Miller honored after revolutionizing playoffs

Andrew Miller wasn’t just a player in the unforgettable 2016 postseason. He was a bit of a revolution.

The lanky, bearded phenomenon of a left-handed relief pitcher somehow managed to transcend mere accomplishment on the field of play to become an emblem of a sea of change in the sport, one that we should be seeing more and more of in future Octobers.

Yes, Miller, the former sometimes Yankees closer, turned dominant setup guy who arrived in Cleveland in a Trade Deadline deal, galvanized the Indians’ bullpen down the stretch and then became a dominant force that at times singlehandedly helped carry the club through the postseason to the 10th inning of Game 7 of the World Series. For that amazing performance, Miller has been named the winner of the Esurance MLB Award for Best Major Leaguer, Postseason.

“I think the first thing that really struck a chord with me is when we walked into the clubhouse when we first got him and he’s watching videos of the opposing hitters and scouting report,” Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway said of Miller during the postseason. “Man, you’ve got two pretty good pitches that you could just stick with, but he’s totally prepared and that’s what allows him to go above and beyond what most people can do. Those two pitches that he has and his ability to know exactly where he can go … makes him really, really special.”

Those two pitches are a fastball that can reach the upper 90s and a video-game slider. But the usage of Miller in the earlier innings, if necessary, seemed to help power a trend that was echoed by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts with closer Kenley Jansen and others: if you’ve got a great reliever, use him in the most important situations, not necessarily just the ninth …

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