Boras: Millwood a 'five-year guy'

12/07/2005
DALLAS -- If the Mariners are interested in signing free agent right-hander Kevin Millwood, they might have to give him a five-year contract, Millwood's agent said Wednesday.
Scott Boras met with the media for the first time at these meetings and didn't hesitate to answer the question of how many years Millwood is looking for.
"A guy like Kevin Millwood is a five-year guy," Boras said.
Mariners GM Bill Bavasi described a five-year deal to a starting pitcher as "very risky" territory when he met with media members Tuesday evening, although he said it might be remotely possible if it was the right guy.
"I don't think any of us would want to say 'never,'" Bavasi said, before admitting that his former employer, the Angels, had moderate success with such a deal when they signed Mark Langston to a five-year contract prior to the 1990 season.
Boras said he expects Millwood, who went 9-11 with a league-leading 2.86 ERA for the Cleveland Indians last year, to get a comparable, if not better, deal than the five-year, $55 million contract A.J. Burnett set the market with by signing with the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.
"A guy like A.J. Burnett would hope to have three 17-win seasons and hope to lead the league in ERA and hope to do all those things," Boras said, referring to Millwood's resume. "And Millwood's only two years older than Burnett."
Boras characterized the 2005 free agent pitching market as better than last year's, save the rare, Hall of Fame talent of Pedro Martinez, who signed with the Mets shortly after last year's Winter Meetings in Anaheim.
"Maybe only Millwood approaches [Martinez's level]," Boras said.
Boras said he had conducted "a couple meetings" with the Mariners, and that "multiple teams have made offers" for Millwood, but he wouldn't say if the Mariners had made one.
Another Boras client might be in the Mariners' sights, too. Left-hander Jarrod Washburn, who was drafted by Bavasi in Anaheim in 1995, told MLB.com, "I think Bill's talked to Scott about me. I think there's some interest."
Burnitz bits: The agent for outfielder Jeromy Burnitz said Wednesday morning that he had a productive meeting with the Mariners late Tuesday night and expected to have more talks Wednesday afternoon or evening.
"We talked about a lot of different parameters with Seattle," said Howard Simon. "We like what we're seeing from the Mariners."
Mariners manager Mike Hargrove, who managed Burnitz in Cleveland in 1995 and 1996, also gave the 36-year-old an endorsement.
"I always liked Jeromy," Hargrove said. "He's a guy that always plays hard, kind of a throwback. He plays the game hard and expects everyone around him to do the same thing. You never have to worry where you stand with Jeromy; he's pretty honest and pretty blunt. Jeromy is refreshing when you're around him. He's a good player."
By Wednesday evening, however, Simon had not heard from the Mariners, and said that other teams had begun to get more serious about his client. Simon said he wasn't necessarily convinced that the Mariners' level of interest was possibly waning.
"We'll see what happens tomorrow," Simon said.
Everett update: The agent for outfielder Carl Everett said that Tuesday's published reports that the Mariners were very close to signing his client were exaggerated, although he didn't deny that Seattle remains interested.
"We've talked to a number of teams," said Larry Reynolds. "I can't say that [we're close with the Mariners] at this point. They've got a lot going on and we've got a lot going on."
Everett, who made $4 million for the White Sox last year, wasn't offered arbitration Wednesday, meaning that he will not return to Chicago in 2006.
Ichiro talk: Hargrove was asked if he could see any circumstance in which Ichiro Suzuki would not be the Mariners' leadoff hitter, and he didn't immediately say no.
"I think that Ichiro is such a unique hitter, a hitter with unique talent," Hargrove said. "He has the ability to be a lot of things in an offensive lineup. Before I entertain any thought of moving Ichiro in the lineup, I would sit and talk with Ichiro first to get his views on it and his feelings on it. I've long thought that he would make a tremendous three-hole hitter.
"I think he's a tremendous leadoff hitter, too. Don't get me wrong that I think that I'm going to move him [to the third spot in the order]. You sit and play with lineups all the time and see how they set up with people, particularly in different positions.
"But before we did anything like that, I would sit and have a conversation with Ichiro and get his views on it."

Source: http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/