if you were the Mets GM?

Question

Would you trade

1-Lastings Milledge-CF/OF-R/R-6-1, 185 lbs, 4/5/1985
He was drafted in 2003, 12th overall, and had considered Juco to play baseball and football, but a $2.075 million signing bonus helped assuage him to pro ball. He is the one proven blue chipper in the organization and is a five tool talent. He has great speed along with a good arm. On top of that, he has quick wrists that allow him to hammer the inside fast ball and hit for good power. He has an excellent glove and can cover a lot of range in the outfield. However, he may have to move to left or right because of a man named Carlos Beltran. A hard worker, Milledge studies his game to improve. He has proven he can hit for average and steal in the minors, but it isn’t known whether he will be able to hit for power. High K percentage in AA. (47/193)

and one more prospect for


Adam Dunn a player who consistantly hits 40 to 50 Home Runs and can swipe 20 bases a year. Shawn Green is aging very quickly.

no I'm actually a Reds fan and I would hardly say Dunn is old at 27

Answer 1

Milledge looks like he's another Darryl Strawberry waiting to happen, with all that entails, although there's as yet no evidence of substance abuse.

But Dunn is a bad pickup for the Mets because they've tried this before. He hits a lot of home runs, but Shea is a pitcher's park (and they will still play there another season and a half), he strikes out too much, he doesn't get a lot of singles and walks, he can't run, and he's not a very good fielder. They've done this many times before: Rusty Staub the second time around (though it worked great the first time), George Foster, Kevin McReynolds, Bobby Bonilla, Carlos Baerga, and, most notoriously, Mo Vaughn. In fact, the aforementioned Shawn Green is well on his way toward being put into this category. So might Moises Alou if he ever gets off the Disabled List.

Milledge should be traded, and surely there is a team out there that can be suckered into taking him. But the Mets need one more starting pitcher. Not an ace, but an innings-eater, a guy who can pitch seven innings every five days, and well enough to give the bats a chance to win it. Consistency is what wins, and the Mets proved that in last year's regular season. Milledge looks like a career "streaky" hitter, and unless he's got Reggie Jackson-level power and Reggie-style clutch tendency, that's generally not the kind of player you want.

There, a Yankee Fan gives an honest critique of the Mets without making a generalization such as "It doesn't matter, they suck anyway." It does matter, and Omar Minaya is smart enough to figure the above out. It's just a matter of finding the right sucker. Because, if he doesn't... Milledge might one day prove that Minaya himself is the sucker, and Minaya doesn't want that.

Answer 2

I'd make the deal in a heartbeat, but I'd have Dunn move to first because he can be painfully bad in the field.

Milledge has a great deal of potential, but there's still no guarantee that he'll pan out in the majors. Adam Dunn, on the other hand, is already over the 200-homer mark at age 27, and should produce 40-50 a season for the foreseeable future. I know people get hung up on his Ks, but what's the difference between a strikeout and an annoying popup or weak grounder? Dunn also gets on base at a .380 clip for his career, which is a number I would never expect from Milledge.

Dunn would be a great addition to an already-good team, but he probably would be better in the AL where he could just serve as a DH.

Answer 3

adam dunn is good but he doesnt fit in with the Mets outfield

obviously you are a mets fan, so you should know this better than anyone

Willie Randolph runs a speed outfield. he doesnt use the Vlad or Sheffield or Dunn types, the HR hitters with very little speed

and especially with Wright turning it around now, there is no need to give up two young guys for an aging HR hitter who strikes out almost 180 times a season

if you wanna do something, call up Milledge. he is a speedy outfielder who can get the job done

Answer 4

Nah, they don't need another OF right now, they have some good prospects in their minor league teams, and would be more likely to use Milledge to get a pitcher. They should be able to last out the year with the current OF's, but unless Pedro comes back strong this year, their pitching staff will need some help by September.

Answer 5

No way I make this trade. Dunn is a decent hitter but Milledge can do more for your team. If the Mets do trade him they should look to see if Willis or Harden become available. Harden isn't considered to have the best stuff on that staff anymore because he's always hurt and Willis isn't in the Marlins long term plans because they can't sign him.

Answer 6

shawn green is a great player and one of the best and most consistant hitters the Mets have right now. There is no need to trade him away. i liked millige last year when he played for a few weeks (months?) yes, he was inexperinced and made some rookie-ish mistakes, but these things could be soothed out after a year in the majors. i think that the Mets should get him back at least as a pinch hitter instead of franco or ben Johnson.

Answer 7

I thought the Mets should have traded Lastings a couple years ago when he had higer value. I was never the big on him and he hasn't done anything to prove me wrong.

As for trading for Dunn. I wouldn't do it if i was the Mets b/c i don't think he would fit well at Shea or on the Mets.

Answer 8

trade everyone of these no talents. then do like the Yankees and buy a team to win now not in a few years. they have a team that is good. it could be better if they know how to sign young hot pitchers and not old men that need to be driven to the mound before each pitch.

Answer 9

stay away from dunn! he coming to LAA wether u like it or not