Lastings Milledge

[Cocos Disciples]

Top outfield prospect for the Mets, hits his first homer today, and rounding 2nd base, does a Manny point to the 3rd base coach. After the game, he came back and rounded the whole warning track, high-fiving fans along the way. Is this acceptable behavior for a rookie?:wtf:

[jsinger121]

it's not and the veteran's should rip him behind closed doors.

[schillingouttheks]

Who gives a s***? Players are out there to have fun, and the fans loved it. Why not? Rookie or not, the point remains that the kid's the top prospect in the league, and he's out there having fun. No one should really care that much.

[MC Hammer]

No it's definatly not acceptable. Young players shouldn't so any emotion, and should definatly not interract with the fans. That's horrible behavior .................................

 

Seriously, what's wrong with showing emotion? If he's doing it to show up the pitcher, or the other team then yes it's wrong, but he was just celebrating his first HR. Give the guy a break. He did nothing wrong.

[Youk Of The Nation]

I look at it this way. At least he's still in a phase where he wants to celebrate with the fans and not in a 'no interviews and Im only signing autographs for obscene amounts of cash and get that damn camera away from me' Randy Johnson-Kenny Rogers stage.

[Matt]

I don't see anything wrong with it. I just look at it as a case of a rookie soaking in the moment of hitting his first major league HR. Baseball could use some colorful personalities anyway, as long as those personalities don't disrespect the game.

[yeszir]

As long as the players gave him the cold shoulder when he got back to the dugout it's fine by me.

[ARod2212]

It isn't acceptable for a veteran, let alone a rookie. Milledge has a boat load of problems on his record as a kid. He's going to be one of those maddening talents during his career. $20 million dollar talent, 10 cent brain.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

the point remains that the kid's the top prospect in the league

 

top Mets prospect

[Don Orsillo]

Lastings Milledge hit his first career home run Tuesday. It was the first home run of the season for Milledge.

[schillingouttheks]

top Mets prospect

Whoops, my bad.

[KeepTheFaith1229]

Lastings Milledge hit his first career home run Tuesday. It was the first home run of the season for Milledge.

 

This guy is a legend.

[rician blast]

apparently he has been spoken to and says he won't do it again.

 

he just said he wanted to share the moment with the fans.

[MANNYHOF24]

It isn't acceptable for a veteran, let alone a rookie. Milledge has a boat load of problems on his record as a kid. He's going to be one of those maddening talents during his career. $20 million dollar talent, 10 cent brain.

 

I dont see your point. Since when is getting excited and getting the fans involved a "baseball sin". I dont see what the big deal is. All I see is that It makes Jack-ass veterans who never interact with fans, mad because it makes them look bad for being total ass holes

[CrespoBlows]

It isn't acceptable for a veteran, let alone a rookie. Milledge has a boat load of problems on his record as a kid. He's going to be one of those maddening talents during his career. $20 million dollar talent, 10 cent brain.

 

I know of what you speak. He orginally comes from Bradenton, FL. He was big news when he was playing for Lakewood Ranch. Unfortunately, the FHSAA usually tends to look the other way when high school stars get into hot trouble with the law. I believe Milledge was charged with sexual assault, he didn't miss one game.

 

Another interesting story, our high school, Riverview, had it's star running back chase down his pregnant girlfriend, knock her off a bike, and kick her repeatedly. Not only was the guy put in jail, but the coach was so pissed, that he told him he didn't have to practice with the team for a day. I guess the coach got over his anger, because he was in the game on Friday. (The incident occured on Wednesday)

[ahhchon]

omg, people having fun is such a sin..

 

get a grip. baseball should have more guys running around high 5'ing fans after the game. f all the PC bs. it's a friggan game.

 

john

[rician blast]

I dont see your point. Since when is getting excited and getting the fans involved a "baseball sin". I dont see what the big deal is. All I see is that It makes Jack-ass veterans who never interact with fans, mad because it makes them look bad for being total ass holes

 

I see the point very clearly and I know how my teammates, even in high school, would react, let alone in the big leagues.

 

I guess it really does not matter how you see it or how I see it. All that matters is that major league baseball's veterans consider that stuff showboating and won't tolerate it.

 

Interestingly both the callers and the hosts on WFAN today are saying it was over the top and that Milledge was wrong. I bet you this...if Lester were called up to the bigs and threw a 3 hit shutout in his first start, and showboated like this, most of the posters here would call him out for it.

 

So it's not just "jack-ass" veterans that are upset...I think most fans understand the implications of this over-exuberance, too.

[Goalstopper]

Just give this guy a break, he is a rookie for crying out loud. But if he was a veteran or a prime player then i could see why people would be mad. At least he knows that he shouldn't do it again.

[rician blast]

Just give this guy a break, he is a rookie for crying out loud. But if he was a veteran or a prime player then i could see why people would be mad. At least he knows that he shouldn't do it again.

 

 

lol...whaddya mean "give him a break?"

 

its not like anyone here threatened to kill him.

 

a question was asked regarding whether his actions were acceptable...the answer from many (based upon their past posts it seems like the "many" are those who understand competetive sports very well) was pretty unanimously "no".

 

that's all.

[Papelbon58]

ive got a new response. If you were at a game and a guy hit a home run, you are sitting next to the dugout, do you mind if he gives you a high five? Heck no, you now love that guy because he is good to the fans. Good for Lastings, that was no mistake, that is called getting about 10 lifetime fans

[Cocos Disciples]

Lastings Milledge hit his first career home run Tuesday. It was the first home run of the season for Milledge.

 

I think I've laughed at every one of your posts.

[MANNYHOF24]

I see the point very clearly and I know how my teammates, even in high school, would react, let alone in the big leagues.

 

I guess it really does not matter how you see it or how I see it. All that matters is that major league baseball's veterans consider that stuff showboating and won't tolerate it.

 

Interestingly both the callers and the hosts on WFAN today are saying it was over the top and that Milledge was wrong. I bet you this...if Lester were called up to the bigs and threw a 3 hit shutout in his first start, and showboated like this, most of the posters here would call him out for it.

 

So it's not just "jack-ass" veterans that are upset...I think most fans understand the implications of this over-exuberance, too.

 

I dont see how getting the fans involved is wrong. I will never see it that way

[Goalstopper]

lol...whaddya mean "give him a break?"

 

its not like anyone here threatened to kill him.

 

a question was asked regarding whether his actions were acceptable...the answer from many (based upon their past posts it seems like the "many" are those who understand competetive sports very well) was pretty unanimously "no".

 

that's all.

 

what i mean when you should give him a break i mean he is a rookie. obviously if he tested positive for steroids i could see why you would get on him requardless the experience. but if he wants to enjoy his homerun with the fans he can. but if he was a veteran and has hit plenty homeruns i would question his actions. but he is not.

[rician blast]

ive got a new response. If you were at a game and a guy hit a home run, you are sitting next to the dugout, do you mind if he gives you a high five?

 

no I wouldn't mind...but that is a totally different situation.

 

anyway, like I said earlier it doesn't matter what any of US think.

 

The ballplayers themselves know it was a bit too much...why do you think Willie Randolph said in an interview that he doesn't want that, that it was an overreaction and that he spoke with Milledge about it...and Milledge himself said it was wrong and that he wouldn't do it again.

 

nuf ced.

[Moose]

Haha, I just realized that his first name IS Lastings. At first, I was like, "What the f*** does he mean by 'lasting' Milledge?" (I was thinking the 's' was a typo)

[RedSoxRooter]

So is this guy a punk or just dumb? I honesly don't know. He makes the arguement in article 2 that he just didn't know.. Either way, he's gotta reel his s*** in.

 

Daily News

Milledge's clock

is alarming

 

PHILADELPHIA - Lastings Milledge arrived in the clubhouse at 11:55 a.m., only 70 minutes before yesterday's first pitch, prompting a second straight day of tutorials on how to conduct oneself in the majors. A day after Willie Randolph thought Milledge "spectated" rather than raced from first to home Wednesday, coach Sandy Alomar Sr. and veterans pulled Milledge aside and told him it is unwise to arrive so close to game time.

Milledge did not play yesterday, but Randolph said the rookie would start today and that the move was made to get recently acquired Eli Marrero a start. The manager downplayed Milledge's arrival time and suggested he wasn't actually late, noting the team didn't take batting practice. Still, even ultra-politically correct David Wright labeled it "unacceptable," saying a general rule of thumb for a young player is to make sure he has arrived at the stadium before players riding the team bus, which departed the hotel at 10:45a.m. for the short ride to the ballpark.

 

"I didn't jump on him," Alomar Sr. said. "I just gave him advice."

 

Part of that advice is to watch how he conducts himself, since labels can be difficult to shake. During his 17-day major-league stint, Milledge also has been instructed to tuck in a four-inch cross that was around his neck during his debut, and advised not to high-five fans after homering.

 

"Lastings is a great kid," Alomar said. "He's a kid who's been caught up in the hype of the game. Really he does listen when you talk to him."

 

Milledge said that in the minors he typically showed up closer to the first pitch for matinees. He also said he was so talented compared to his competition before arriving in the majors that actions like this went unrecognized.

 

"I never had to deal with any teaching because I played the game pretty much well enough for people to have left me alone," Milledge said.

 

GM Omar Minaya tried to suggest that Jose Reyes, Wright and other highly touted young players all go through the same thing; in actuality, however, Wright's biggest problem frequently was getting to ballparks too early.

 

"If he wasn't good, we wouldn't be talking about this," Minaya said of Milledge.

 

 

 

Newsday

Milledge is late arrival

 

BY DAVID LENNON

Newsday Staff Correspondent

 

June 16, 2006

 

PHILADELPHIA -- The morning after Lastings Milledge was lectured for not hustling on the field, the Mets' prized rookie took his time getting to the ballpark and heard about it from coaches and teammates alike.

 

Milledge, who was not in yesterday's lineup, strolled through the clubhouse door at 11:55 a.m. - only 70 minutes before the game's first pitch. The Mets did not take batting practice, but the 21-year-old Milledge was the last to arrive, and it was not a good sign that even Pedro Martinez beat him to work by at least an hour.

 

When asked about his tardiness, Milledge did not seem to think it was a big deal.

 

"It doesn't take much to get going on a day game, with it being hot and everything like that," Milledge said after yesterday's game. "It's not hard to get up and get physically ready for the game. It doesn't take a lot. There's lesser preparation for day games."

 

That explanation didn't fly with the Mets, particularly with David Wright, who was stunned by Milledge's late entrance.

 

"It's probably going to be a one-time mistake and he'll learn from it," Wright said. "It's not going to happen again. I think he knows that showing up that late is unacceptable."

 

The Mets did not have a reporting time posted for yesterday's game, as they often do, but the late bus from the hotel was scheduled to leave at 10:45 a.m. As Wright pointed out, "the rule of the thumb" for rookies is to beat that bus to the ballpark, but Milledge whiffed badly.

 

Manager Willie Randolph and general manager Omar Minaya refused to indict him for it, but first-base coach Sandy Alomar spoke with him about the possible ramifications of his actions.

 

"I didn't jump on him or nothing, I just gave him advice," Alomar said. "One of the things I told him was that he has to learn because he doesn't want anybody to pin a label on him."

 

Said Milledge, "I never had to deal with any teacher really because I pretty much played the game well enough where people just leave me alone. But here, with everything being so crucial, it's just certain things that I've got to know and I have to work on."