LoDuca Signs With Nationals

The Washington Nationals are starting to look a lot like the New York Mets of the past. They traded Brian Schneider and Ryan Church to the Big Apple for Lastings Milledge, now catcher Paul LoDuca has signed with the team. In essennce, it was a four player trade between the two NL East rivals. Let's not forget who the manager of the Nationals is. It's Manny Acta, who was the Mets third base coach two seasons ago before taking the head job in Washington. Could there be a new rivalry on the horizon for 2008?

Let's face it, the Mets are a much better team than the Nationals, but that doesn't mean there won't be some bad blood between the teams come opening day next season. The Nationals probably feel like they got the better end of this deal, so look for them to improve next year. The Mets are undeniably more talented, but they need to go after some pitching, instead of messing around with the Nationals. I know New York doesn't have much to offer another club when it comes to youth, but Omar Minaya has to get his butt in gear and start making some deals.

For Mets fans, it must be frustrating to keep hearing this general manager keep saying that he likes the team he has right now. That's his answer for everything and it's got to stop soon. If he fails to make any more major deals before the season and the Mets get off to a shaky start in 2008, don't be suprised to hear the New York fans and media getting on Minaya's back. He is supposed to be an amazing general manager, but it's not looking that way so far this offseason.

Don't forget about the manager of the Mets too. Willie Randolph has to be partly to blame for last year's debacle in September. I know the players have to perform, but as a manager, you have to keep control of the clubhouse. Randolph will probably be fired if New York fails to make the postseason for a second consecutive season. As a Mets fan, you shouldn't be upset if Willie goes. You should be rejoicing. If your manager still hasn't figured out how the double switch works, then you know he's not the right man for the job.

As for the Nationals, they are hoping that Milledge turns out to be what the Mets had been anticipating for the past few seasons. Loduca is a hard nosed player and certainly will be liked in Washington. They might have a problem with Milledge's attitude, but the team will not have to worry about Loduca's hustle and leadership skills. Mets fans will surely miss their former catcher. It's too bad management didn't give Loduca a shot at coming back.

Shawn Marosek

Mets Didn't Give Milledge a Chance

Earlier today, the New York Mets dealt former stud prospect Lastings Milledge to the Washington Nationals for Ryan Church and Brian Schneider. Schneider will replace Estrada as the top catcher on the depth chart just days after Estrada was acquired from Milwaukee. Church will most likely platoon in right with Endy Chavez. From being planned as another star to go along with Wright and Reyes, Milledge has become another Alex Escobar.

Had the likes of Johan Santana, Dan Haren, and Erik Bedard been on the block a year or two ago, Milledge would have been one of the top players requested from the Mets in a trade for one of those three. Unfortunately, Milledge dealt with injuries earlier this season, and when he did return the Mets apparently couldn't take his "attitude" problems. His stock has hit rock bottom to only garner a journeyman catcher, and a backup/platoon outfielder.

Personally, I think this is an awful trade for the Mets. I don't know if Milledge is going to become anything more than a so-so outfielder, but for Church and Schneider? Milledge's upside greatly trumps those two, as he could definitely become a big time player. Schneider won't be much better than Estrada would have been, and yes, Church had 43 doubles last year, but he has done very little in his career at the age of 29. I'm not saying don't trade Milledge, but don't give him away like they did. If you cannot get something valuable in return, give the man a chance to grow up and become a good, everyday player. Milledge and Estrada is a better combination than Schneider and Church. Or how about Paul LoDuca and Milledge? That's another story.

Milledge was given up on way too soon, and the reason is because of his questionable attitude. I find it ironic that the Mets wanted Milledge to be a saint, and ironically traded him for a player named Church. I am here to defend what have been his biggest follies in the eyes of Willie Randolph, Omar Minaya, and company. Last June, Milledge was pumped after hitting his first career homerun to send the game to extra innings that he gave high fives to a few fans down the right field line on his way out to the field. I didn't think that was a big deal at ALL. Randolph is old school and believes that shows up the other team. Come on Willie! Giving a couple high fives is nothing compared to a pitcher shouting after a strikeout or a batter posing while hitting a homerun. The kid was excited, give him a break! He did continue excited celebrations in his year and a half, but if you've watched a Mets game you usually would see Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes dancing in the dugout. It's the times we live in, Willie couldn't handle that. I don't see the difference between his celebrating and Reyes's this past year. It is just that one named Jose Reyes gets to stay.

The worst thing Milledge did was appear in a rap video in which the rapper used derogatory lyrics. Bad judgment! But what 23 year old doesn't make mistakes? And he wasn't the one using the lyrics, he just appeared in it because the artist was a childhood friend. However, the Mets did not see it that way, and just wanted rid of someone who I thought was not as bad as the media, team, etc. made him out to be. With a full season of at bats, I think Milledge could be a 25-30 homerun, 80-90 RBI, .280 type hitter. That will trump Ryan Church/Endy Chavez's output with the Mets. Terrible trade! The Mets don't have many chips anyway, so trading someone whose value could rise over the next year or so does not make sense. Anyone with a brain knows you don't sell low!

Pat Morgan