Millwood, with 8-11 mark, tops AL in ERA

0 Comments | USA TODAY, September, 2005 | by Gabe Lacques

The most effective pitcher in the American League this season could be, technically speaking, a loser.

Cleveland Indians right-hander Kevin Millwood, who has a ho-hum 8-11 won-lost record, leads the AL with a 2.97 ERA.

Not since 1933, when Cleveland's Mel Harder went 15-17 with a 2.95 ERA, has the AL's ERA champ sported a losing record. St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Joe Magrane (5-9, 2.18 ERA in 1988) was the last National League pitcher to earn that hard-luck distinction.

And not since 1902, when Detroit's Ed Siever went 8-11 with a 1.91 ERA, has an AL ERA champ won fewer than 10 games.

Millwood signed a one-year, $7million deal with the Indians and likely will be a free agent again this winter. He'll probably take a losing record to the open...