Yes, I'm typing this at 3 in the morning. Yes, I have to work tomorrow. Yes, I can't sleep.
Lost in the euphoria of the Jason Johnson signing (I kid), Kevin Millwood on Monday inked a long-term deal with the Texas Rangers. He's guaranteed $48M over four years, though he could get another year and $12M if he meets inning requirements. However you want to slice it, it's a lot of money.
It bears mentioning again that the Indians, Kevin Millwood, and Scott Boras all knew this was a distinct possibility. The Indians took advantage of a pitcher coming off a down year, and Millwood certainly took advantage of a well-timed career year to finally land that big contract. In the end, everyone walked away happy.
Where does this leave the Indians rotation? It's unlikely that anyone in next year's rotation will match Millwood's 2005 campaign, but also unlikely that Millwood himself will be as good next season as he was this past year. The Indians have bought some depth with the addition of Jason Johnson, and may break in Fausto Carmona and/or Jeremy Sowers as the year progresses. But most of the burden lies with CC Sabathia, Paul Byrd, Cliff Lee, and Jake Westbrook.