DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers announced today the club has agreed to terms on a four-year contract with lefthanded pitcher Andrew Miller, the club's first-round selection in the 2006 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft from the University of North Carolina.
Miller finished 13-2 with a 2.48 ERA (123.1IP/34ER) in 20 games (18 starts) for the Tar Heels in 2006. He fanned 133 batters, while limiting opponents to a .222 batting average (100x451). Miller won the Roger Clemens Award as college baseball's top pitcher, as well as being tabbed Baseball America's Player of the Year and the Atlantic Coast Conference's Pitcher of the Year.
Miller earned Second-Team Atlantic Coast Conference honors as both a freshman and sophomore in 2004 and 2005, respectively. He was named to Baseball America's Second-Team Freshman All-American squad in 2004 after posting a 6-3 record, 2.93 ERA (89.0IP/29ER) and 88 strikeouts in 18 games (15 games started). As a sophomore in 2005, Miller was 8-4 with a 2.98 ERA (96.2IP/32ER) and 104 strikeouts in 16 starts.
The 6-6, 210-pound lefthanded pitcher is tops all-time in the University of North Carolina's history with 325 strikeouts.
He pitched for Chatham in the Cape Cod League during the summer in both 2004 and 2005, garnering top prospect honors in the league from Baseball America both years. In 2005, Miller was selected Baseball America's Summer Player of the Year and the Cape Cod League's Pitcher of the Year after posting a 6-0 record, 1.65 ERA (49.0IP/9ER) and 66 strikeouts in seven starts. He finished 2-0 with a 2.03 ERA (40.0IP/9ER) and 48 strikeouts in seven starts during the summer of 2004.
Miller was selected in the third round by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 2003 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Buchholz High School in Gainesville, FL.
Tigers Vice President, Amateur Scouting David Chadd, Miller and Miller's representative Mark Rodgers will be available to the media during a conference call at 5:00 p.m. today. Interested media can join the call by dialing 1-800-230-1085 and asking for the Detroit Tigers call.
Andrew "Dr. Destroy" Miller to be called up on September 1st.
The Tigers will host the Los Angeles Angels on Sept. 1 to begin the first meaningful Labor Day weekend series in Detroit in more than a decade. They may be counting magic numbers by then, on their way to winning the American League Central.
Left-hander Andrew Miller will be with them.
Miller, the Tigers' first-round pick in the June amateur draft, signed a four-year contract Friday. The deal has a guaranteed value of $5.45 million, including a $3.55-million signing bonus.
When rosters expand to 40 players Sept. 1, Miller will be called up for the start of his major league career.
"It's a dream," Miller said in a Friday teleconference.
Miller, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound pitcher from the University of North Carolina, will -- health permitting -- pitch out of the bullpen during the final month of the regular season. He is eligible to pitch in the postseason, however unlikely that may seem, because he will have joined the 40-man roster before Aug. 31.
President and general manager Dave Dombrowski made clear that Miller's future is as a starting pitcher, but said it is "more practical" for him to enter the big leagues as a reliever. Miller has not pitched competitively since the College World Series in June, and there is not sufficient time between now and Sept. 1 for him to rebuild the stamina necessary to start.
Good to have him signed and put all the negotiating behind us. Also, pitching him temporarily in the bullpen to close out the year is just fine. Keep his workload down, but still get adjusted to pro ball. Depending on how he is used during September for the big league club, that could be a good learning experience as well. I just don't think they should thrust him out into too many high pressure situations during that time, but that is arguable and we have yet to see exactly how far along he is anyways.
This is great news, what a total change in philosophy by the Tigers since McHale and Randy's money saving team building flop. It's obvious the DD told Illich that he could build him a winner, but he had to have the financial backing to do so.
And not only do we have the top rated player in the draft signed, we also have the pitcher who bested him in the college WS.
Miller update: First-round draft pick Andrew Miller is tentatively scheduled to make his professional debut Saturday for Class A Lakeland. He continues to work his way into pitching shape, throwing at the Tigers' Spring Training facility.
The big left-hander from the University of North Carolina will pitch in a relief role to start his track toward joining the Tigers bullpen in September.
I still wonder how much of Miller we will see in September. You have to doubt that he will be out there in high pressure situations. But I wonder if they will use him sparingly to protect his arm, or if they will get him out there every chance they can to see what they have and get him some good work.
Andrew Miller finally made his pro debut today pitching the bottom of the 6th inning for the Lakeland Tigers. Here's what went down.
Pitcher Change: Andrew Miller replaces Kevin Ardoin. Brock Peterson strikes out swinging. Deacon Burns called out on strikes. Steven Tolleson hit by pitch. J. R. Taylor grounds out, second baseman Gilberto Mejia to first baseman Jeff Larish.
Dannomyte wrote:Andrew Miller finally made his pro debut today pitching the bottom of the 6th inning for the Lakeland Tigers. Here's what went down.
Pitcher Change: Andrew Miller replaces Kevin Ardoin. Brock Peterson strikes out swinging. Deacon Burns called out on strikes. Steven Tolleson hit by pitch. J. R. Taylor grounds out, second baseman Gilberto Mejia to first baseman Jeff Larish.
Tigers pitching prospect Andrew Miller was brilliant in his professional debut Sunday during Lakeland's 3-1 victory at Fort Myers.
Miller, a 6-foot-6 left-hander whom the Tigers grabbed with the sixth overall selection in June's draft, pitched one inning of relief, striking out the first two batters before hitting the next batter in the foot on an 0-2 pitch. He retired the fourth hitter on a first-pitch ground ball to second.
"His fastball on the high end was 97 (mph), and averaged 96, his breaking ball was nice and crisp, and his cutter was at 89," said Jon Matlack , the Tigers' minor league roving pitching instructor.
"In talking to the kid afterward, he was still not happy how it went, although I thought it went very well," Matlack said. "His demeanor was very comfortable, considering the circumstances. He could easily have struck out the side."
Miller, 21, was the NCAA college pitcher of the year while helping North Carolina reach the finals of the College World Series.
He is expected to join the Tigers when roster numbers expand Sept. 1.
Results from Andrew Millers 2nd bit of game action.
Dunedin Top 6th
Pitcher Change: Andrew Miller replaces Dallas Trahern.
Carlo Cota called out on strikes.
Robinzon Diaz called out on strikes.
Ron Davenport strikes out swinging.
Dunedin Top 7th
Eric Nielsen singles on a ground ball to right fielder Garth McKinney.
Josh Kreuzer grounds into double play, third baseman Miguel Linares to second baseman Juan Francia to first baseman Jeff Larish. Eric Nielsen out at 2nd.
Christian Snavely walks.
Eric Arnold strikes out swinging
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by Dannomyte » Fri Aug 04, 2006 4:38 pm 
