love to see the Reds release Milton and keep Burton!

[redsfan4445]

I sure would like to see Milton gone.. he has to be the worst pitcher to make big money in Reds history!!. and with him gone, have both Belise and Saarloos in the rotation and have Livingston in AAA for quick rotation replacement and Burton in the bullpen.

Harang
Arroyo
Lohse
Belisle
Saarloos

better chances without Milton giving homers every game!!

[reds44]

He makes too much money. Lukily, this is the last year of his deal. Also, I don't know if I like the idea of an all RHP starting staff.

[Always Red]

I agree with most of what you say, but the Reds aren't going to just release him so he can go and pitch for the Nationals on their dime.

Best case scenario is the Reds can work some kind of a deal where they can get anything in return for him, even PTBNL, and not have to pay his entire salary, but only most of it.

Worst case scenario- Castellini decides to stick with him for the entire year. I think decision involving this much money aren't made without Castellini's agreement; in other words, WK doesn't just make the decision to cut loose $9 million himself.

[Dracodave]

I dont think the idea of all right handed rotation is very good...

However, if you edit that rotation to this...

Harang
Arroyo
Loshe
Belisle
Livingston

Saarloos-Spot starter/long relief.

I think it's as good or better than with Milton.

[reds44]

Originally Posted by Dracodave

I dont think the idea of all right handed rotation is very good...

However, if you edit that rotation to this...

Harang
Arroyo
Loshe
Belisle
Livingston

Saarloos-Spot starter/long relief.

I think it's as good or better than with Milton.

Livingston is nothing but a junk baller. A less bad version of Michalak. I'd probably take Milton over Linvingston. At least uncle Milty gave us some QS's last year.

[BRM]

I'll take the five best starters, regardless of what hand they throw with.

[OnBaseMachine]

Originally Posted by BRM

I'll take the five best starters, regardless of what hand they throw with.

Exactly how I feel.

[marcshoe]

Originally Posted by Always Red

I agree with most of what you say, but the Reds aren't going to just release him so he can go and pitch for the Nationals on their dime.

I guess not. otoh, if someone in the division signed him, it would be worth it to have him pitch for that team on the Reds' dime. They'd get a better bang for the buck than if they paid him the same amount of money to pitch for the Reds....:

[LINEDRIVER]

The end of March is approaching and Milton seems to be in mid-season form. Marty reminded the listeners today that we are already seeing the same Eric Milton that we've watched for the last 2 seasons. Jeff Brantley commented that no matter what he throws up there....they hit it.

Brantley talked about how sometimes a vet pitcher doesnt get himself all worked up in these spring games with emotion and adrenaline but then added that when a guy gives up 20-something hits in 12-something innings, pride should be kicking in. Marty seemed to be questioning Milton's motivation by basically saying that a guy who has stunk up the joint for the last 2 yrs and in the last yr of a contract should be putting forth his best effort if he's capable. I thought to myself, "If he's capable? Now we are getting to the meat of the matter."

Personally, I am of the thinking that Milton cant pitch better because he is physically unable to. Seems to me that he has a knee problem that keeps him from pitching effectively in the major leagues. He probably has some good days but many more bad days thus accounting for my prediction of him going 6-15 in 2007 with a 6.50 ERA. Milton should be told to shut it down, pack a bag, and head for Cincinnati. Milton should then undergo a thorough examination at Doc Kremchek's medical complex as in scans, xrays, MRI's, polygraph testing (just kidding), and blood work while looking for inflammation, pulls, tears, broken bones, arthritis, etc. IMO, if he can be disabled or should be disabled, then he SHOULD BE DISABLED and to hell with the 8.5 million bucks. Running a guy like Milton out there every fifth day defies every principle of winning baseball. You might as well spot the opponent 5 runs.

Marty surprised me today by making a very good point in asking the question, "Why not make Milton the FIFTH starter?" The point being that Milton would then be the guy to be skipped over in the rotation when a skipping over is called for as in a day off, rained out games, quirks in the schedule, etc. Marty said he will ask Narron that question before Thursday's game. I fully expect Narron to dance around it the best he can by making references to Milton being a veteran, blah, blah, blah. I do not expect Narron to say anything controversial but I'll be listening.

[KronoRed]

Originally Posted by BRM

I'll take the five best starters, regardless of what hand they throw with.

Same.

A lefty starter is only useful if he can actually get people out.

[Falls City Beer]

Hell, I don't care if he pitches with his taint.

[TeamSelig]

I'm hoping he can have a good first half, we can pay part of his salary, and maybe get a long shot prospect

[big boy]

Sometimes Milty gives the Reds 5 or 6 innings giving up 2 or 3 runs. Then Narron sends him out for another turn to get lit up. If Narron will take his 5 innings and run, it might not turn out so bad.

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by big boy

Sometimes Milty gives the Reds 5 or 6 innings giving up 2 or 3 runs. Then Narron sends him out for another turn to get lit up. If Narron will take his 5 innings and run, it might not turn out so bad.

You can find guys to give you 5 innings anywhere. As a starter, Milton is either at or below replacement level.

[coachw513]

The Milton era has been greatly discussed today so I forget who to credit with this very poignant line of thinking:

We've already made 1 mistake in signing Milton to the contract he's working under...but we have the ability to limit it to ONE mistake...mistake #2 is to run him out there every 5th day IF he's not one of our best 5 starters...

I don't know if Saarloos, Lohse and Belisle are all better options than Milton, though I think that is where we may be headed...but if so, then it's not a bad financial decision to DFA him...HE'S ALREADY GOING TO BE PAID...this should only be a baseball decision

The only bad decision would be for Narron to bet on us when Milton starts (oh wait, wrong thread )

Bray's health???...Maj's health???...Burton's potential???...Hermanson's legitimate health and stuff???...Milton's stuff???...

A very important 2 weeks in the big picture because those answers will impact WK's ability to make a proactive trade with a position of depth (quantity if not quality) of relievers to any of the number of teams that are 1-2 arms short in the pen...

I fear that Bray and Maj will both start on the DL...it alleviates the burden of the staff-overcrowding and would give us the ability to keep Burton, but I can only imagine the threads that will start when that becomes a reality :deadhorse