron Cook, Jason Hammel, and Esmil Rogers. That’s right, just when it seems like every big league team is contemplating a 6-man rotation, the Rockies only have four starters—total. And to think that entering the season the Rockies looked as though their rotation might actually be their strength. That is no longer the case. In fact, inking Millwood clearly signals that at 53-62 the team is simply hoping to finish the 2011 season without fate interceding and claiming yet another starter. If you’re looking for some levity in this otherwise grim ordeal, the starting pitching situation in Colorado does feel a little bit like the drummer situation in Spinal Tap, doesn’t it?
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