Andrew Miller too expensive for Angels?

The Los Angeles Angels are looking for pitching help this offseason and that includes the bullpen, especially a left-handed reliever. Joe Thatcher is a free agent and it is uncertain at the moment whether or not he will be in a Halos uniform next season. One option on the free agent market is Andrew Miller. Miller pitched in 2014 for both the Boston Red Sox and the American League East champion Baltimore Orioles.

The Angels are looking to trade either second baseman Howie Kendrick or third baseman David Freese this offseason to get pitching and hopefully it will be starting pitching help. A follower of the Halo Hangout Twitter believes that if the Angels can’t get the same return for Kendrick as they did for Mark Trumbo, that they shouldn’t do the deal. I tend to agree with this statement, but the one thing I feel will hold that back is that Kendrick has one year left on his current deal. If the Angels are able to get a pair of starters, or a starter and reliever, they can still go after a lefty.

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The only question when it comes to Andrew Miller is whether he will be too expensive. The Red Sox signed Koji Uehara, to a two-year $18MM deal when Koji will be 40. That is a lot of dough for a closer that while be going over the hill. That makes me think that Andrew Miller will be in the $11MM per year range which puts him out of the Angels price range for this offseason.

If the Angels are able to bring the price down, he would be a fantastic option for the bullpen in Los Angeles. He pitched 62 and one-third regular season innings and struck out 103 batters to just 17 walks. The best relievers in the game are putting up those numbers. Miller only made $1.9MM in arbitration last season, but you have to think he will have a high asking price after the season he had, especially the postseason.

He came into big spots and pitched seven and one-third innings in five games striking out eight walking one and allowed one hit. He pitched more than one inning twice and also threw his season high in pitches for the entire season in an appearance. He was the real deal in the playoffs and I won’t be surprised if he gets a big pay day.

I would love for the Angels to sign him, but with the luxury tax looming over the heads of the front office, they will have to get a discount on him and I doubt he wants that, when he can see dollar signs coming his way. I may be wrong, so let me know what you think in the comments on whether or not Miller would be too expensive for the Angels in 2015.