Lastings Milledge

During pre-game warm-ups Tuesday night, Lastings Milledge was a whirlwind as he prepared to show Shea Stadium that the Mets’ decision to deal him to the Washington Nationals this past offseason was a huge mistake.

He launched batting practice bombs into the left field stands, several landing in similar spots to the two home runs he hit in last season’s second-to-last game. Then he raced to the dugout, grabbed his glove, and shagged fly balls. When few fly balls came his way, he asked a Nationals coach to hit him ground balls, then pop-ups.  read more »

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.—It is said a criminal shouldn’t return to the scene of a crime. But Washington Nationals General Manager Jim Bowden was on hand Friday to see his team take on the Mets in Port St. Lucie just months after he lifted Lastings Milledge from New York for Ryan Church and Brian Schneider.

And while spring training results are often skewed, the evidence so far is making the Mets look more and more like victims.

“He’s had a very good spring,” Bowden said as he made his way down the visitor’s clubhouse tunnel. “He’s impressed with small things, too—he hits the cutoff man, he runs the bases well. He’s been a good fit.”  read more »

The Mets traded outfielder Lastings Milledge to the Washington Nationals Friday, getting catcher Brian Schneider and outfielder Ryan Church in return.

Not good.

In fact, this is the worst move by the franchise since Scott Kazmir was dealt for Victor Zambrano at the trade deadline in 2004. Worse yet, the Mets will get to see their mistake often, with Washington, an in-division opponent, facing New York 19 times a year.  read more »

It’s the hitting, not the rapping.  read more »