ALAN MILLS

Alan Mills, veteran Orioles reliever, was considered an important part of the Orioles reconstructed bullpen for 2001. Although hampered by a bone spur in 2000 upon his reacquisition from the Dodgers, it was thought that Mills has shown enough when healthy to help this club.

Mills was not healthy, however, and, as is the wont with a veteran hurler over 35, performed erratically when he was able to pitch.

The bullpen saga of "Waiting for Millsy" became a long-running play, one the Orioles would have preferred to have a more upbeat ending. Mills underwent surgery, and then was terribly ineffective on the few occasions in August when he actually entered games.

To the end, Mills was a gamer, and a class act. He kept working hard and never said anything overtly negative, even when Hargrove chose not to use him after August 30, opting for looking at other pitchers instead.

Mills is a free agent that was not offered arbitration by the Orioles, so he will not be pitching in Orange and Black in the 2002 season. His departure was certainly "smaller" than that of Cal and Brady, but Mills will be missed, on the field and in the clubhouse.

Notes: Only managed 14 innings for the season, the smallest number of IP in the ML for Mills in 10 seasons. Camden Yards was a House of Horrors for Mills: 5.2 IP over 7 appearances, 11H, 3 BB, 10ER.