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Jim Miller keeps his dream alive with Rays

 
Jim Miller, 2-3 in the majors over parts of five seasons, has a minor-league Rays deal.
Jim Miller, 2-3 in the majors over parts of five seasons, has a minor-league Rays deal.
Published March 21, 2015

Jim Miller was getting restless.

The 32-year-old right-hander had been playing professional baseball since he was drafted in the eighth round by the Rockies 11 years ago. Free agency had taken him to three clubs in the past four years, but always, come spring, he had had a job.

So when pitchers and catchers began reporting to camps in February and Miller, released by the Yankees in August, wasn't one of them, he began to get concerned.

"It was tense for me because here it was, big-league camp had started. Sometimes it doesn't work out," he said. "But then it's like minor-league camp starts in a week and I've got nothing."

Miller needed help, so at the suggestion of friend and fellow pitcher David Herndon, who had signed with the Brewers on Feb. 13, he contacted Herndon's agent, Joshua Kusnick, to figure out what to do.

That phone call set in motion a nine-day series of events that brought Miller from his Virginia Beach, Va., home to Port Charlotte, where he has been competing for a spot on the Rays roster on a minor-league deal.

And though big-league camp is a place he has been many times before, Miller couldn't be more grateful for the chance.

Kusnick, who has been an agent for 13 years, said he thought about turning Miller away. By the time the pitcher had called him, all Kusnick's free agents had signed, Herndon being the last, and Kusnick was relieved the signings were over.

When he looked into Miller's story, though, one that featured big-league games each of the past four seasons, Kusnick said he saw a guy who needed a break.

"I straight up told him if I was going to work with him, he had to be in it for the long haul. This could take months. He might have to go to indie ball," Kusnick said. "(Miller) said, 'Are you sure you're not going to quit on me?' "

While Miller spent the next several days after that conversation working out, spending time with his 2-year-old son, Ethan, and shoveling snow off his driveway, Kusnick contacted all 30 major-league teams. Most of them said they were full. Kusnick arranged for workouts with two and prepared Miller for joining an independent league if those didn't work out.

But before Miller had too long to think about it, another option came along.

Miller said Kusnick called him Feb. 28 to tell him about a possible deal with the Rays. Three days later, Miller was outside playing with his son when he got a call to say the deal had gone through. He woke up at 3:15 a.m. the next day and made the 13½-hour drive to Port Charlotte, signing with the Rays on March 5.

Coming into camp a few weeks late, Miller said he had to play catch-up. But he doesn't expect the missed time to hurt his chances of making the team.

"If I can't throw well enough for seven or eight appearances, or if they don't see anything in seven or eight, well, then, two more wasn't going to make a big difference," he said.

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Miller has made two appearances this spring, an inning against the Mets on Sunday and another against the Blue Jays on Wednesday. He has given up just one hit and no runs while striking out two.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said he hasn't seen much of Miller but that doesn't mean the pitcher is going unnoticed.

"He's still working on his suntan. … You can tell he's been in Virginia," Cash said. "He's done good. He got out there, he came in, his arm was in shape, he was real quick to get two live (batting practices) in, so that was good we were able to ramp him up."

Cash said he liked what he saw from Miller against the Blue Jays and expects him to be a factor in the bullpen competition. Miller, a native of Fort Myers, is enjoying his time being closer to family and made a trip to see his high school, North Fort Myers, take on Port Charlotte High in baseball.

But most important to Miller, he is happy to still be playing the game he loves, and he looks forward to one day being able to show his son the importance of never giving up on a dream.

"It's a nice story to be able to tell him later in life, you know, when he's battling a little adversity, whatever it is that he's doing," Miller said.

As for a spot on the Rays, he's not sure if one is out there for him. But Miller hasn't given up on baseball, and he doesn't intend to soon.