Time for Millar to Cowboy Down?
When the Blue Jays were winning, everyone was a fan of Kevin Millar; the lovable, scruffy, jokester of the clubhouse. Now that things have tailed off a bit, we’re starting to see more of Kevin Millar; the loveable, scruffy, jokester of the clubhouse who can’t get a hit.
Millar had a decent first few months of the season with .267 AVG to go along with 3 HR and 16 RBI. He basically did what was expected of him which was to hit left-handers better than Lyle Overbay. But then just like the Blue Jays themselves, Kevin Millar dropped off … big time.
Since June 1st, Millar is below The Mendoza Line hitting .187 with 1 HR and just 6 RBI’s. His ineffectiveness at the plate especially showed this past weekend when he struck out three times on Saturday (twice looking) and was held hitless the entire series.
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For some reason, Blue Jays management is willing to give every minor league pitcher the chance to play in the show, but they’re apprehensive about calling up position players from the Las Vegas 51’s. There is a wealth of talent in Las Vegas that is just waiting to get the call; players like Buck Coats, Randy Ruiz and even Travis Snider are all viable options to take Kevin Millar’s place on the roster.
The problem with sending Millar down to the minors at this point in the season is that I really don’t see him wanting to be sent down to Las Vegas. He would probably just tell the Jays to put him on waivers and maybe he could spend the last few months of the season with some of his buddies in Boston or Baltimore.
I don't understand the lack of confidence in the young position guys either. It's the same mindset that got us Stewert, Mench and Wilkerson last year. And it's brought us DeLucci and Millar this year, I'm sick of seeing the subpar old dudes play in a spot that an occasionally struggling young guy could get accustomed to the bigs in.
The sooner Snider can prove himself full time or Coats gets a chance the better.
Matty, I just hope some of the young guys get called up sooner than when they open up the expanded 40-man roster.
Sniderman, Coats or Ruiz is a better option at this point instead of Millar/Dellucci.
Millar's pretty much dead to me, yo.
Time to Free Buck Coats, eh EyeB? I'd rather see Snider right now, but anything can happen.
Bang on post. Millar has got to go. He's had to go for a while now. The following is a brief twitter exchange I had with Jeff Blair way back on Canada Day:
(I can't find his original tweet that started it, but it was basically a complaint about Millar sucking)
@GloBlair I don't understand why Cito keeps running him out there. I'd almost rather see Johnny Mac DH.
@infieldflyrule Nope …. good call.
@infieldflyrule Millar should be parking cars some place.
Also, Ian, thanks for giving me a Jays-related topic to think about that's not a depressing trade rumour.
Chris, it's good to see that the consensus among fans and writers alike is that Millar needs to go. He could be parking cars by the end of this week for all we know.
Still, kind of a depressing topic but at least it wasn't Halladay related. Let's put it this way – at least it will all be over with by next Friday whether or not Halladay gets traded.
I've never been a huge fan, but I'd hoped he would make a case for extending his career (which these guys do occasionally) — simply hasn't happened.
Actually, that just reminded me that there is an off chance the Jays just might trade him for cash or a player to be named later (kind of like what happened with Matt Stairs last year).