Indians will offer Millwood multiyear deal By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer October 4, 2005 CLEVELAND (AP) -- General manager Mark Shapiro has promised the Indians will mak e their best moneyball pitch to right-hander Kevin Millwood. They can only hope it's high enough. Still stinging from the club's collapse in the final week of the regular season, Shapiro said Tuesday that the Indians will offer a multiyear contract to Millwo od, the AL's ERA champion who is eligible for free agency following the World Se ries. ADVERTISEMENT Millwood signed a one-year, $7.25 million deal last winter, then shrugged off a lack of run support and provided invaluable leadership to the Indians, who finis hed with 93 wins but missed the playoffs by going 1-6 down the stretch. ``We will make a very competitive offer to Kevin Millwood,'' Shapiro said. ``We will step beyond our comfort zone.'' Shapiro's pledge was a bit surprising since Cleveland's track record for re-sign ing its own high-profile free agents is abysmal, and because the mid-market club has been operating under a tight budget. In recent years, the Indians have been outbid by other teams for sluggers Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome. But Shapiro anticipates Cleveland's payroll -- $42 million in 2005 -- rising nex t season and he expects owner Larry Dolan to allow him to make a legitimate run at the 30-year-old Millwood, who has a history of shoulder and elbow problems bu t made 30 starts this season and became the first AL pitcher to win the ERA titl e with a losing record since 1923. Shapiro, though, understands free agency's fragility better than anyone, and tha t even the best intentions can be undermined. ``The reality is that you're putting yourself at the whim of one team that may p ut an entirely different value on him and has an entirely different threshold fo r risk. Any time you enter free agency, there is no unequivocal 'We're going to get this guy.' In free agency, there is some level of uncertainty.'' As for Millwood, Shapiro says both sides are already in agreement. ``Do I think he wants to sign back here? Yes,'' Shapiro said. ``Does he like it here? Yes. Do we have immense appreciation for what he can do on and off the fie ld? Absolutely. Will we pay a lot for more years than we're comfortable in? Yes. ``Will all those lead to us getting a deal done? I don't know.'' During his exit meeting with Millwood, Shapiro expressed his gratitude to the ve teran, who used some of the knowledge he absorbed while pitching with Greg Maddu x and John Smoltz in Atlanta to mentor Indians starters C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee. ``His (Millwood's) impact will not be a short-term impact,'' Shapiro said. ``His impact will be one that is felt by our pitchers for a long time to come and the ir whole careers. In talking to Cliff and C.C., they learned it. They got it.'' Last week, Millwood said he and agent Scott Boras will seek at least a three-yea r deal. The Indians are willing to give him one, but Shapiro said he has not dis cussed any financial limits with Millwood. --

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