Defensive Indifference

Allow me to write the caption for the above photo, from the mind of Omar Minaya, Esq. (above right). “Hmmm, how can I trade one of the best prospects (Lastings Milledge, 22, left) in baseball for a 29 year-old half-way decent corner outfielder AND an over-the-hill catcher who’s a black hole offensively?”

Well, folks, he managed to do it.

Minaya, burning the midnight oil one this I’m sure, shipped Milledge down I-95 to the Nationals for the Bash Brothers 2007, aka Ryan Church and Brian Schneider. Church, the 29 year-old outfielder, is coming off a pretty solid but unspectacular first full season in DC (114 OPS+, 15 homers, 43 doubles). I suppose Minaya’s hoping some of those doubles will translate to homers at Shea, but the last time Church hit more than 20 homers in a season was back in 2002 splitting time in high-A and AA in the minors. Schneider, for lack of a better word, blows at hitting baseballs. He’ll be 31 next season and his last two years has pulled in OPS+’s in the 70s with a combined 10 homers. But I’m sure he handles a pitching staff fantastically. Milledge had a decent half season last year battling injuries and controversy after putting out an obscenity-laden rap album and apparently ticking off veterans in the Mets clubhouse. Personally, I think the whole rap scandal is ridiculous. Oooh, a young male athlete likes rap music? That has curses in it? For shame! Our poor society’s virgin ears! Also, he won’t have to worry about pissing off veterans in DC, because there aren’t any, except for Da Meat Hook who I think knows how to handle cocky young players from personal experience (*cough* his younger brother *cough*).

Milledge is a 5-tool prospect who hit for average, took walks, and stole bases throughout his minor league career. He hasn’t shown much power yet, but it’s not impossible he’ll wind up hitting 20 a year a few years from now, and in the meantime he fits in nicely with Wily Mo Peña and Austin Kearns in Nats’ OF (and gives them some much needed speed, no offense to Nook Logan). And there’s no real reason to think he won’t match Church’s production pretty easily in a full season right out of the gate. But you gotta give Minaya credit for upping his white boy quotient, just what the Mets need to make that final push into the playoffs. I’m sure Schneider and Church both country fans and good Christians. Unfortunately, they’re not that great at the whole baseball thing.

Advantage: Jim Bowden (never thought I’d say that)