Milledge, Lastings

It seems like a million years ago that Lastings Milledge was "The Next Big Thing" and was called up to the Mets and ever since has been battling injuries, ineffectiveness and poor playing situations. It seems like a long time ago, but Lastings Milledge is only 1-1/2 years older than the current "Next Big Thing" in Pittsburgh, Andrew McCutchen.

Here are their minor league numbers, per 500 ABs.

LM .300 93-14-68-33. 500ABs
AM .286 84-11-59-27. 500ABs

And Milledge put up those numbers at a younger age, being called up more or less for good at age 21.

Here's Milledge's first full season (age 23) vs. McCutchen's of last year (age 23)

LM .268-65-14-61-24 523ABs with a terrible Nats squad.
AM .286-74-12-54-22 433ABs

None of this is to say you would take Milledge before McCutchen and Andrew has has the edge in plate discipline, but if you had to bet one over the other, you wouldn't bet much more on Andrew and if you got any odds at all (and $24 vs. $7 sounds like odds), you might just save the extra $17. .265-80-15-65-25. 525ABs