Milledge is struggling

[spidernat]

Plus he seems like a punk.

WTF! Where did this come from and what does it have to do with this thread?

[xposbrad]

I definitely expected him to have a breakout year. He's old enough, has had a couple of years of playing time, and now was his chance to play full time. He could still breakout next year, he's not that old, but I just don't see us having the necessary coaching to be able to develop his skills. This year, there's no question Millz is struggling, but it's still early in the year where he could turn it around. I just don't think he'll reach his full potential playing on this team.

[GburgNatsFan]

True, but I'm not sure what your point is exactly.

1. That their FO is better at assessing talent,
2. or that our coaching staff just can't get the best out of players...
3. Or maybe it's just a random up-tick for Church/Schneider and a random tanking for Milledge and LoDuca.

My bet isn't on 3.

key word bolded.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

I'm beginning to wonder about our coaches and trainers. Are they really being great motivators or great masturbators? (that is a Dali-reference for you Salvador Dali fans )

[GburgNatsFan]

Ali will get it. tomterp might. As usual, I'm left wishing I could be suave and understand these cultural references. Sigh.

I'm beginning to wonder about our coaches and trainers. Are they really being great motivators or great masturbators? (that is a Dali-reference for you Salvador Dali fans )

[blue911]

True, but I'm not sure what your point is exactly.

1. That their FO is better at assessing talent,
2. or that our coaching staff just can't get the best out of players...
3. Or maybe it's just a random up-tick for Church/Schneider and a random tanking for Milledge and LoDuca.

My bet isn't on 3.

I'm beginning to wonder about our coaches and trainers. Are they really being great motivators or great masturbators? (that is a Dali-reference for you Salvador Dali fans )

I was going to start a thread about our coaching staff. I really don't get what Jerry Morales brings to the table (besides patting grown men on the ass). Tim Tolman is still terrible at third (WMP wasn't even in the picture when Ausmus caught the ball). And Lenny Harris could coach Babe Ruth to a bench seat on a beer league slow pitch team.

[hammondsnats]

Give the kid a break.  He's 23 years old.  Of all the outfielders he is the one I'm not worried about.

[Roarin Storen]

You people are morons, how can you call him a bust now?

How?

Break it down....

[GburgNatsFan]

Tough title for a thread. This is particularly true when you observe what happened when Church and Milledge traded teams.

Give the kid a break.  He's 23 years old.  Of all the outfielders he is the one I'm not worried about.

[xposbrad]

True, but I'm not sure what your point is exactly.

1. That their FO is better at assessing talent,
2. or that our coaching staff just can't get the best out of players...
3. Or maybe it's just a random up-tick for Church/Schneider and a random tanking for Milledge and LoDuca.

My bet isn't on 3.

#2 and it's not just getting the best out of players. It's player development, either realizing potential for younger kids or taking older players and correcting mechanical problems that possibly are hurting parts of their game.

[MrMadison]

Right, he'd be on the bench, 4th outfielder at best.  Silly Mets, they don't realize that yet, and keep putting him in the daily lineup.  That's why they stink, and we are the powerhouse of the east.

yeah, because adding Church instantly made the Mets the "powerhouse of the east".

you are really taking this Church thing to heart....

the Mets are going to win this trade for 2 months, and we'll win it in the long run.

[GburgNatsFan]

I never liked Church, but he was a much better player than most here gave him credit for. And, with better coaching, he's proving it.

Clearly, the Mets had all they needed in the Outfield and letting go of a young prospect didn't hurt them a bit, so the trade made sense for them. It probably makes sense for us, too, because we need players for the future, but the future isn't here now and somehow or another our outfield play has to improve, from left to right. We're giving up outs.

yeah, because adding Church instantly made the Mets the "powerhouse of the east".

you are really taking this Church thing to heart....

the Mets are going to win this trade for 2 months, and we'll win it in the long run.

[AnnieSavoy]

I expected more from Milledge, and he certainly has been "awful" so far, but he's still young. Perhaps with some decent coaching, he can live up to the higher expectations some had for him.

Decent coaching seems to be the key.

[PANatsFan]

yeah, because adding Church instantly made the Mets the "powerhouse of the east".

you are really taking this Church thing to heart....

the Mets are going to win this trade for 2 months, and we'll win it in the long run.

right. 1? year of Church, or 4 years of Milledge? Schneider hasn't gotten an extra base hit yet, how are all those singles helpful on a team that can't string together hits? Nieves is more valuable, and I think we have him for more than 1 year anyway. How does a Flores/Nieves tandem sound? Pretty damn good. This is still a great trade. A missed catch doesn't change anything.

[tomterp]

yeah, because adding Church instantly made the Mets the "powerhouse of the east".

you are really taking this Church thing to heart....

the Mets are going to win this trade for 2 months, and we'll win it in the long run.

 

He's hitting like I thought he would for us last year, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.  I believe (as mentioned earlier in this thread) that Church was pretty consistently undervalued by most members of this forum.  And no, I don't think he'll continue the whole season like this, but in 2008 this will have been a better deal for the Mets, barring injury. 

I like the deal for us long term, and have not begun to write off Milledge yet.  Like Zimmerman, he's struggled to hit with power, and with selectivity, but I think it will come around.  He really has a lot to learn but it's not an insurmountable gap.

[blue911]

He's hitting like I thought he would for us last year, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.  I believe (as mentioned earlier in this thread) that Church was pretty consistently undervalued by most members of this forum.  And no, I don't think he'll continue the whole season like this, but in 2008 this will have been a better deal for the Mets, barring injury. 

I like the deal for us long term, and have not begun to write off Milledge yet.  Like Zimmerman, he's struggled to hit with power, and with selectivity, but I think it will come around.  He really has a lot to learn but it's not an insurmountable gap.

And maybe,just maybe Howard Johnson isn't a moron.

BTW,Milledge was batting pretty damn good as a number 2. He started to fail when he was switched to 5th.

[The Chief]

BTW,Milledge was batting pretty damn good as a number 2. He started to fail when he was switched to 5th.

I was just thinking that too.

[PANatsFan]

I was just thinking that too.

Why the hell does Flop need to be leadoff? Is his OBP that hot? Guzman was doing just fine.

[sportsfan882]

Why the hell does Flop need to be leadoff? Is his OBP that hot? Guzman was doing just fine.

Guzman isn't patient enough to bat lead-off. Their OBPs are similar though. CG is getting on base at a .331 clip and Felipe's OBP is .339.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I never liked Church, but he was a much better player than most here gave him credit for. And, with better coaching, he's proving it.

There's the rub.  We need better hitting instruction in this system, period.  With better coaching for our position players, it doesn't matter whether we have Church or Milledge - either one would be productive.  With what we have now, neither one would be at full potential.

[blue911]

Guzman isn't patient enough to bat lead-off. Their OBPs are similar though. CG is getting on base at a .331 clip and Felipe's OBP is .339.

Neither Flop or Pops was a leadoff hitter before joining the Nats. This is a double failed experiment. Bat the kid first,Pops second then Zim,NJ,Pena,Kearns,Catcher dude,Flopsie.

[ronnynat]

Neither Flop or Pops was a leadoff hitter before joining the Nats. This is a double failed experiment. Bat the kid first,Pops second then Zim,NJ,Pena,Kearns,Catcher dude,Flopsie.

Lopez was the leadoff hitter for the Reds quite a few times in '06. His HR total in '05 was the reason he wasn't there full-time.

[EmpireNat]

I find it hilarious/ridiculous that no matter what happens, people on this board just love to criticize somebody. Recently it was Zimmerman, and rightly so, but as soon as he nails a few homers everybody looked for the next target. Funny how there was no threads about player x sucking when he hit a winning streak, then we lose a few very close, tough ball games on the road and all people want to do is sit and moan and nag again.

Get over it, he's young, shown flashes of talent and potential, but he isn't there yet, just like our team. Quit moaning and just get over it/yourself.

[blue911]

Lopez was the leadoff hitter for the Reds quite a few times in '06. His HR total in '05 was the reason he wasn't there full-time.

Not to quibble,but 23 starts isn't alot in my book.

[ronnynat]

Not to quibble,but 23 starts isn't alot in my book.

They also had another speed guy to put at the top of their lineup in Freel. We don't have anyone else that is a real threat on the bases at this point. Guzman is a PERFECT #2 hitter. We shouldn't move him from that spot.