Its Milledge Time

[Guest Edgy DC]

Edgy DC wrote: Mr. Cross-Bearin'-Tobacco-Chewin-Fly-Droppin'-Parent-Heartbreakin'-Braid-Wearin'-GM's-Son-Spikin'-High-Fivin' Rookie leading off today?

No. He does get upgraded to seventh, however.

[Elster88]

If Beltran is going to play center, why would you ever start Milledge in left instead of right? The guy has a missile launcher where his arm should be.

[Methead]

Nice to see him take an outside pitch the other way. Stick with that approach, dude.

[Methead]

Or, you know, feel free to smoke curveballs into the leftfield stands.

Whichever you prefer.

[Elster88]

The kid is hitting and throwing seeds.

.308/.321/.692//1.013

[soupcan]

Full story.



MIGHTY MILLEDGE
By MARK HALE


In the eight games he's played with the Mets, Milledge is 8-for-26 with two homers, five extra-base hits, seven RBIs and two outfield assists. The tenure of Xavier Nady, who's out after having an appendectomy, as starting right fielder could be over.

That's just a bit premature, no? I'm all for playing the best player but Nady wasn't exactly spitting the bit. Sure keep Lastings up here but I need more than a sample size before I'm giving X-Man the bum's rush.

[MFS62]

Lessee now.
Hit: check
Hit for power: check
Field: check (minus one oops but a couple of plusses)
Run: check
Throw: check

Yup, he's exhibited all of 'em.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

Floyd should be more worried than Nady.

[metirish]

At the very least when all are healthy we have a deep bench......

[Elster88]

I've got no problem with sending Milledge down until the roster expansion so he can keep playing every day. It's not like people don't get injured on this team.

[Benjamin Grimm]

="Elster88"]I've got no problem with sending Milledge down until the roster expansion so he can keep playing every day. It's not like people don't get injured on this team.

I'm in favor of finding a way to have him play every day too, but not a AAA. Let him stay and play.

Floyd, as much as I like him, is the more expendable guy.

[Elster88]

Nah. I want Floyd starting every day before Milledge, and I definitely want Floyd starting over Milledge in any potential playoff series. You never know if there's some hole in a guy's hitting ability until the league has seen him a couple of times. Timo Perez looked like an all-star his first few weeks here too. Jefferies is a good example, too, IIRC. After he hit like .900 in late 1988 didn't he struggle a bit over the next couple of years? I still think that Milledge is going to hit a lull fairly soon, and I'm hoping it doesn't happen when we need him to start during the pennant race or in a playoff series.

[MFS62]

88, he already hit his "lull" at Norfolk this year. His average dropped down from the .300s to the 270s. Then he figured out what the pitchers were doing, made the necessary adjustments, and was back near .300 when the Mets called him up. He has tremendous bat speed (as mentioned by many analysts). And because of that, it seems he can adjust quickly. He's hot, and he should stay in the lineup as long as he keeps it up, whether or not Nady has returned.

Nady wouldn't look bad coming off the bench (except to him) and platooning with Cliff this year and he would be the one to step in for Cliff next year. He can get additional at bats filling in for Delgado when Willie want to give Carlos a rest.

Later

[Elster88]

Having a slump in AAA does not mean you won't have one in the majors. In fact, it makes one more likely.

I've oft heard ballplayers say that the biggest change in talent, by far, occurs in the step from AAA to the majors.

Yeah keep him in while hot. But don't start him over Floyd for sure, and when he hits a slump, put Nady back in immediately. In fact, I'm still not sure I wouldn't put Nady back in if he came back today.

[Guest cleonjones11]

Goodbye Nady...He will probalby rehab for a long time til AS break and and come back when Floyds legs give out...Which basically they aleady have..

NO PAIN NO GAIN

[duan]

seriously folks, it won't be hard to get 4 of's decent playing time especially with both Cliff & Carlos' tendancies to get a bit banged up). Endy Chavez has had over 100 abs so far this season; putting on pace for over 300. Why don't we just let Lastings get most of them? I see no problem floyd having the odd 4 day week.

[stevejrogers]

You knew THIS article was coming from the New York Post's Phil Mushnick

]June 9, 2006 -- VETERAN rocker Dave Mason sings it best: "Seems the simple things are the hardest to explain." Willie Randolph, Sunday, scolded 21-year-old Met rookie Lastings Milledge for getting too close and too personal with fans while returning to the outfield after hitting a dramatic homer. Over the next 48 hours, Randolph was hammered by both national and local sports talk show hosts - as well as their guests and callers - as a fuddy duddy, a buzz-killer and an overly officious authority figure who should simply, "leave the kid alone." From Mike Francesa and Chris Russo on WFAN, to Keith Olbermann, Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic on ESPN radio, Randolph was portrayed as a fellow who, in this case, seems eager to senselessly destroy youthful enthusiasm, not to mention free and fun expression. Tuesday, on Golic and Greenberg's "Mike & Mike" national TV/radio simulcast, Randolph was even nominated for the dreaded, "Just Shut Up" award. But if we're now safe from swinging legs attached to jerking knees, allow us, albeit perhaps too late, to try to instill some common, op-ed sense into this issue: Isn't it reasonable and logical to presume that Willie Randolph knows Lastings Milledge a lot<$> better than the rest of us? Never thought of that, did we? Randolph has not only managed Milledge in spring training, he's privy to organizational scouting reports, phone calls and meetings that just may have concluded that if Milledge is to succeed in the majors his immediate boss must lean on him, early and often, demanding that he comport himself in a manner that will, in the long run, be best for both the Mets and Milledge. It's not, after all, a secret that Milledge arrived at Shea as a kid who seems to demand extra attention, more than a little of it negative. One more time: Do any of those who this week went after Randolph for his handling of Milledge know Milledge better than Randolph? Of course not. OK, then, as they sometimes say on the radio, just shut up. *

[Gwreck]

duan wrote: seriously folks, it won't be hard to get 4 of's decent playing time especially with both Cliff & Carlos' tendancies to get a bit banged up). Endy Chavez has had over 100 abs so far this season; putting on pace for over 300. Why don't we just let Lastings get most of them? I see no problem floyd having the odd 4 day week.

I like the idea in theory but it could be very tough to work out.

Beltran is going to play every day if healthy -- we want that -- and it's probably worth noting that he's missed only 2 starts (the doubleheader last weekend) since returning on April 29 from the week-long injury.

The best case-scenario -- if a 4 players will be kept on the active roster -- I think would be a situation developing where Nady and Floyd start a semi-platoon with Lastings playing 5 out of every 6 games perhaps. This would leave only 3 starts per week per player though, and such a situation could produce negative effects upon both. After all, if the plan is to develop Nady into an everyday player, this isn't going to do much to that end. Sitting Lastings more to get Nady PT wouldn't happen, I think.

Nady could theoretically get starts at first when Delgado sits, but Delgado's going to sit perhaps once every 20 games (anything more frequent would be silly, anyway). This will also mean that Julio Franco and Endy Chavez play basically never, but that's not really a concern of any substance.

[duan]

don't forget we've got 9 interleague games at AL parks starting on 23rd June.

[Benjamin Grimm]

In Adam Rubin's article in the Daily News this morning, he mentions that Cliff Floyd is speculating that he might be dealt by July 31 to make room for Lastings.

Could happen, I suppose.

[Elster88]

]In Adam Rubin's article in the Daily News this morning, he mentions that Cliff Floyd is speculating that he might be dealt by July 31 to make room for Lastings.

Could happen. I hope it doesn't. We don't NEED to make room for Lastings for this year.

We really, really, don't.

And having Floyd around for the stretch run and any possible playoff series is a good thing.

The only way this makes sense is if we get a #2 or better starter in the deal. And I don't see a team that is willing to give up a #2 or better starter wanting to take on Floyd.

[Gwreck]

duan wrote: don't forget we've got 9 interleague games at AL parks starting on 23rd June.

Not sure Nady will be back for any of those games. Maybe the MFY series.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Just for shitzz and gigglez, the MFYs need an outfielder and the Mets (may) need a 2Bman (Valentin is swinging great now but still not convinced of his staying power).

Cano-Nady?

[Gwreck]

]In Adam Rubin's article in the Daily News this morning, he mentions that Cliff Floyd is speculating that he might be dealt by July 31 to make room for Lastings.

When trying to figure how they might play Floyd/Nady/Milledge the thought occured to me but I didn't type it because I don't want it to happen.

Perhaps it's my loyalty to Floyd coloring the opinion but I wonder if, with the exception of San Diego, Cliff would gladly take a lesser role rather than being traded.

[MFS62]

Keep them all.
Sure, Nady will be disappointed. But he can fill in for Delgado if willie want to give Carlos (or Floyd) an occasional rest against lefties. And the Mets will get a better reading as to whether he is the long term solution once Floyd's contract is up.

Later

[Elster88]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: Just for shitzz and gigglez, the MFYs need an outfielder and the Mets (may) need a 2Bman (Valentin is swinging great now but still not convinced of his staying power). Cano-Nady?

I doubt the MFYs would do that.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'd also like to keep them all, but unless you demote Endy, who's been a productive role player, you have to lose an infielder. (Matsui being the obvious choice.) But as Edgy pointed out in another thread (or earlier in this one, maybe) that would leave the Mets with Woodward as their only reserve infielder.

If Lastings stays, and everyone's still healthy, one of Floyd, Nady, or Chavez has to go. Not an easy choice.

[Elster88]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: If Lastings stays, and everyone's still healthy, one of Floyd, Nady, or Chavez has to go. Not an easy choice.

I think it's an easy choice.

[soupcan]

Blurb in this morning's NY Post speculates that if Matsui doesn't agree to expand the number of teams he is allowed to be traded to from the Yankees, Angels or Dodgers (as per his contract) that he will be released.

What a bust he was.

[smg58]

I can't imagine why Kaz wouldn't waive his no trade clause, unless at this point he just wants to go back to Japan.

Milledge is admittedly making the decision harder. I think the Mets wold love to have Milledge, Nady, and Floyd all active during the stretch of games at AL parks. That would also give the Mets more time to evaluate where Milledge really is at this stage of his development, and if he already presents an upgrade over one of the corner outfield spots.

The fact that all three regular outfielders have missed some games this year makes me very reluctant to trade Floyd or Nady. Somebody would have to make an offer that clearly upgrades second base or the rotation to get me to bite, and deals like that rarely get made in July.