This is one of those deals I like. The Nationals traded reserve outfielder Ryan Church and catcher Brian Schneider for centerfield phenom Lastings Milledge. Once a top prospect, Milledge was solid for the Mets at the plate last year but he’s a centerfielder at heart and he had Carlos Beltran blocking his progress there. He didn’t show much at the corner outfield spot and when you combine that with his big mouth, the deal does have its risks. Still, Milledge has a ton of upside and when combined with Austin Kearns, you could be looking at a solid outfield tandem for some years to come. Also, this column plays up the relationship between Manny Acta and Milledge so that’s encouraging to know.
Jesus Flores will probably now get the nod as the Nationals everyday catcher. And with Milledge coming to the team, that will dampen the loss of Church. All in all, I think this deal makes the Nationals a better team.