Eric Milton? I'm sorry

[redsrbetter]

Gernal manager Brian Cashman confirmed the Yankees have signed lefty Eric Milton to a minor-league contract.

Milton, who turns 33 next month, is still recovering from "Tommy John" surgery. He threw on flat ground today in Tampa, Fla., and is at least six weeks away from pitching in games.

"If he does anything to help us this year, that's fine," Cashman said. "We're just going to have a chance to get an advance look (for 2009)."

Milton was the Yankees' No. 1 draft pick in 1996 but they traded him to Minnesota in February 1998 as part of a package for Chuck Knoblauch. Milton has an 87-84 career record and 5.01 ERA for Minnesota, Philadelphia and Cincinnati.

The Yankees have also worked out but not signed right-hander Victor Zambrano.

If the Yanks can get this guy going, I would be amazed. You guys have to hope he never makes it back to the majors. He can kill the Clippers for a few weeks, but please don't call him up.

[Izzy]

If the Yankees wanted Milton of the past, they should have kept him in the first place.

[browntown653]

Doubt he has any impact.

[catman]

Maybe the Yankeed can sign Victor Zambrano and trade him for Kazmir, straight up, like the Mets did once?

[missionhockey21]

Good for Eric. He's a good guy, who works hard and seems to really take any bad performance to heart. Sadly he gets a lot negative feelings thrown his way because he got a contract he didn't deserve and expectations were set that he wasn't capable of meeting nor had he ever accomplished. Of course in that first year of that Reds contract, he was beyond horrible, but that might have been simply due to the expectations he put on himself.

Used as a 12th man, I don't see why he could lower that 5.17 type of ERA he later had with the Reds to a 4.80 (similar to what he had done before Cincinnati) while in a long relief role.

[nyjunc]

Does anyone realize that not every signing has to be big? He's taking a low risk chance, if he shows he can pitch he'll get an opportunity, if not they let him go.