SEPTEMBER 1: The Pirates announced that Miller has officially been selected to the big league roster as part of September roster expansion.
AUGUST 31: Pittsburgh has added Miller to the taxi squad, manager Derek Shelton told reporters (including Mike Persak of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). He has not yet been added to the active or 40-man rosters.
AUGUST 30: The Pirates are planning to select Shelby Miller to the big league club, reports Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link). The Bucs already have a vacancy on the 40-man roster after releasing Gregory Polanco over the weekend.
It’ll be Miller’s second big league stint this year, as he made three appearances for the Cubs in April. The 30-year-old was rocked for seven runs in just two innings with Chicago before landing on the injured list with a lower back strain. Rather than bring him back to the active roster upon his return to health, the Cubs designated Miller for assignment and released him.
Miller latched on with Pittsburgh on a minor league deal in late June. Assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis, he has been excellent, albeit in limited work. While he’s allowed seven runs in fourteen innings, Miller has struck out 22 of the 56 batters he’s faced while issuing just three walks. The right-hander has also induced grounders on more than half the balls put in play against him and surrendered just one home run while racking up swinging strikes at a huge 16.8% clip.
That strong showing will earn the former All-Star another look down the stretch. Obviously, one shouldn’t expect a return to Miller’s peak form at this point in his career, but it’s not inconceivable he could reinvent himself as a quality bullpen arm.
Miller will be a free agent at the end of the season. There’s little long-term upside for the rebuilding Pirates, but there’s also no harm in giving him a look over the final few weeks of the year. At the very least, Miller can shoulder some innings in a bullpen that ranks in the top third of the league in innings pitched (495 2/3) but is among the bottom ten in ERA (4.59) and strikeout/walk rate differential (12 percentage points). If Miller proves able to carry over his strong Triple-A form to the big league level, the Pirates could consider pursuing a reunion this offseason.
Wow this guy has been done since he was traded to Arizona (for Dansby and Ender…), yet still given chance after chance…
I digress, he was terrible in Atlanta also… man the Braves robbed the snakes.
He was actually quite good in Atlanta, just got tagged for losses. But he’s been awful since then.
Wow. This guy is still kicking and screaming? In the majors too? What is his major league ERA this season? *Checks baseball reference* spits out drink. 31.50 ERA ?!?! He will be a huge upgrade for the Pirates, I am impressed.
Yeah those 2 innings are a huge sample size
Well if Shelby can have close to that ERA, it will definitely help the tank.
Cosmo2: You are 100% correct. He was excellent in Atlanta. That’s why they were able to get Dansby Swanson and Ender. Even though he’s a far cry from being a star,the Braves would’ve gotten the better end of the trade by getting Inciarte’s production the 1st few yrs. Dansby just turned it into a steal. No one could’ve seen that Shelby would fall apart the way he did. Just remember that we have the Cardinals to thank for taking Jason Heyward who in essence led to Swanson coming over to Atlanta.
He was pretty good in Atlanta, just not after that.
He was an Allstar in his lone season as a brave.. don’t make us correct you
An all-star isn’t worth Inciarte and a very recent #1 overall draft pick. That trade was awful the moment it occurred, hindsight be damned.
He was not terrible in Atlanta! He had a bad win record but he pitched really! Team didn’t score him any runs
Was in Miami on business and caught a game down there he pitched for the visiting Braves. Thought I was watching a no hitter. Justin Bour got to him with two down in the ninth. Couldn’t tell you the date of the top of my head, pretty sure Miami fired their manager after the game. Moved the GM into the clubhouse. Anyways, THAT Shelby Miller could pitch and was fun to watch. Wonder what happened to him.
5/17/2015
sbnation.com/2015/5/17/8617921/shelby-miller-near-…
That’s not what “I digress” means, and he was very good in Atlanta.
As a Pirates fan, is it too much to ask that an actual minor league prospect be called up? Shelby Miller? He sucked 10 years ago when the Cardinals were afraid to use him in the playoffs.
Yeah I agree. Why? If they don’t want to call up a bonafide prospect, call up an older fringe one and see what they do. If they even look decent, you have a potential contributor moving forward, unlike Miller.
Yea I don’t get it
maybe they don’t feel like anyone is ready and don’t want to expose them or have them start to accrue service time that is wasted
Sounds like about as good an explanation as there could be
Exactly. No need to waste service time. Guys want every single guy called up no matter what. No reason to rush anyone. Give him a look and if he can do anything they can bring him back and deal him
Anyone playing for the Pirates for the next 3-4 years is having their service time wasted. What’s the difference at this point?
Really no one in AAA right now so…….
Is there a prospect who is ready?
Also…there is a fine art to tanking.
Not on the pitching side
Who do you feel is ready at this point? All of the pitching except yuoree ( can’t spell his name) but he is buildyback from inky. It will be mid year 2022 for Contreras and a couple more.
Pirates are just trying to see if it’s worth offering him the league minimum next year for a bullpen spot. Nothing more than that. They can call up 2 more youngsters on Sept 1st.
Yes, but only 2! Rosters only expand to 28 this year on 09/01
They don’t have much to call up at this point. Maybe hoy park, kranick/ponce. Castro needs more minor time and you know what you got with the rest of the 40 man. No 3rd catcher on the 40 man but you won’t see that anyways with the new rules where as in the past it was automatic. Don’t waste service time on a team so devoid of anything right now.
Someone get the fire extinguisher ready…
Hard to believe he’s just 30 years old. It feels like he’s been around forever.
Good luck Shelby!
Quite honestly, it’s a good idea to bring up close prospects to help them get a taste of the big leagues. BUT is it a good idea to put them in a position where they don’t have the support around them to succeed? Pirates need an overhaul but to just throw these young kids to the wolves at the end of the year with no support isn’t going to do them any favors for their confidence. Why not let Shelby Miller pitch. Yeah he’s been a dumpster fire lately but you never know. Players react differently to certain coaches and pressures. Prime example, look at Adam Frazier! He went from an All-star 2nd baseman to AAAA 2nd baseman since his trade. Sure pressure going to a new team that’s contending is high but he’s been there long enough to adjust, and quite frankly he’s gotten worse as time goes on. This shows it’s coaching as well. Pirates just need to find the right coach or mix of players that work.
I disagree with your assessment. 1988 braves sucked big time but had glavine and smoktz on the roster. 1980s cubs had maddux He coughed up a lot of hrs. They were not yet lights out at the time. The philosophy was to have them take their lumps and figure thing out in the majors. The braves knew they could pitch, but adapt that to the majors.
I thought Tanner or Shelby would be called up soon enough.
The guy at one time had big time stuff! Who knows? Arizona sure thought so.
Hopefully MLB will tweak the expanded September roster rules in the near future and allow 30 active players instead of 28. It would give front runners a bit more flexibility going down to the wire and allow has been teams to look at a couple of extra youngsters.
My understanding is that part of the reason for the new 28 man limit was because teams were carrying 6 or 7 extra pitchers in September and playing righty/lefty matchups to the point of insanity- sometines using 5 pitchers in an inning late in games. The 3 batter rule negates that possibity anyway so why not add a couple more openings?
when you can hit mid 90’s on the gun, some team will give you a chance.
When giving up 7 runs in 14 AAA innings is a strong showing, you know you have a clueless scouting staff.
You called up Shleby, now call up his twin brother Shelby.
Zencka would be proud.
Hah! Good ctach! 🙂
Shleby sounds like he should have been one of the replacement Three Stooges after Shemp died.
Old Shleby finally back in the mix
Shleby is Shelby’s evil twin.
“Shleby”
Pitch good now Shleby and don’t be a shlub or you’ll be shlepping again in AAA.
Anybody else think he should legally change his name to Shleby? It feels a lot more appropriate…
They updated this story? Please shoot me in the face
Unfortunately Shelby won’t be eligible for the playoff roster.