Comments on: The Morgan-Milledge Deal http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-morgan-milledge-deal/ Daily baseball statistical analysis and commentary Sun, 21 Mar 2010 07:16:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jonathan Laden http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-morgan-milledge-deal/#comment-83109 Jonathan Laden Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:32:19 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6092#comment-83109 Hmmm... sounds a bit like other players I've heard of. Any chance Millings has ADHD? Hmmm… sounds a bit like other players I’ve heard of. Any chance Millings has ADHD?

]]> By: Longgandhi http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-morgan-milledge-deal/#comment-82968 Longgandhi Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:30:30 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6092#comment-82968 Health may be a skill but even the most "skillful" player can't prevent all injuries. Sometimes s*** happens. And sometimes staying healthy is just luck. And given Milledge's health this year, it's clear last year in that regard was more luck than skill. Health may be a skill but even the most “skillful” player can’t prevent all injuries. Sometimes s*** happens. And sometimes staying healthy is just luck. And given Milledge’s health this year, it’s clear last year in that regard was more luck than skill.

]]> By: joser http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-morgan-milledge-deal/#comment-82889 joser Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:42:51 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6092#comment-82889 Nevertheless, the presumption is not "strong guys weaken" with age, it's "fast guys slow down." And while both of those are true to some extent, the bias tends to reinforce the latter, not the former, despite evidence to the contrary. Nevertheless, the presumption is not “strong guys weaken” with age, it’s “fast guys slow down.” And while both of those are true to some extent, the bias tends to reinforce the latter, not the former, despite evidence to the contrary.

]]> By: Bill http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-morgan-milledge-deal/#comment-82887 Bill Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:34:02 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6092#comment-82887 That's what led to Brian Bixler, Major Leaguer, right? That’s what led to Brian Bixler, Major Leaguer, right?

]]> By: hleeo3 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-morgan-milledge-deal/#comment-82886 hleeo3 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:30:59 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6092#comment-82886 As a Nats fan, I like this trade. No wait... I love this trade! Pirates fans will know why Rizzo dumped them both for Morgan and Burnett... trust me. Milledge is projected, at best, a 4th outfielder on a contending team. Milledge does not have the mental aspect of baseball. In 76 ABs in AAA he was batting .256 with .277 OBP and .316 slugging. I know it is a small sample size but thats pretty much how he was playing in spring training. Rizzo is changing the philosophy of the Nationals. He is looking for pitching, defense, and good clubhouse guys. We saw this in the draft and you can see it in this trade. We are going to see alot more of this because the worst team in baseball is a product of Jim Bowden. Rizzo is trying to reverse what he did. The Nats were trying to push Milledge to work harder and he responds negatively. In AAA, they switched him back to LF and took him out of the lead-off position btw. He broke his finger attempting a bunt... it happens I know but not usually to a professional major league hitter. Hanrahan sucks. period. I can't believe we were able to get rid of him. He is broken... good kid tho. Older than Burnett, so I think Burnett will have more upside especially since was he a 1st rounder. In his last game, Hanrahan gave up 3 hits, a walk, and 4 earned runs in 0.1 innings againist the Orioles. I know it is one game but lets just say that is the summary of Hanrahan. A strikeout pitcher who will probably give up a run for every strikeout. As a Nats fan, I like this trade. No wait… I love this trade! Pirates fans will know why Rizzo dumped them both for Morgan and Burnett… trust me. Milledge is projected, at best, a 4th outfielder on a contending team. Milledge does not have the mental aspect of baseball. In 76 ABs in AAA he was batting .256 with .277 OBP and .316 slugging. I know it is a small sample size but thats pretty much how he was playing in spring training. Rizzo is changing the philosophy of the Nationals. He is looking for pitching, defense, and good clubhouse guys. We saw this in the draft and you can see it in this trade. We are going to see alot more of this because the worst team in baseball is a product of Jim Bowden. Rizzo is trying to reverse what he did.
The Nats were trying to push Milledge to work harder and he responds negatively. In AAA, they switched him back to LF and took him out of the lead-off position btw. He broke his finger attempting a bunt… it happens I know but not usually to a professional major league hitter.

Hanrahan sucks. period. I can’t believe we were able to get rid of him. He is broken… good kid tho. Older than Burnett, so I think Burnett will have more upside especially since was he a 1st rounder. In his last game, Hanrahan gave up 3 hits, a walk, and 4 earned runs in 0.1 innings againist the Orioles. I know it is one game but lets just say that is the summary of Hanrahan. A strikeout pitcher who will probably give up a run for every strikeout.

]]> By: Bill http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-morgan-milledge-deal/#comment-82885 Bill Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:21:52 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6092#comment-82885 But you could also look at guys like Jim Thome and Frank Thomas who did age very well. It's not as much about having a specific talent as just having a lot of it. But you could also look at guys like Jim Thome and Frank Thomas who did age very well. It’s not as much about having a specific talent as just having a lot of it.

]]> By: Tom Au http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-morgan-milledge-deal/#comment-82882 Tom Au Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:10:46 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6092#comment-82882 The Pirates are playing for "top or bottom" again. Trading a very good player for a potentially outstanding player, but also trading a good citizen for a bad citizen. "Bird in hand" doesn't really say it: The German version is "sparrow in hand versus pigeon on the roof" The Pirates are playing for “top or bottom” again. Trading a very good player for a potentially outstanding player, but also trading a good citizen for a bad citizen. “Bird in hand” doesn’t really say it: The German version is “sparrow in hand versus pigeon on the roof”

]]> By: Sam http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-morgan-milledge-deal/#comment-82878 Sam Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:44:43 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6092#comment-82878 Haters will hate, Cameron. Consider yourself on Blastings' list. Haters will hate, Cameron. Consider yourself on Blastings’ list.

]]> By: JH http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-morgan-milledge-deal/#comment-82877 JH Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:41:02 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6092#comment-82877 health is a skill health is a skill

]]> By: MCR http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-morgan-milledge-deal/#comment-82869 MCR Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:06:19 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=6092#comment-82869 Relievers are incredibly fungible commodities. The Mariners picked up David Aardsma for nothing, and he's been fine. Okajima came from Japan for cheap to the Sox, and they got Saito for comparative peanuts as well. Billy Beane's been doing the closer shuffle for a decade now, and at one point Mariano Rivera was just a failing starter. Obviously, not every failed starter turns into Rivera, but relief pitching is still easy to acquire for nothing. Two and a half wins a year for the league minimum is exceptional value. Even though he's not young, he's not about to fall off a cliff. Historically, speedy, low-power players age pretty well, and it's rare to see one just completely disappear without some sort of injury. Milledge is still a good prospect, but his CF play isn't good. In 153 games (nearly 1350 innings) in CF, he's put up a -16.1 UZR/150. It's not a big enough sample size, but it's highly, highly unlikely that he's any better than -10. ZiPS projects him for a .331 wOBA going forward- not bad, certainly, but not enough to close a twenty-to-thirty run gap on Morgan, who's the better player right now. Either way, this deal isn't a slam dunk for either side the way some people are making it out to be. Relievers are incredibly fungible commodities. The Mariners picked up David Aardsma for nothing, and he’s been fine. Okajima came from Japan for cheap to the Sox, and they got Saito for comparative peanuts as well. Billy Beane’s been doing the closer shuffle for a decade now, and at one point Mariano Rivera was just a failing starter. Obviously, not every failed starter turns into Rivera, but relief pitching is still easy to acquire for nothing.

Two and a half wins a year for the league minimum is exceptional value. Even though he’s not young, he’s not about to fall off a cliff. Historically, speedy, low-power players age pretty well, and it’s rare to see one just completely disappear without some sort of injury. Milledge is still a good prospect, but his CF play isn’t good. In 153 games (nearly 1350 innings) in CF, he’s put up a -16.1 UZR/150. It’s not a big enough sample size, but it’s highly, highly unlikely that he’s any better than -10. ZiPS projects him for a .331 wOBA going forward- not bad, certainly, but not enough to close a twenty-to-thirty run gap on Morgan, who’s the better player right now.

Either way, this deal isn’t a slam dunk for either side the way some people are making it out to be.

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