Season in Review: Andrew Miller

AP

Preseason Predictions:
N/A

Actual Stats:
17 G (12 GS), 6-3, 5.54 ERA, 5.12 FIP, 1.82 WHIP, 50/41 K/BB


Not long after the 2010 season ended, the Red Sox made a trade for former top prospect Andrew Miller, in hopes of rectifying his career. Miller spent the first couple months of the season in AAA Pawtucket, and put up very solid numbers, accumulating a 2.47 ERA (3.47 FIP), 61/35 K/BB ratio and an impressive 0.24 HR/9. On June 20th, he was called up to the big leagues to make his first start in a Red Sox uniform against the lowly San Diego Padres. Miller actually pitched pretty well in his debut, and in his next three starts, going at least five each time, never allowing more than three runs and having more Ks than BBs in all but one of them. People were excited that Miller may have finally begun to find his way in this league. However, those four starts came against San Diego, Pittsburgh, Houston and Baltimore, none of which are exactly the '27 Yankees. In his next start, against Tampa Bay, Miller allowed seven runs in 2 and 2/3 innings. In the end, control was probably Miller's biggest problem. He walked 13.2% of the batters he faced, and 5.68 per 9 innings, both of which were actually improvements from the year before. The biggest issue his control created was that he couldn't make it deep into games. Miller only lasted at least six innings three times this year, and two of those were in the first four starts I mentioned earlier. Like the rest of the staff, Miller faltered down the stretch, compiling an 11.70 ERA and 7.43 FIP in limited action in the final month of the season.

Final Grade:
Miller was thrust into the spotlight midway through the year and showed promise early, only to revert back to his old control issues. In the end, he was far too inconsistent and unreliable. I give him a C-.