Lefthanded reliever Trever Miller, targeted as the first offseason addition for the Cardinals' retooled bullpen, came to St. Louis for a physical Thursday but did not end his visit with a finalized deal from the club.
Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said the two sides continue to negotiate. According to multiple sources the Cardinals have a two-year deal in place with Miller pending the outcome of his physical, and there were no indications that the deal hit a last-minute snag. Mozeliak said he and Miller's agent are "still working on the language of the contract." "We have ongoing conversations," Mozeliak said. "We also continue to negotiate with other lefties."
Mozeliak has said he plans to add two lefties from this season's free-agent group to the Cardinals' major-league bullpen. Miller, a lefty specialist who has remade a career out of being a situational reliever, would fill a role the Cardinals did not have a natural fit for last season - that of a late-inning answer to opponents' lefthanded sluggers.
Miller, 35, appeared in 68 games for the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays last season, posting a 4.15 ERA in 43 1/3 innings. He held lefties to a .209 average. Miller had the fourth-lowest percentage of inherited runners who scored, and his 16.2 percent was the best of the available free-agent relievers.
Since 2002, Miller has made at least 60 appearances in every season, and his 43 1/3 innings this past season were his lowest in a decade, including a few stints in the minors. He was described by one official as a "workout fiend." Many sources positioned Miller's signing as oNLy contingent on a successful physical.
Mozeliak confirmed that Miller had the physical in St. Louis on Thursday and, while not elaborating on any results, added that oNLy "language" was the holdup.
The Cardinals have been in contact with agents for many lefties on the market, including the representatives for Will Ohman and Arthur Rhodes, among others. Mozeliak, without identifying specific targets, said filling the lefthanded roles in the bullpen was a priority. The Cardinals also look to dip into the middle-infielder pool and explore the starting pitching market, both of which will expand in December.
The Cardinals have kept in touch recently with the agent for righthanded reliever Russ Springer. Springer said this week he remains interested in a return. The righthander, who turned 40 this month, has decided to pitch in 2009 and already has begun his workouts to prepare for the season with the Cardinals or elsewhere, he said.
Springer pitched 50 1/3 innings for the Cardinals last season, and in the past two seasons he has had a 2.24 ERA for the team in 146 appearances. With the potential of having both prospects Jason Motte and Chris Perez in the bullpen, one of the Cardinals' deepest spots on the roster is Springer's usual role, setup-relief righthander. Springer said he has received interest from several attractive teams.
The Cardinals have the right to offer Springer, who made $3.5 million last year, arbitration in early December.
When describing his plan to push off retirement and pitch again in 2009, Springer joked: "I'm already at my playing weight."
