Wade Miley News:

[TURBO]

Brewers general manager David Stearns said Monday that the team is "keeping in touch" with Wade Miley's agent.

 

The Brewers are open to bringing the left-hander back, but Miley will test out his value on the open market first. The southpaw should be able to land a multi-year contract after posting a surprising 2.57 ERA over 16 starts last season.

 

Source: Adam McCalvy on TwitterDec 10 - 9:08 PM

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

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Source: #Reds among teams showing interest in free-agent starter Wade Miley, who worked with current Cincinnati pitching coach Derek Johnson during his breakthrough 2018 season with #Brewers. @MLB @MLBNetwork

 

That makes a lot of sense. Would like to see Miley comes back, but I can't imagine he's a very high priority given the starting pitching depth they have. Would be a bummer to see him stay in the division, though, unless he reverts back to pre-2018 Miley.

[TURBO]

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic hears that the Nationals are considering free agent left-hander Wade Miley.

 

Washington has also been connected to free agent starter Anibal Sanchez in the hours since trading Tanner Roark to the Reds for a big-armed controllable reliever in Tanner Rainey. Miley struggled with injuries as a member of the Brewers in 2018, but he posted a shiny 2.57 ERA over 16 starts when healthy. The 32-year-old had a 5.61 ERA in 157 1/3 innings with the Orioles in 2017.

 

Source: Ken Rosenthal on TwitterDec 12 - 9:06 PM

[TURBO]

Struggled with injuries? he had one BIG injury that landed him on the DL at the beginning of the season, but as far as my memory goes, didn't miss a single start once he came back...

[KeithStone53151]

I know not many are sticklers for this sort of thing like me, but I was really turned off by his comments in spring last year. The crux of it was something like "I realized I was on my way out of the game, so I worked really hard this offseason". To me, that comes off as he didn't really work that hard any prior offseasons...and gives me immediate work ethic concerns. To the point that I don't know that I want the Brewers to bring him back outside of a super cheap deal...which is probably unlikely for him given his season.

 

I'm sure I'm in the minority and he could very well have a good season, that's my biggest concern with him though.

[yoshii8]

I'm ok with moving on from Wade Miley. I thought he was great down the stretch for the Brewers, but don't want to invest a significant amount on him.

[JosephC]

I would have never made it a priority to try and bring back Miley this off-season, but under certain circumstances wouldn't have minded seeing him return.

 

But the more I look at the numbers, the more I hope he moves on to a different organization.

 

2018 = 2.57 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.59 FIP, 159 ERA+

2015-2017 = 5.10 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 4.46 FIP, 84 ERA+

 

The larger sample size is not favorable. Of course, it wasn't favorable going into last year either.

 

So how much of Miley's 2018 was a reworking of his repertoire, a move to the NL, just dumb luck?

 

Looking at some of the 2018 numbers beyond the basic line above. 4.30 xFIP...a real good indicator that any sub-3.50 ERA was a complete fluke. .269 BABIP, well below the league average and an indication that some luck may have been in play. 5.2% HR/FB ratio, a ridiculously low number that would be virtually impossible to repeat when pitching home games in Miller Park. K/BB ratio <2. How many starting pitchers have held a 2.57 ERA with a K/BB ratio under two in the last decade? I'm sure there are some out there, but that number has to be pretty low.

 

Basically, everything about Miley's 2.57 ERA in 2018 screams fluke.

 

I'd rather the Brewers just move on.

[KeithStone53151]

I don't mean to be one to defend Miley here, but I'm not so sure his hr ratio is all that flukey. He had the best GB/FB ratio of his career and the lowest FB rate of his career. Along with that, his IFFB rate was the second highest of his career. The numbers seem to indicate when guys barreled him up, it tended to be line drives or on the ground more often than not...and that's not overly surprising given the pitches he throws(a well placed cutter is very tough to elevate). The BABIP is probably a bit lucky but also somewhat attributable to the high GB/FB rate and the Brewers excellent shifting.

 

I'm not going to say he wasn't at least a little lucky. Something in the 3.2-3.4 range probably would have made sense for him last year were luck not a factor. And again, I don't really want to bring him back for my prior concerns...I just don't think he was overly lucky.

[clancyphile]

I would have given Miley a QO, and I want him back.

 

He was very solid, and I bet being fully healthy would have given him the chance to put up a very good season. Maybe not 2.57 ERA good, but 3.00 ERA good.

 

Gio Gonzalez has a better track record, with some recent regression, but was also in that same range. Miley would have been my preference, though.

[danzig6767]

I would have never made it a priority to try and bring back Miley this off-season, but under certain circumstances wouldn't have minded seeing him return.

 

But the more I look at the numbers, the more I hope he moves on to a different organization.

 

2018 = 2.57 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.59 FIP, 159 ERA+

2015-2017 = 5.10 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 4.46 FIP, 84 ERA+

 

The larger sample size is not favorable. Of course, it wasn't favorable going into last year either.

 

So how much of Miley's 2018 was a reworking of his repertoire, a move to the NL, just dumb luck?

 

Looking at some of the 2018 numbers beyond the basic line above. 4.30 xFIP...a real good indicator that any sub-3.50 ERA was a complete fluke. .269 BABIP, well below the league average and an indication that some luck may have been in play. 5.2% HR/FB ratio, a ridiculously low number that would be virtually impossible to repeat when pitching home games in Miller Park. K/BB ratio <2. How many starting pitchers have held a 2.57 ERA with a K/BB ratio under two in the last decade? I'm sure there are some out there, but that number has to be pretty low.

 

Basically, everything about Miley's 2.57 ERA in 2018 screams fluke.

 

I'd rather the Brewers just move on.

His learning of and then excelling at the use of the cutter was a huge factor in his success with the Brewers. He repeatedly got that pitch on to the hands of righthanded hitters, which resulted in numerous softly hit ground balls.

 

Maybe Miley can't continue commanding his cutter as effectively going forward, but he certainly wouldn't be the first pitcher to turn his career around by learning and mastering a given pitch.

[trwi7]

I know not many are sticklers for this sort of thing like me, but I was really turned off by his comments in spring last year. The crux of it was something like "I realized I was on my way out of the game, so I worked really hard this offseason". To me, that comes off as he didn't really work that hard any prior offseasons...and gives me immediate work ethic concerns. To the point that I don't know that I want the Brewers to bring him back outside of a super cheap deal...which is probably unlikely for him given his season.

 

I'm sure I'm in the minority and he could very well have a good season, that's my biggest concern with him though.

 

I took it to mean that his pitch arsenal wasn't working anymore and he wasn't going to be anything more than random minor league roster filler if he didn't change it hence he worked really hard in the offseason to come up with a cutter to help neutralize right handed hitters.

[OnaBadger58]

I know not many are sticklers for this sort of thing like me, but I was really turned off by his comments in spring last year. The crux of it was something like "I realized I was on my way out of the game, so I worked really hard this offseason". To me, that comes off as he didn't really work that hard any prior offseasons...and gives me immediate work ethic concerns. To the point that I don't know that I want the Brewers to bring him back outside of a super cheap deal...which is probably unlikely for him given his season.

 

I'm sure I'm in the minority and he could very well have a good season, that's my biggest concern with him though.

 

I took it to mean that his pitch arsenal wasn't working anymore and he wasn't going to be anything more than random minor league roster filler if he didn't change it hence he worked really hard in the offseason to come up with a cutter to help neutralize right handed hitters.

Exactly. He worked really hard to reinvent himself as a pitcher. I'm sure after self scouting, he realized that if he doesn't change what he's doing, his career will be over. Props to him imo, when players reach the top level, they are content with sticking with what got them there. Miley evolved into a better pitcher and will be rewarded for it as a FA.

[DHonks]

It's not just that Miley realized it, but the Brewers. Their two FA acquisitions for the rotation were Miley and Chacin. Both threw an underutilized dominant pitch and the Brewers convinced them otherwise.

[adambr2]

I would have given Miley a QO, and I want him back.

 

He was very solid, and I bet being fully healthy would have given him the chance to put up a very good season. Maybe not 2.57 ERA good, but 3.00 ERA good.

 

Gio Gonzalez has a better track record, with some recent regression, but was also in that same range. Miley would have been my preference, though.

 

I appreciate very much what Miley did for us last year and would welcone him back at the right price, but this franchise can't survive long-term doling out $18M for one season to the Wade Mileys and Gio Gonzalez's of the world. QO would have been a huge overpay for either.

[young guns]

Struggled with injuries? he had one BIG injury that landed him on the DL at the beginning of the season, but as far as my memory goes, didn't miss a single start once he came back...

He came back in May, pitched twice and in the second start only made it .1 innings before coming back in july for good.

[TJseven7]

I would have never made it a priority to try and bring back Miley this off-season, but under certain circumstances wouldn't have minded seeing him return.

 

But the more I look at the numbers, the more I hope he moves on to a different organization.

 

2018 = 2.57 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.59 FIP, 159 ERA+

2015-2017 = 5.10 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 4.46 FIP, 84 ERA+

 

The larger sample size is not favorable. Of course, it wasn't favorable going into last year either.

 

So how much of Miley's 2018 was a reworking of his repertoire, a move to the NL, just dumb luck?

 

Looking at some of the 2018 numbers beyond the basic line above. 4.30 xFIP...a real good indicator that any sub-3.50 ERA was a complete fluke. .269 BABIP, well below the league average and an indication that some luck may have been in play. 5.2% HR/FB ratio, a ridiculously low number that would be virtually impossible to repeat when pitching home games in Miller Park. K/BB ratio <2. How many starting pitchers have held a 2.57 ERA with a K/BB ratio under two in the last decade? I'm sure there are some out there, but that number has to be pretty low.

 

Basically, everything about Miley's 2.57 ERA in 2018 screams fluke.

 

I'd rather the Brewers just move on.

 

Fluke? Don't you remember reading up on how he worked with his college pitching coach and mileys old coach realized miley changed something that messed up his timing and lead to a loss of horizontal control. He was a good pitcher when he wasn't walking a ton of batters abd getting behind in the count. His old coach got him back on track. That's a fluke? Fixing your mechanics and getting back your control is a fluke?

[dlk9s]

I know not many are sticklers for this sort of thing like me, but I was really turned off by his comments in spring last year. The crux of it was something like "I realized I was on my way out of the game, so I worked really hard this offseason". To me, that comes off as he didn't really work that hard any prior offseasons...and gives me immediate work ethic concerns. To the point that I don't know that I want the Brewers to bring him back outside of a super cheap deal...which is probably unlikely for him given his season.

 

I'm sure I'm in the minority and he could very well have a good season, that's my biggest concern with him though.

 

You're reading waaaaay too much into things.

[homer]

The guy is 32 and looks like he just finished a shift at Falk. Just screams injury risk to me. But like josephc said at the right price he's worth a look. I just fear some dumb team is going to sign him to a three year deal.

[TURBO]

Jon Heyman of Fancred reports that the Brewers have interest in bringing back free agent southpaw Wade Miley.

 

The 32-year-old southpaw was terrific for the Brewers last season, posting a 2.57 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 50/27 K/BB ratio across his 80 2/3 innings. At the right cost, he could add some much-needed depth to the Brewers' rotation.

[PeaveyFury]

We must really be in the heart of the non-news cycle of the offseason. What a silly update from Heyman..... of course the Brewers would be interested in bringing Miley back "At the right cost." I'm equally sure that they'd be interested in bringing in Bryce Harper "at the right cost." Or acquiring Madison Bumgarner "at the right cost." Or 'insert name here' "at the right cost."

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

According to this list (https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-free-agent-tracker-latest-hot-stove-signings-ranking-50-best-players-available-for-2019/), 18 of the top 50 free agents remain unsigned. We may see Machado and Harper drag out into February, but I totally expect many of the guys lower on the list, including Miley, to come off within the next week or so. I predict Pollack will be the next big name to go, and maybe Keuchel this week as well. I think Moose signs somewhere this week. It is absolutely astonishing to me that Marwin Gonzalez remains unsigned. I thought he'd be one of the first off the board. Every team in MLB can use that versatility and solid bat. Perhaps he knows this too, and is asking for the moon.

[Brew Crew Buster]

We must really be in the heart of the non-news cycle of the offseason. What a silly update from Heyman..... of course the Brewers would be interested in bringing Miley back "At the right cost." I'm equally sure that they'd be interested in bringing in Bryce Harper "at the right cost." Or acquiring Madison Bumgarner "at the right cost." Or 'insert name here' "at the right cost."

I'm interested in hiring a personal chef --- at the right cost.

[PDCBalla]

[MrTPlush]

I actually want Miley back...would much prefer him over Keuchel. But....I doubt it happens.