From the Highway Robbery dept.:
Milledge, a close friend of Nationals manager Manny Acta when they were both with the Mets, most likely will play center field, a position Washington had serious problems with the last three years. When given a chance, he could provide some power. In 115 games the last two years, Milledge produced a .257 batting average with 11 home runs and 57 RBIs.
From a Mets point of view, the deal seems like a surprise, considering that New York acquired catcher Johnny Estrada from Milwaukee recently. But a baseball source said that the Mets were looking for a defensive player with leadership sills, and Schneider fits the bill. The Nationals will give Schneider $500,000 for accepting the deal. The source also said that Church most likely will be the everyday right fielder for the Mets.
And some good news from Robothal:
- The Tigers signed Kenny Rogers and the Cardinals signed Cesar Itzuris to 1-year deals, and the Astros signed Kaz Matsui to a 3-year deal. Yes, Kaz Matsui to a 3-year deal.
- All Rock, All the Time.
- Carl has 2 new strips: Ken E. Coyote and It's Alive!