Eric Milton returns to Yankees
By john • Jul 12th, 2008 • Category: eric milton, minor leagues, new york yankees
Ten years ago the New York Yankees traded away Eric Milton, along with a few other minor league parts for Chuck Knoblauch. Knoblauch who may end up being remembered more for this awful throwing at the end of his career or his steroid use ended up helping the Yankees win three consecutive World Series rings while Milton struggled with being a less then mediocre pitcher.
The Yankees were right to get rid of Milton when his stock was high but now at the age of 32 the right hander has signed a minor league contract with the Yankees and will rehab at the Yankees minor league complex in Tampa, Florida.
Truthfully I don’t know why anyone would sign Milton who hasn’t posted an ERA below 5 since 2004 and has been 8-12 with a 5.18 ERA over the last two seasons.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi summed up the signing by stating the obvious. “He’s a left-hander, he’s got a pretty big breaking ball.”
I’ll give Milton some credit he did have that one no hitter against the Anaheim Angels but when a lineup is made up of one player who spent more then a week in the majors even that has to be questioned.
Last season after six starts Milton underwent Tommy John surgery but unless the surgery gave him a new arm I doubt it’ll do much for his hopes of being a average big league pitcher.
Milton is a veteran of 10 big league seasons. He is 87-84 with a 5.01 career ERA.
The left-hander was an All-Star in 2001, when he went 15-7 over a career-high 220 2/3 innings for the Twins.
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