Throughout the history of UNC’s esteemed baseball program, only three players have ever had their jersey number retired.

The most recent man to join Dave Lemonds and B.J. Surhoff was Andrew Miller, the 6-foot-6 lefty who saw his No. 33 added to the list after winning the National Player of the Year award in 2006.

Flash forward 10 years and Miller is now the reigning ALCS MVP, and has his Cleveland Indians four wins from a World Series title.

With the Indians set to begin Game One against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night, many analysts expect Miller to be one of the series’ key factors out of the bullpen.

Indians manager Terry Francona has shown a penchant this season for turning to his relievers–most notably Miller–a bit earlier than most other teams.

Should Cleveland get a lead after five innings, expect Miller to take the ball and pitch for as long as his team needs–rather than just facing one batter or pitching a single frame.

Given the talented lineup the Cubs possess, it’s not out of the question that Miller’s impact will be much needed if the Indians have a shot at claiming Cleveland a second major sports championship this year, following the Cavaliers’ NBA Championship run over the summer.

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