NEWSLETTER
Today the Chicago Cubs signed lefty reliever Trever Miller to a minor league deal. He’ll come to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee, and, if he makes the big club out of camp, he’ll get $800k.
Miller, 38, has had a long and successful career as a lefty specialist, most recently with the Red Sox for a three-game stretch at the end of last season. Having signed Miller late in the year in 2011, you can figure Theo Epstein is very familiar with what he brings to the table. After rediscovering his form at age 30, Miller has been among the league’s better left-handed relievers, posting ERA+ of 147, 108, 148, 92, 107, 199, 98, 106, 151 since 2004, though he threw just 21.1 innings in 2011. The Cubs would be Miller’s 9th team in his 13-year career.
After trading lefty stud Sean Marshall earlier this Winter (and allowing ineffective lefty John Grabow (who took a minor league deal with the Dodgers) to walk), the Cubs have presumably been looking for a lefty to compete for a bullpen spot, together with incumbent lefty James Russell, and youngsters Jeff Beliveau, John Gaub, and Scott Maine.
