Crank Yanking

The Baseball Crank checks in with a late analysis of the Billy Wagner trade, saying he "has to help [the Phillies'] bullpen." However, the Crank cautions, "the victory will be Pyhrric if they can't re-sign Millwood." Well, not really. As noted here before, I'm fine with letting Millwood walk; the kind of scratch he's seeking can be better spent elsewhere.

Millwood was exactly the stud we hoped he'd be in the season's first half, even mixing in a no-no to boot, but fell apart in the latter half of the year. Scott Boras, his agent, will shop him hard, and probably will land him somewhere, at a huge cost -- that's what Boras does, after all. Millwood's new team then will cross their fingers and pray that he's a legit No. 1. Millwood never was that kind of guy with the Braves, and he wasn't one with the Phils. He's a good pitcher, but until he shows me a Maddux/Schilling/Clemens level of domination, I don't think he should be paid as such.