Rumblings in the Rotation of the New York Yankees

 Millwood throwing a pitch for the American League East Baltimore Orioles in 2010. He could make his way up to a more successful team in their division in 2011.

Courtesy of CBS Sports

Kevin Millwood, who tied for the American League lead in losses last season, signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees Friday pending a physical.

This may come as a shock to some, seeing as Millwood, a National League all-star in 1999, reportedly rejected a minor league offer from the Yankees in February.

Millwood joins a long list of candidates to fill out the rotation for the Yankees in 2011 behind C.C. Sabathia, Phil Hughes, and the often questionable A.J. Burnett. Amongst these candidates are Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, and Ivan Nova.

Unfortunately for the 36-year-old right-hander, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has stated that he will not start the season on the major league roster. However, with some seasoning in the minors that he missed during spring training, Millwood could definitely contribute to the team.

In another move related to the Yankees’ pitching, they traded possible rotation candidate Sergio Mitre to the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielder Chris Dickerson Friday.

Mitre, who had a 5.73 earned run average for the Yankees this spring in 11 innings, may have needed a change in pace after struggling throughout the preseason and the 2010 postseason with an ERA over 10.

 Sergio Mitre will be trading in Bronx gear for a Brewers uniform this season .

Courtesy of Bronx Baseball Daily

Now with Mitre gone, the Yankees rotation picture seems to be clearer, with impressive springs by Bartolo Colon, who has a 2.40 ERA in four starts, and Ivan Nova, who has only given up two runs throughout all of spring training.

The Yankees must be aware of a possible downfall in their rotation, however. Good springs do not always equate to good seasons, and Colon has not started more than 30 games in a season since he won the America League Cy Young Award in 2005. Nova has potential, but is still young at age 24. Signing Millwood, if anything, gives the Yankees some much needed insurance for what is still a shaky rotation.