USMC-cubbiesfn
03-07-2003, 03:19 AM
Thursday, March 6
Miller excited about new pitching staff
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Associated Press
MESA, Ariz. (AP) _ Damian Miller is living a catcher's dream.
He spent three seasons catching one of baseball's greatest pitching duos in Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson, won a World Series and made the All-Star team. Then he got traded to a team with another pair of aces, Kerry Wood and Mark Prior.
``I've told people before, I think this pitching staff, with the starting rotation and with the bullpen, is maybe the top pitching staff in the National League,'' the Chicago Cubs' new catcher said. ``It's the best pitching staff I've been around as far as how deep we are.''
Considering the company Miller's been keeping the past few seasons, that's quite a compliment.
After steadily working his way up through the minors and spending one year in Minnesota, Miller found a home in Arizona. He developed a reputation as one of the game's best catchers, the steady presence behind Johnson and Schilling.
The duo combined for 47 victories last year, the most by NL teammates since Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale won 49 for the 1965 Dodgers. Johnson won his fourth straight Cy Young Award, going 24-5 with 334 strikeouts and a 2.32 ERA. Schilling was a close second with a 23-7 record and a 3.23 ERA.
In 2001, Johnson was 21-6 while Schilling was 22-6.
But there's more to Miller than just Johnson and Schilling.
``I don't think all of the sudden just because he started catching those guys he became a good catcher, that he was able to call a game,'' Wood said.
``We all know their stuff is unbelievable and great, and their talent is second to none, but when you have a guy like Damian behind the plate, it makes it that much easier,'' Wood said. ``There's less thinking involved and you can trust your catcher.''
Indeed, Arizona pitchers had a 3.84 ERA when Miller was catching them, and he threw out 32.2 percent of runners who tried to steal on him. He had an NL-best .997 fielding percentage last season, committing just two errors in 767 chances.
He didn't commit his first error until Aug. 31, snapping a 99-game streak.
``Good pitchers can make catchers look pretty good,'' Miller said. ``Hopefully these pitchers here _ and I think they're more than capable of doing it _ can make me look even better.''
Though Miller had a feeling he might be traded in the offseason because of the Diamondbacks' financial problems, it still came as a shock when he was sent to the Cubs in November for a pair of minor leaguers.
But it didn't take him long to warm up to his new team. Wood and Prior are two of the top young pitchers in the game, after all, with Wood having possibly the best stuff Miller has ever seen.
Yes, even better than Schilling and Johnson.
``Believe it or not,'' he said. ``People will look at me like I'm nuts, but it's just a matter of him being consistent with all of his pitches and cutting down walks, and he can be as good as anyone in the league.''
Ditto for Prior, who spent just nine games in the minors before being called up last year.
``For such a young kid, he is so far ahead of what he should be,'' Miller said. ``He's smart, he locates well, he can throw three pitches for strikes. If he can do that and have the athleticism and the ability that he has, he's going to be a good one.''
The Cubs have a completely new battery this season. They let Joe Girardi go as a free agent and traded Todd Hundley. So Miller is focusing on getting to know his pitchers this spring, learning how they work and what they like to throw.
If he's not at his locker chatting with backup Paul Bako, he's over with Wood, Prior and Matt Clement. Or talking with relievers Mike Remlinger and Dave Veres.
``That's what spring training is for, for catchers and pitchers to get to know each other, for us to learn their styles and vice versa, and for us to be on the same page before we break,'' Wood said.
And so far, the adjustment has been smooth.
``You can tell he knows what he's doing, just from talking with him,'' Wood said. ``It's a lot easier when you're on the same page. With Girardi back there, it took all of the thinking out of there for you. And Damian's very similar.''
Im feeling better about Miller trade right now.
Miller excited about new pitching staff
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press
MESA, Ariz. (AP) _ Damian Miller is living a catcher's dream.
He spent three seasons catching one of baseball's greatest pitching duos in Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson, won a World Series and made the All-Star team. Then he got traded to a team with another pair of aces, Kerry Wood and Mark Prior.
``I've told people before, I think this pitching staff, with the starting rotation and with the bullpen, is maybe the top pitching staff in the National League,'' the Chicago Cubs' new catcher said. ``It's the best pitching staff I've been around as far as how deep we are.''
Considering the company Miller's been keeping the past few seasons, that's quite a compliment.
After steadily working his way up through the minors and spending one year in Minnesota, Miller found a home in Arizona. He developed a reputation as one of the game's best catchers, the steady presence behind Johnson and Schilling.
The duo combined for 47 victories last year, the most by NL teammates since Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale won 49 for the 1965 Dodgers. Johnson won his fourth straight Cy Young Award, going 24-5 with 334 strikeouts and a 2.32 ERA. Schilling was a close second with a 23-7 record and a 3.23 ERA.
In 2001, Johnson was 21-6 while Schilling was 22-6.
But there's more to Miller than just Johnson and Schilling.
``I don't think all of the sudden just because he started catching those guys he became a good catcher, that he was able to call a game,'' Wood said.
``We all know their stuff is unbelievable and great, and their talent is second to none, but when you have a guy like Damian behind the plate, it makes it that much easier,'' Wood said. ``There's less thinking involved and you can trust your catcher.''
Indeed, Arizona pitchers had a 3.84 ERA when Miller was catching them, and he threw out 32.2 percent of runners who tried to steal on him. He had an NL-best .997 fielding percentage last season, committing just two errors in 767 chances.
He didn't commit his first error until Aug. 31, snapping a 99-game streak.
``Good pitchers can make catchers look pretty good,'' Miller said. ``Hopefully these pitchers here _ and I think they're more than capable of doing it _ can make me look even better.''
Though Miller had a feeling he might be traded in the offseason because of the Diamondbacks' financial problems, it still came as a shock when he was sent to the Cubs in November for a pair of minor leaguers.
But it didn't take him long to warm up to his new team. Wood and Prior are two of the top young pitchers in the game, after all, with Wood having possibly the best stuff Miller has ever seen.
Yes, even better than Schilling and Johnson.
``Believe it or not,'' he said. ``People will look at me like I'm nuts, but it's just a matter of him being consistent with all of his pitches and cutting down walks, and he can be as good as anyone in the league.''
Ditto for Prior, who spent just nine games in the minors before being called up last year.
``For such a young kid, he is so far ahead of what he should be,'' Miller said. ``He's smart, he locates well, he can throw three pitches for strikes. If he can do that and have the athleticism and the ability that he has, he's going to be a good one.''
The Cubs have a completely new battery this season. They let Joe Girardi go as a free agent and traded Todd Hundley. So Miller is focusing on getting to know his pitchers this spring, learning how they work and what they like to throw.
If he's not at his locker chatting with backup Paul Bako, he's over with Wood, Prior and Matt Clement. Or talking with relievers Mike Remlinger and Dave Veres.
``That's what spring training is for, for catchers and pitchers to get to know each other, for us to learn their styles and vice versa, and for us to be on the same page before we break,'' Wood said.
And so far, the adjustment has been smooth.
``You can tell he knows what he's doing, just from talking with him,'' Wood said. ``It's a lot easier when you're on the same page. With Girardi back there, it took all of the thinking out of there for you. And Damian's very similar.''
Im feeling better about Miller trade right now.