Everyone remembers just how pivotal Andrew Miller was for the Orioles during the stretch run in 2014. It was obviously a huge acquisition, because the Orioles weren’t the only team in on the lanky lefty; the Tigers were the other contender with serious interest.
But Miller was due for free agency after his two months with the O’s, and he followed the money to the Bronx to become a member of the New York Yankees.
Many fans were hopeful that the O’s would be competitive in the bidding and possibly bring him back. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. Some fans think they’ll be fine without Miller – their bullpen was already one of the best in baseball prior to the trade, so they’ll be fine this upcoming season, right?
That’s a fair assumption; Zach Britton, Darren O’Day, Tommy Hunter, and Brian Matusz will be back, plus Brad Brach will inevitably see a more substantial role.
But the pen still needed another arm, particularly a lefty, a need that was filled when they signed non-tendered Wesley Wright.
Wright is clearly no Andrew Miller, but what are the O’s really getting with the lefty?
I’ll start with this: Wesley Wright cannot get righties out. In 28.2 innings against right-handed hitters in 2014, he pitched to a 4.42 FIP and a 4.46 xFIP.
He was also knocked around by the batters to a .248/.341/.377 triple slash line. He didn’t record many strikeouts either, with just a 13.7% K% and a 5.34 K/9.
Awful numbers, yes, but that’s not what the O’s brought him in to do; they brought him in to retire lefties.
And this is what he’s been able to do his whole career. In 2014, he posted a very nice 2.01 FIP, and a somewhat less impressive but still solid 2.83 xFIP against lefties. While not keeping guys off base much better than against righties – a reasonable .321 OBP against – he was able to limit extra bases, to the tune of a .273 SLG against.
Wright didn’t allow a single extra base hit to a left-handed hitter in 2014.
And in 2013, he only gave up eight extra base hits to lefties – five doubles, one triple, and two home runs – and that was in nearly ten more innings!
So, he’s not Andrew Miller; not even close. But in the age of super-bullpens, adding a capable lefty to an already good group is a smart move. It is a bit of more of the same considering Brian Matusz is a similar talent, but maybe Andrew Miller is being recreated with two pitchers, not just one.
Who can pick up the rest of the slack left by Miller, though? Well, Ryan Webb is the first guy that comes to mind, considering the O’s signed him to a two-year deal and he subsequently spent a good chunk of the 2014 season at Triple-A.
The second thought is Brach, who enjoyed a surprisingly great season last year, and seems due for an increase in workload.
Brach, Webb, and Wright are not Andrew Miller individually, but collectively, the three have the potential to fill his rather large shoes.
