I'm late on this news so you've probably already read that the Pirates cut loose Lastings Milledge. They decided at the midnight Thursday deadline not to offer their right fielder a contract, making him a free agent. What a great reaction to one of by better Milledge jokes of all time.
It is a fairly unusual move to cut loose a player entering his first year of arbitration eligibility, since teams still usually get those guys at a significant discount. However, Milledge was not a candidate to start - and a player who can't field, throw, run the bases, or hit right-handed pitching is not terribly valuable on a team's bench.
Coming to Pittsburgh in 2009 in the Joel Hanrahan deal, Milledge hit .291/.333/.395 with four home runs in 58 games that year. He was considered a breakout candidate entering his age 25 season in 2010 and opened the season as the Pirates' #3 hitter. Instead, every aspect of his game declined. He hit .277/.332/.380 with four home runs in 113 games and lost the starting job. Milledge will be 26 in 2011 and his prospect sheen hasn't totally worn off - which means he'll be running from second to third on a grounder to the shortstop for some major league team.
Also non-tendered were infielder Argenis Diaz and pitchers Brian Burres and Donnie Veal. The Pirates traded Adam LaRoche for Diaz in 2009, thinking Diaz could learn to hit. He never did. Non-tendering Diaz is more surprising to me since despite his deficiencies, he could have been a good-fielding utility infielder at the major league minimum. Burres wasn't terrible in 2010 (4-5, 4.99) but there's no reason he should be part of the Pirates' future plans. The Pirates hope to sign Veal who is still recovering form injury.
Cedeno, Karstens Return
On the negative side, the Pirates signed Ronny Cedeno for $2 million for 2011 with a club option for 2012. Shocking, I know. I'm not sure what he did to merit an $875,000 raise. Cedeno is one of those players who really looks like a baseball player, has enough skills to make you think he's a good player if you don't pay attention, but then at the end of the year has had another terrible season. I really wanted a new shortstop and I think we're not getting one.
Jeff Karstens signed a one-year deal for $1.1 million. He's fine as a long reliever/emergency starter but he should not pitch 123 innings as he did in 2010.
Showing posts with label Lastings Milledge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lastings Milledge. Show all posts
December 4, 2010
November 30, 2010
The 2011 Right Field Job
Unlike the other offensive positions I highlighted as areas for improvement - catcher and shortstop - the Pirates actually got decent production out of their right fielders in 2010. As in below average, but not laughable. Pirates right fielders combined to hit .262/.330/.428 with 20 home runs, 78 RBI, and 70 runs scored. This is not too far off from the average MLB team which got production of .270/.342/.442, 84 runs, 21 home runs, and 85 RBI.
Unfortunataely, those statistics are misleadingly high and won't be repeated if some combination of the same guys return in 2011. Garrett Jones and Lastings Milledge each compiled an OPS over 100 points higher while playing right field than overall, a trend that won't continue. Another good sign that the Pirates don't have a starting right fielder: they used six different men for at least 15 starts at the position. Jones (46 starts) and Milledge (41) led the way; also getting significant playing time were Ryan Church (23), Delwyn Young (16), Ryan Doumit (17), and John Bowker (15). Baseball Reference reckons that all but Bowker played below average defense, which seems right to my eye.
Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata will likely combine for around 25 home runs next year in left field and center field, which is fine, but it also means the Pirates need a power bat in right field.
RETURNING
Garrett Jones (.247/.306/.414) will be back in 2011. I think he can be an asset to the team as a backup at first base, left field, right field, and de facto at center field since he could play left with Tabata moving over. It's a long and injury-filled season and a guy in that role usually comes to bat 250 to 350 times, which is fine for Jones. But as a below average hitter and fielder for every position he plays, he just shouldn't be a 654 plate appearance core starter as he was in 2010. He's the type of component player that most playoff teams have - on their bench.
Lastings Milledge (.277/.332/.380) is one of the most maddening players I have ever seen. He is an above average contact hitter but he has mediocre on base skills because he can't or won't work the count.
He has excellent speed - I doubt McCutchen would beat him by much in a 100 yard dash if at all - but is an awful baserunner because he constantly gets thrown out on ill-advised attempts to advance to third base. He consistently takes the wrong routes to balls in the outfield, resulting in poor range even though he must be one of the fastest corner outfielders in the league. And he has decent arm strength but a slow release, giving him a below average arm. Lastings Milledge is like preparing a meal of USDA Prime Porterhouse, Potatoes Au Gratin, and Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce, and pairing it with a 60 dollar bottle of Robert Mondavi Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, and he is like that meal because that meal should not be a starting outfielder in 2011.
John Bowker (.232/.312/.391) is a great AAA hitter but in 590 MLB plate appearances has never done anything to suggest he should be anything more than a fifth outfielder in the major leagues. With Tabata's ability to play center field, the Pirates can get by with two reserve outfielders who can only play left and right; furthermore, he won't get an arbitration raise like Milledge and he at least looks on the field like a guy who has played baseball before. I would go with Jones as a fourth outfielder/first base backup and Bowker as the fifth outfielder, with Milledge traded or non-tendered.
Ryan Doumit (.251/.331/.406) never is, never was, never will be, and never again should be a right fielder.
OFF THE TEAM
You always knew Ryan Church (.182/.240/.312) would be fine when he was off the Pirates, and you couldn't wait for that day. Sure enough, he hit .265/.345/.490 in Arizona. By the way, I'm done with signing free agents for the Pirates' bench. Use your free agent money for starting players.
Delwyn Young (.236/.286/.414) elected free agency after being removed from the 40-man roster. Young was the Pirates' best pinch hitter for two years, but he also is a mediocre hitter with no secondary skills. He'll catch on somewhere as a 25th man.
FREE AGENTS
There are not many right fielders available via free agency. Jayson Werth isn't signing with Pittsburgh. Lance Berkman is being marketed as a first baseman/corner outfielder but there is a reason he hasn't played the outfield since 2007. However, there are several guys who would be viable starting outfielders and will sign reasonable deals:
Magglio Ordonez will be 37 and should be a DH. That being said, an outfield of Tabata-McCutchen-anybody is still pretty good defensively. As usual, there are too many DH-types available, which will force some of them to take a deal with a National League club. Ordonez would immediately become the Pirates' best on base guy and would also give the Pirates a true cleanup hitter. In 2009-10 he had the best couple of injury-plagued off years this side of Manny Ramirez as he hit .307/.377/.447. I know the Pirates prefer to sign a lefthanded power bat, but a bat is a bat. Age catches up with everyone, but I would be in favor of giving Magglio a one or two-year deal.
Yes, these recommendations may seem like a 2003 blog, but Andruw Jones hit .230/.341/.486 in 2010 with a home run every 14.6 at bats. The Pirates' best power threat, Pedro Alvarez, only hit one every 24 at bats. Jones would also slot immediately into the cleanup spot. He seems like he's been around forever but is only 33 and still plays good defense. The Pirates could do a lot worse, as in, using any right fielder currently on the roster.
Left fielders Pat Burrell (.252/.348/.469), Johnny Damon (.271/.355/.401), Hideki Matsui (.274/.361/.459), and, yes, Manny Ramirez (.298/.409/.460) are all still pretty good hitters and all will sign reasonable contracts - even Ramirez. They're all varying degrees of awful in the field, but the NL's worst offense certainly needs the upgrade. Jose Tabata could slide over to right to accommodate any of them.
It's not ideal to change Tabata's position right now, but for a team that last year (a) tried to use a career minor league catcher as an everyday first baseman, (b) repeatedly used a slow catcher with bad knees as a right fielder, (c) converted a catcher-turned-third baseman into a starting second baseman during his rookie season, (d) started both a poor-hitting backup shortstop and a poor-hitting backup third baseman at first base, and (e) gave away authentic MLB jerseys to Hayden Penn and Dana Eveland, it's not a stretch.
Unfortunataely, those statistics are misleadingly high and won't be repeated if some combination of the same guys return in 2011. Garrett Jones and Lastings Milledge each compiled an OPS over 100 points higher while playing right field than overall, a trend that won't continue. Another good sign that the Pirates don't have a starting right fielder: they used six different men for at least 15 starts at the position. Jones (46 starts) and Milledge (41) led the way; also getting significant playing time were Ryan Church (23), Delwyn Young (16), Ryan Doumit (17), and John Bowker (15). Baseball Reference reckons that all but Bowker played below average defense, which seems right to my eye.
Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata will likely combine for around 25 home runs next year in left field and center field, which is fine, but it also means the Pirates need a power bat in right field.RETURNING
Garrett Jones (.247/.306/.414) will be back in 2011. I think he can be an asset to the team as a backup at first base, left field, right field, and de facto at center field since he could play left with Tabata moving over. It's a long and injury-filled season and a guy in that role usually comes to bat 250 to 350 times, which is fine for Jones. But as a below average hitter and fielder for every position he plays, he just shouldn't be a 654 plate appearance core starter as he was in 2010. He's the type of component player that most playoff teams have - on their bench.
Lastings Milledge (.277/.332/.380) is one of the most maddening players I have ever seen. He is an above average contact hitter but he has mediocre on base skills because he can't or won't work the count.
He has excellent speed - I doubt McCutchen would beat him by much in a 100 yard dash if at all - but is an awful baserunner because he constantly gets thrown out on ill-advised attempts to advance to third base. He consistently takes the wrong routes to balls in the outfield, resulting in poor range even though he must be one of the fastest corner outfielders in the league. And he has decent arm strength but a slow release, giving him a below average arm. Lastings Milledge is like preparing a meal of USDA Prime Porterhouse, Potatoes Au Gratin, and Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce, and pairing it with a 60 dollar bottle of Robert Mondavi Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, and he is like that meal because that meal should not be a starting outfielder in 2011.John Bowker (.232/.312/.391) is a great AAA hitter but in 590 MLB plate appearances has never done anything to suggest he should be anything more than a fifth outfielder in the major leagues. With Tabata's ability to play center field, the Pirates can get by with two reserve outfielders who can only play left and right; furthermore, he won't get an arbitration raise like Milledge and he at least looks on the field like a guy who has played baseball before. I would go with Jones as a fourth outfielder/first base backup and Bowker as the fifth outfielder, with Milledge traded or non-tendered.
Ryan Doumit (.251/.331/.406) never is, never was, never will be, and never again should be a right fielder.
OFF THE TEAM
You always knew Ryan Church (.182/.240/.312) would be fine when he was off the Pirates, and you couldn't wait for that day. Sure enough, he hit .265/.345/.490 in Arizona. By the way, I'm done with signing free agents for the Pirates' bench. Use your free agent money for starting players.
Delwyn Young (.236/.286/.414) elected free agency after being removed from the 40-man roster. Young was the Pirates' best pinch hitter for two years, but he also is a mediocre hitter with no secondary skills. He'll catch on somewhere as a 25th man.
FREE AGENTS
There are not many right fielders available via free agency. Jayson Werth isn't signing with Pittsburgh. Lance Berkman is being marketed as a first baseman/corner outfielder but there is a reason he hasn't played the outfield since 2007. However, there are several guys who would be viable starting outfielders and will sign reasonable deals:
Magglio Ordonez will be 37 and should be a DH. That being said, an outfield of Tabata-McCutchen-anybody is still pretty good defensively. As usual, there are too many DH-types available, which will force some of them to take a deal with a National League club. Ordonez would immediately become the Pirates' best on base guy and would also give the Pirates a true cleanup hitter. In 2009-10 he had the best couple of injury-plagued off years this side of Manny Ramirez as he hit .307/.377/.447. I know the Pirates prefer to sign a lefthanded power bat, but a bat is a bat. Age catches up with everyone, but I would be in favor of giving Magglio a one or two-year deal.Yes, these recommendations may seem like a 2003 blog, but Andruw Jones hit .230/.341/.486 in 2010 with a home run every 14.6 at bats. The Pirates' best power threat, Pedro Alvarez, only hit one every 24 at bats. Jones would also slot immediately into the cleanup spot. He seems like he's been around forever but is only 33 and still plays good defense. The Pirates could do a lot worse, as in, using any right fielder currently on the roster.
Left fielders Pat Burrell (.252/.348/.469), Johnny Damon (.271/.355/.401), Hideki Matsui (.274/.361/.459), and, yes, Manny Ramirez (.298/.409/.460) are all still pretty good hitters and all will sign reasonable contracts - even Ramirez. They're all varying degrees of awful in the field, but the NL's worst offense certainly needs the upgrade. Jose Tabata could slide over to right to accommodate any of them.
It's not ideal to change Tabata's position right now, but for a team that last year (a) tried to use a career minor league catcher as an everyday first baseman, (b) repeatedly used a slow catcher with bad knees as a right fielder, (c) converted a catcher-turned-third baseman into a starting second baseman during his rookie season, (d) started both a poor-hitting backup shortstop and a poor-hitting backup third baseman at first base, and (e) gave away authentic MLB jerseys to Hayden Penn and Dana Eveland, it's not a stretch.
August 15, 2010
Has Lastings Milledge Lost His Job?
When the Pirates traded for Lastings Milledge, clearly they hoped he would be part of their young core going forward. That hasn't materialized.
Milledge started 85 of the first 110 games in the outfield. Of course nothing was announced about Milledge losing his job but of the past six games, he started only two.
All season, Milledge has run the bases basically like a guy who has never watched a baseball game much less played in one. Friday night he failed to advance to second on a wild pitch, which directly led to a game ending double play. Then before Saturday's game, Tony Beasley announced that all players would be expected to practice baserunning during batting practice every day, and Milledge was back out of the lineup. The reason is a bit transparent.
Maybe mistakes like this could be forgiven in exchange for the benefit a big bat, but Milledge is a corner outfielder who has three home runs all year along with a .371 slugging percentage and a .331 on base percentage.
Overall, nothing in the Pirates' recent actions suggests that Milledge is the right fielder for the rest of 2010 or 2011 much less the future. Apart from simply using his backup Delwyn Young, they also have moved Garrett Jones back to right field twice this week, taught the position to Ryan Doumit, and traded for yet another player who can play right field, John Bowker (who is raking in AAA).
Options for the spot in 2011 are as follows:
1. A free agent signing;
2. A trade (unlikely unless Joel Hanrahan or Evan Meek is moved);
3. Giving Milledge the job again;
4. An utter crapfest spring training competition between Milledge, Bowker, Doumit, Young and Clement for the last starting lineup spot.
I would prefer option 1 but considering how things tend to go in these parts, option 4 looks damn likely.
Milledge started 85 of the first 110 games in the outfield. Of course nothing was announced about Milledge losing his job but of the past six games, he started only two.
All season, Milledge has run the bases basically like a guy who has never watched a baseball game much less played in one. Friday night he failed to advance to second on a wild pitch, which directly led to a game ending double play. Then before Saturday's game, Tony Beasley announced that all players would be expected to practice baserunning during batting practice every day, and Milledge was back out of the lineup. The reason is a bit transparent.Maybe mistakes like this could be forgiven in exchange for the benefit a big bat, but Milledge is a corner outfielder who has three home runs all year along with a .371 slugging percentage and a .331 on base percentage.
Overall, nothing in the Pirates' recent actions suggests that Milledge is the right fielder for the rest of 2010 or 2011 much less the future. Apart from simply using his backup Delwyn Young, they also have moved Garrett Jones back to right field twice this week, taught the position to Ryan Doumit, and traded for yet another player who can play right field, John Bowker (who is raking in AAA).
Options for the spot in 2011 are as follows:
1. A free agent signing;
2. A trade (unlikely unless Joel Hanrahan or Evan Meek is moved);
3. Giving Milledge the job again;
4. An utter crapfest spring training competition between Milledge, Bowker, Doumit, Young and Clement for the last starting lineup spot.
I would prefer option 1 but considering how things tend to go in these parts, option 4 looks damn likely.
August 14, 2010
Meek Left In To Blow Game After Injury
I have rarely criticized John Russell's managing decisions on this site. Nor have I really even written that much about individual games. The only non-depressing story this year is one of player development and the arrival of a new core of young players.
Yet, Russell made a decision last night that is not defensible.
For those of you who missed the game: The Pirates got a great start out of Ross Ohlendorf, 6.2 scoreless innings, and led Houston 1-0 entering the bottom of the eighth. Set-up man Evan Meek came on to pitch the inning.
Michael Bourn led off and grounded to Garrett Jones, who threw to Meek covering first for the out. Meek apparently hurt himself somehow covering first and as he got ready to pitch to the next batter, Angel Sanchez, was clearly favoring his right leg.
Now, presumably John Russell as well as trainer Brad Henderson are watching the action on the field. Once a player appears hurt in any way it is the manager's job to send the trainer out to take a look at him. This stuff is elementary. Instead J.R. did nothing and Sanchez worked a 3-2 count, then singled to right.
OK, so J.R. thought this was something Meek could shake off - but how do you know that without sending the trainer out? What is the point of paying to fly a trainer to Houston if you don't use him?
The next batter, Hunter Pence, went to a 3-0 count with none of the pitches being really close. Meek's foot was clearly affecting his follow-through and therefore his command on the mound. Catcher Chris Snyder visited the mound at that point, but Pence walked on a 3-1 pitch.
Clearly it was time now to take Meek out of the game. I said it at the time but anyone would have known it. Either Meek is hurt, or he just doesn't have it today. Regardless, you can send the trainer out, remove him from the game and have Joel Hanrahan come on for the final five outs after getting an unlimited time to warm up. You can't screw around in a 1-0 game.
Instead, pitching coach Ray Searage went out to the mound sans trainer. Meek pitched to the next batter, Carlos Lee, who hit a three-run homer to left for the 3-1 lead which effectively iced the game.
It's true that Meek never summoned the trainer, but at the point he looks hurt at all you send him out. If pitchers were allowed to decide themselves whether they stayed in the game, each team would go to their bullpen approximately zero times a year. I suspect this is the reason why throughout basbeall history, to my knowledge a pitcher was never a player-manager.
The next batter, Geoff Blum, lined a single to right. Now the Pirates started warming up another reliever, Wil Ledezma. While Ledezma was getting ready, Chris Johnson and Brett Wallace singled, the latter hit scoring Blum to make it 4-1. Ledezma came in at that point and got out of the inning with no further damage, but the game was already lost.
All this happened while the Pirates had five men available in the bullpen. I really don't see the point of leaving an injured player in a baseball game in most situations. No matter how minor the injury, it has to affect performance somewhat. Almost any healthy player has to be better. Furthermore it is a 162 game season and there are very few injuries that can adequately be diagnosed, using no equipment, immediately after they occur.
Maybe the injury was nothing. I suspect it subsided in fifteen minutes. But even on Meek's follow through on the home run ball it was apparent that his leg was affected to some extent.
Evan Meek looks like he blew the game in the box score, but I blame this one at least half on the manager. Meek should have been removed - at the latest - when it was 1-0 with two men on and one out. Against a weak lineup with his stuff, Hanrahan would have had at least a 50/50 shot at closing it out from there.
Yet, Russell made a decision last night that is not defensible.
For those of you who missed the game: The Pirates got a great start out of Ross Ohlendorf, 6.2 scoreless innings, and led Houston 1-0 entering the bottom of the eighth. Set-up man Evan Meek came on to pitch the inning.
Michael Bourn led off and grounded to Garrett Jones, who threw to Meek covering first for the out. Meek apparently hurt himself somehow covering first and as he got ready to pitch to the next batter, Angel Sanchez, was clearly favoring his right leg.
Now, presumably John Russell as well as trainer Brad Henderson are watching the action on the field. Once a player appears hurt in any way it is the manager's job to send the trainer out to take a look at him. This stuff is elementary. Instead J.R. did nothing and Sanchez worked a 3-2 count, then singled to right.OK, so J.R. thought this was something Meek could shake off - but how do you know that without sending the trainer out? What is the point of paying to fly a trainer to Houston if you don't use him?
The next batter, Hunter Pence, went to a 3-0 count with none of the pitches being really close. Meek's foot was clearly affecting his follow-through and therefore his command on the mound. Catcher Chris Snyder visited the mound at that point, but Pence walked on a 3-1 pitch.
Clearly it was time now to take Meek out of the game. I said it at the time but anyone would have known it. Either Meek is hurt, or he just doesn't have it today. Regardless, you can send the trainer out, remove him from the game and have Joel Hanrahan come on for the final five outs after getting an unlimited time to warm up. You can't screw around in a 1-0 game.
Instead, pitching coach Ray Searage went out to the mound sans trainer. Meek pitched to the next batter, Carlos Lee, who hit a three-run homer to left for the 3-1 lead which effectively iced the game.
It's true that Meek never summoned the trainer, but at the point he looks hurt at all you send him out. If pitchers were allowed to decide themselves whether they stayed in the game, each team would go to their bullpen approximately zero times a year. I suspect this is the reason why throughout basbeall history, to my knowledge a pitcher was never a player-manager.
The next batter, Geoff Blum, lined a single to right. Now the Pirates started warming up another reliever, Wil Ledezma. While Ledezma was getting ready, Chris Johnson and Brett Wallace singled, the latter hit scoring Blum to make it 4-1. Ledezma came in at that point and got out of the inning with no further damage, but the game was already lost.
All this happened while the Pirates had five men available in the bullpen. I really don't see the point of leaving an injured player in a baseball game in most situations. No matter how minor the injury, it has to affect performance somewhat. Almost any healthy player has to be better. Furthermore it is a 162 game season and there are very few injuries that can adequately be diagnosed, using no equipment, immediately after they occur.
Maybe the injury was nothing. I suspect it subsided in fifteen minutes. But even on Meek's follow through on the home run ball it was apparent that his leg was affected to some extent.
Evan Meek looks like he blew the game in the box score, but I blame this one at least half on the manager. Meek should have been removed - at the latest - when it was 1-0 with two men on and one out. Against a weak lineup with his stuff, Hanrahan would have had at least a 50/50 shot at closing it out from there.
August 2, 2010
Keep Moss at AAA
Surprisingly, many in the Pirates fan base are calling for the recall of Brandon Moss.
Moss's season numbers at Indianapolis, .269/.334/.491, are rather pedestrian.
But he's hit .351/.388/.757 in 18 games since the All-Star break including eight home runs and 30 RBI.
It is tempting to think Moss is turning a corner and finally realizing his potential at the age of 26. But there is simply nothing in Moss's record to suggest that he should be getting at bats over Lastings Milledge at this point.
Far from this being a breakout year, Moss has actually owned Triple A pitching since his age 23 season with nothing to show for it in the majors. Here are his career slash lines:
2007 (Age 23)
AAA: .282/.363/.471 in 133 games
MLB: .280/.379/.440 in 15 games
2008 (Age 24)
AAA: .282/.346/.528 in 43 games
MLB: .246/.304/.436 in 79 games
2009 (Age 25)
MLB: .236/.304/.364 in 133 games
2010 (Age 26)
AAA: .269/.334/.491 in 102 games
Except for his poor start this year, Moss has consistently owned International League pitching. Yet the results in the majors were the opposite. He performed very well in 25 at bats in 2007. The following year his numbers were unimpressive yet he at least didn't embarrass himself in a part time role. Then last year, he couldn't drive the ball or get on base. The more playing time he got, the worse he hit, which is why he has hit .241/.307/.393 in his career.
Moreover, rather than being some kind of improvement, Moss's 2010 is actually the worst he has ever hit at AAA.
At .272/.334/.382 Milledge is not hitting well this season. However, those numbers aren't so bad that this won't look like a good season for him given a good finish. He is historically a slow starter as he did this year, and is hitting .297/.350/.453 since June 1. Throughout his career, August has been Milledge's best month at .310/.374/455, a trend he continued with a single and a triple yesterday afternoon. He also is 18 months younger than Brandon Moss. If you're still hung up on Moss's AAA performance, Milledge hit better at Indianapolis last year than Moss ever did in that league.
I'm not saying Milledge is great or even that he should start in 2011. At this point in his career he has the talent of a fourth outfielder or platoon player. However, I see no reason to bench him in favor of a guy who has the talent of a starting outfielder at AAA and who has already failed given 716 major league plate appearances.
Moss's season numbers at Indianapolis, .269/.334/.491, are rather pedestrian.
But he's hit .351/.388/.757 in 18 games since the All-Star break including eight home runs and 30 RBI.It is tempting to think Moss is turning a corner and finally realizing his potential at the age of 26. But there is simply nothing in Moss's record to suggest that he should be getting at bats over Lastings Milledge at this point.
Far from this being a breakout year, Moss has actually owned Triple A pitching since his age 23 season with nothing to show for it in the majors. Here are his career slash lines:
2007 (Age 23)
AAA: .282/.363/.471 in 133 games
MLB: .280/.379/.440 in 15 games
2008 (Age 24)
AAA: .282/.346/.528 in 43 games
MLB: .246/.304/.436 in 79 games
2009 (Age 25)
MLB: .236/.304/.364 in 133 games
2010 (Age 26)
AAA: .269/.334/.491 in 102 games
Except for his poor start this year, Moss has consistently owned International League pitching. Yet the results in the majors were the opposite. He performed very well in 25 at bats in 2007. The following year his numbers were unimpressive yet he at least didn't embarrass himself in a part time role. Then last year, he couldn't drive the ball or get on base. The more playing time he got, the worse he hit, which is why he has hit .241/.307/.393 in his career.
Moreover, rather than being some kind of improvement, Moss's 2010 is actually the worst he has ever hit at AAA.
At .272/.334/.382 Milledge is not hitting well this season. However, those numbers aren't so bad that this won't look like a good season for him given a good finish. He is historically a slow starter as he did this year, and is hitting .297/.350/.453 since June 1. Throughout his career, August has been Milledge's best month at .310/.374/455, a trend he continued with a single and a triple yesterday afternoon. He also is 18 months younger than Brandon Moss. If you're still hung up on Moss's AAA performance, Milledge hit better at Indianapolis last year than Moss ever did in that league.
I'm not saying Milledge is great or even that he should start in 2011. At this point in his career he has the talent of a fourth outfielder or platoon player. However, I see no reason to bench him in favor of a guy who has the talent of a starting outfielder at AAA and who has already failed given 716 major league plate appearances.
July 19, 2010
Lastings Milledge's Turnaround
Entering the 2010 season, I was one of many observers who hoped for a breakout season by Lastings Milledge. After arriving via trade, Lastings compiled an unspectacular .291/.333/.395 batting line in the second half of 2009. His defense was quite good, but - more importantly for a player who came to town with a bad reputation for character - he was unquestionably a player who played hard throughout the nightmare final 40 games of that season. This year, he turned 25 on Opening Day and was given a starting job as the Pirates and their fans hoped to see the talent that years ago led a popular Mets blog to feature the header "In Lastings Milledge We Trust."
Two months later, on May 31, Milledge's line was a rather terrible .248/.320/.317. In 46 games, 40 of them starts, our five-tool left fielder compiled zero home runs and a whopping three steals. This start was even worse than the numbers indicate, as he was taking bad routes to balls in the outfield and running the bases with a level of recklessness normally associated with the Milledgeville, Ga., police.
Millege's 2010 looked like a lost season at that point, and truthfully he would have lost his job if not for Ryan Church being even worse. Yet quietly, he has responded by putting up a month and a half of outstanding baseball this summer.
From June 1 onward, Milledge has hit a Dave Parkeresque .337/.396/.525. In 31 games, 27 of them starts, he has 12 extra base hits (three home runs). He has done this despite uneven playing time and a move across the diamond to right field to accomodate the new left fielder Jose Tabata.
Sunday was Lastings's fifth consecutive game scoring a run and his fourth multi-hit game in the last five. Dare I say he is living up to his potential?
There is something to be said for talent. It is easier for a fast runner to learn to be smarter on the basepaths, than for a slow runner who never makes outs to learn speed.
Of course, April and May happened. They can't be discounted. Yet they will become distant memories if Milledge can keep up his star-level performance of the past six weeks for the rest of the season. It is one of the many storylines that will enthrall all of us as the Pirates drive towards their 2010 World Championship.
Two months later, on May 31, Milledge's line was a rather terrible .248/.320/.317. In 46 games, 40 of them starts, our five-tool left fielder compiled zero home runs and a whopping three steals. This start was even worse than the numbers indicate, as he was taking bad routes to balls in the outfield and running the bases with a level of recklessness normally associated with the Milledgeville, Ga., police.Millege's 2010 looked like a lost season at that point, and truthfully he would have lost his job if not for Ryan Church being even worse. Yet quietly, he has responded by putting up a month and a half of outstanding baseball this summer.
From June 1 onward, Milledge has hit a Dave Parkeresque .337/.396/.525. In 31 games, 27 of them starts, he has 12 extra base hits (three home runs). He has done this despite uneven playing time and a move across the diamond to right field to accomodate the new left fielder Jose Tabata.
Sunday was Lastings's fifth consecutive game scoring a run and his fourth multi-hit game in the last five. Dare I say he is living up to his potential?
There is something to be said for talent. It is easier for a fast runner to learn to be smarter on the basepaths, than for a slow runner who never makes outs to learn speed.
Of course, April and May happened. They can't be discounted. Yet they will become distant memories if Milledge can keep up his star-level performance of the past six weeks for the rest of the season. It is one of the many storylines that will enthrall all of us as the Pirates drive towards their 2010 World Championship.
January 7, 2010
Will Lastings Have McCutchen-Like Performance Or Just McCutchen-Like Hair?
PITTSBURGH, Pa. / January 7, 2010In order to contend this year the Pirates will need a big season or two from an unexpected source. While Andrew McCutchen had a breakout season in his rookie year, it is also common for a player to put up mediocre numbers in his early 20s before finally putting it all together. The Pirates no doubt hope to see exactly that from Lastings Milledge, who will be 25 in 2010. While McCutchen, Iwamura and Ryan Doumit are known quantities, Milledge is a player who needs to step up if the Pirates are going to put a legitimate offense on the field to back their strong rotation.
So far, Milledge has put up just a .267/.327/.399 line in MLB. But he has McCutchen-like career minor league numbers of .301/.379/.470. He played in Pittsburgh for the final two months of 2009 and hit .291/.333/.395 in 58 games, batting mostly in the middle of the order. Although he came to town with a reputation for a lax work ethic, Pirates personnel were impressed with his dedication here. If nothing else he might have realized that he needs a good performance to ever get a big free agent deal.
Assuming he continues his recent hard play, the key to a breakout season for Milledge will be plate discipline. His 6.1% career walk rate is not good enough for a player of his skill set. Yet when he wanted to, Lastings has walked quite a bit - 10.8% in AAA Indianapolis last year; 11.7% in AAA Norfolk in 2006. WIth only 15-home run power he needs that kind of walk rate to justify a starting role in left field. Furthermore, it is no coincidence that the Pirates' most selective hitters, Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones, get the most extra base hits. They're seeing more pitches in better hitters' counts, which makes a hanging curveball much more likely.
Considering the status of the Pirates' outfield prospects, 2010 will really be a make or break season in Milledge's career. He'll either enter 2011 as a top of the order guy or on the bench. We know the downside for Milledge; it's the MLB numbers he's put up already. I'd say his 2010 upside is what McCutchen did in '09, .286/.365/.471. Batting fifth that would net him 90 RBI and 80 runs scored. Those numbers would go a long way towards rejuvenating both his career and the Pirates' offense.
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