Mets Trade Lastings Milledge to Nationals
According to ESPN.com, the New York Mets have traded away promising young outfielder Lastings Milledge to the Washinton Nationals for outfielder Ryan Church and catcher Brian Schneider.
In essence, the Mets traded away a young, cheap and promising major trading chip for a 31-year old, light-hitting catcher (their third catcher technically, meaning Johnny Estrada will be non-tendered next month), and a 29-year old OF with minimal upside. Now I know Milledge has had his run-ins with management, but the New York Mets could have done better then Church/Schneider, right?
On SNY this evening, Ken Rosenthal appeared as a guest. He said rival baseball executives were shocked at this deal, primarily because the Mets dealt Milledge away without getting ANY pitching in return. You would think they would have pushed harder for Jon Rauch, Chad Cordero, or even Luis Ayala to help their bullpen.
Omar baffles us all yet again. Schneider is a fine defensive catcher, and Church is a useful player as well, but is he an everyday rightfielder on a competing team? I don’t think so. And it seems that espn.com writer Keith Law agrees that the Nationals won out on this deal (Insider article). It was a pretty cold in NY today… maybe Omar felt like purchasing himself a warm FLEECE?!
Between the Torrealba situation, purchasing Brian Stokes from Tampa Bay, letting Lo Duca walk without even trying to re-sign him (a fan favorite in NY), giving Luis Castillo a multi-year deal, and now trading Milledge for two “decent” players (neither pitchers), Omar Minaya is in the midst of a horrific off-season. This, of course, coming after a horrific collapse. The Mets do not have the chips to deal for a Johan Santana, Danny Haren, Jake Peavy, Erik Bedard, or even a Joe Blanton for that matter (it would appear). If Minaya decides to sign Livan Hernandez at next week’s winter meetings, he deserves a stern talking to from Mets’ management at the very least. Bad job, Omar. WAKE UP!
Filed under: New York Mets, Washington Nationals
Minaya has really ticked me off, now. Juu know what I’mmmm sayin, Omarrrrr? Idiot.
What are the Mets church goers now? David Cone exposes himself to a fan and the Mets couldn’t get rid of him. This guy records a rap record and he’s outta here. We would have been set for the next ten years with the three young guys. David Wright gets more ass than a toilet seat…..enough said!
[…] word yet on what the exact package will be, but Dukes may be teamed with recently acquired Lastings Milledge to form an outfield made up primarily of youngsters with excess baggage. Dukes had a blow-up in […]
[…] needing to make a big splash. For much of the off-season, he remained quiet. He managed to deal Lastings Milledge early in the off-season in a moved many Mets’ fans questioned. Once a […]
[…] he can provide that kind of production over a whole year. Either way, this 22 year old - who was fleeced from the Mets, by the way - is poised for a great career if he can manage his attitude […]
[…] himself in Washington under Manny Acta, which includes stealing more bases. The Nationals seemingly fleeced the Mets for Milledge back in November. Milledge was once the Mets’ top young prospect, but […]