Getting riled up about random rumors in the baseball offseason is a good way to wear out your stomach lining. But persistent rumors, oft-repeated, are another thing. And for the Yankees, that thing isn't good.
Why? The Yanks are so desperate to get lefty pitching, they covet Eric Milton. Last year, Milton had a 4.75 ERA and gave up 43 HR in 201 IP and he pitched IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE. That's the same National League where the hitting is so bad that the Cardinals' pitching could look good. That's the same NL where every pitcher gets 2 free outs on each trip through the lineup: the No. 8 hitter (a light-hitting catcher or middle infielder) and the pitcher. In the NL, there are no players the quality of Adam Kennedy, John Olerud or Bill Mueller hitting eighth or ninth.
Milton pitched for the Phailies last year and so you say, well he pitched in a bandbox because everyone knows that PNC Field is a homer haven. True. But MORE THAN HALF (23/43) of Milton's ridiculously high homer total came ON THE ROAD. And the unbalanced schedule in the NL means that Milton and the Phils played such popgun offenses as Florida, Montreal, the Mess and Atlanta in more than 40% of their games. Oh yeah, those stinkbomb offenses play in four of the five least hitter-friendly ballparks in the NL (San Diego is the other).
Now imagine Milton facing a full season of FULL lineups in the AL against such can-hit teams as the Orioles, RedSawx, Blojays (plus three potential starts against the Rangers and Angels) in such hitter-havens as Fenway, SkyDome and that little league field in Baltimore. Yuck. It would be homerun derby every five days.
Message to the Yanks: DO NOT SIGN ERIC MILTON.
It's simple: the Yanks would WASTE money and completely screw up their rotation by signing Milton.
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