Miller’s feats in ALCS unique and spectacular

TORONTO — It’s true, you know, what they’re saying about the Indians’ use of Andrew Miller. This is going to revolutionize baseball. It is going to change the way managers think and react and deploy their ‘pen. No longer will the so-called “proven closers” be the luminaries of the relief world, because there will be a newfound appreciation of the concept of a high-leverage hero who is comfortable pitching at any time, in any inning, against any part of the order.

There’s just one little catch.

• ALCS Game 3: Monday at 8 p.m. ET on TBS/Sportsnet/RDS

“You’ve got to steal him from us,” said Tribe pitching coach Mickey Callaway.

Yeah, this is the issue with the rash of think pieces springing up after the Indians jumped on Miller’s back en route to a 2-0 lead in the American League Championship Series against the Blue Jays. There’s only one Andrew Miller. And although that doesn’t mean there aren’t really good relievers capable of becoming a reasonable facsimile, the combination of stuff, contractual status and October schedule make this a unique situation that even the Indians acknowledge would be unsustainable over the course of a 162-game schedule.

Game Date Time Matchup TV Gm 1 Oct. 14   CLE 2, TOR 0 Gm 2 Oct. 15   CLE 2, TOR 1 Gm 3 Oct. 17 8 p.m. CLE@ TOR TBS/SNET/RDS Gm 4 Oct. 18 4 p.m. CLE @ TOR TBS/SNET/RDS *Gm 5 Oct. 19 4 p.m. CLE@ TOR TBS/SNET/RDS *Gm 6 Oct. 21 8 p.m. TOR @ CLE TBS/SNET/RDS *Gm 7 Oct. 22 TBD TOR @ CLE TBS/SNET/RDS * If necessary | All times listed ET  • ALCS coverageShop for postseason gear: Blue Jays | Indians

“You can’t do this all year,” manager Terry Francona said. “You’ll hurt guys. But in a short postseason, you’ve got to take your guys and leverage them. Look at what the Giants did with Madison Bumgarner. If you’re going to win, you’re going to have a guy or two that extends.”

Francona was masterful in his use of Miller in the regular season, pitching him anywhere from the sixth to the ninth innings and extracting nine holds, four wins and three saves out of him in just a two-month sample.

But even that situation was special and unsustainable. The Indians were fighting to nail down the division, they saw their rotation ravaged by late-season injuries to Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar, and they ponied up a ton of talent to land Miller at the non-waiver Trade Deadline. Of course they were going to ride him for all he was worth, …

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