Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane took the concept of “Moneyball” to the next level on Tuesday. You know how a parent sometimes signs over a car to their kid for $1 just so the kid can legally put the title in his or her name? The A’s have done that with former Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brad Mills.
Mills, who has compiled a 4-2 record and 1.56 ERA in 14 Triple-A games this season, had a clause in his contract that allowed him to opt out if another team wanted to put him on its active MLB roster after June 15. According to Todd Rosiak of the Journal Sentinel, the A’s plan to insert the 29-year old right into their starting rotation.
Rosiak also noted that Mills’ contract with the Brewers called for the team to receive zero compensation if he ended up being assigned to another team’s 25-man roster, so it’s strange that the A’s even parted with $1.
As anyone who has seen the movie “Moneyball” or is familiar with Beane’s story can tell you, this is the exact type of low-risk, high-reward situation he loves to be a part of. Mills is 3-3 with a 7.76 ERA in 15 career MLB games. The A’s are hoping they get the Mills that lit up Triple-A rather than the one who has struggled in the majors.
H/T SI Wire via SI Hot Clicks
