December 3
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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A couple of weeks ago, the Jason Bay trade pretty much went belly-up when Andy LaRoche was cut loose. Of the four players the Pirates got in that swap, only Bryan Morris seems to have any chance at helping the club in the future. Last night, the deals that sent Adam LaRoche to Boston and Nyjer Morgan to Washington also lost some of their luster. Argenis Diaz (who came from the BoSox) and Lastings Milledge (from the Nats) were non-tendered and became free agents. Neither made much impact in Pittsburgh and neither is likely to be re-signed by the Pirates. Milledge, 25, began 2010 as the Opening Day starter in left field. He was shifted to right after Jose Tabata was called up, then was"
September 28
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Outfielder Lastings Milledge (strained oblique) has been taking swings in the batting cage, and still might get in a game this season. "The next step is to get him out there for batting practice," manager John Russell said. "If we can get it to that point, there could be a possibility he could play before the season's over." ? Right-hander Jeff Karstens (shoulder) said his bullpen session Monday went well. "It was amazing," Karstens said with a smile. He expects to be available out of the bullpen either Wednesday or Thursday. ? There is a small chance righty Ross Ohlendorf (upper back) will pitch in Instructional League as part of his offseason throwing routine. "We've got to see how he"
September 19
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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A strained left oblique muscle will keep Pirates right fielder Lastings Milledge out for the rest of this season. Will he still be in the team's long-term plans when he returns next year? "I'm not sure," Milledge said Saturday. "I've done an excellent job here in Pittsburgh. Is it good enough? I don't know. "I've turned my whole career around, and I thank (the Pirates) for giving me an opportunity to do that. I'm happy here. But in the end, I want to be an everyday starter. I want to be a guy they look at and say, 'This guy is going to do anything to win the game.' That's what I want." Milledge hasn't played since appearing as a pinch-hitter Monday against the New York Mets. The next day,"
June 6
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Lastings Milledge picked up the tab for Octavio Dotel. Trying to protect the Pirates' four-run lead in the ninth inning Saturday, Dotel created a mess. The San Francisco Giants scored a run and had the bases loaded with two outs. Freddy Sanchez ripped a liner to deep left field. "I looked back and saw Milledge running," Dotel said. "I thought, 'Whoa, I hope he gets it.' The way he was running, I knew he had a chance." Milledge mentally measured the ball's flight, and wondered if he'd run out of room to make the catch. The outfield wall loomed closer ... closer ... "I was like, maybe I can play it off the wall," Milledge said. "But I saw I had enough room to dive and make an attempt. So I"
April 25
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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After the way the Pirates' recent homestand ended, it's easy to forget how it started ? a sweep of the Cincinnati Reds highlighted by back-to-back dramatic, walk-off wins. Lastings Milledge, who's nestled into the No. 3 spot in the batting order, was a big part of both of those. In the first game of the series, he singled in the winning run on the seventh pitch he faced, after falling behind in the count, 1-2. Then, the next night, with two outs and the bases loaded, he kept his patience and allowed Francisco Cordero to walk in the tying run. "It's another level you go to in a pressure situation, definitely," Milledge said of the approach when the game is on the line in the ninth inning."
April 18
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Outstanding at-bats by Lastings Milledge and Garrett Jones produced a walk and a single in the ninth inning tonight. That boosted the Pirates past the Reds, 5-4, for their second straight walk-off victory. With the bases loaded and two outs, Milledge faced closer Francisco Cordero, owner of 254 career saves. When the count went full, Milledge stepped out to collect his thoughts. "I told myself, 'He's got to come to me. He's in trouble. I'm not in trouble,' " Milledge said. "I was looking for a ball right down the middle. If it wasn't there, I wasn't going to swing. He didn't give it to me." The bases-loaded walk forced in Church to make it 4-4. Jones, hitless in his first three at-bats,"
April 11
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Manager John Russell tweaked the middle of the lineup, putting Lastings Milledge into the No. 3 position and dropping Garrett Jones and Ryan Doumit each down one spot. "The middle is kind of interchangeable," Russell said. Milledge, who has the ability to hit to all fields, has done well hitting behind runners and with situational hitting. Russell hopes to create more scoring opportunities by putting Milledge after table-setters Aki Iwamura and Andrew McCutchen. The move could pay off for Doumit, who is a bit of a square peg in the round hole of the cleanup spot. He profiles better as a No. 5 hitter, but the power-starved Pirates often have no choice but to put him in the No. 4 spot. "In"
March 7
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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A lot of kids say they want to be a major-league player when they grow up, but Lastings Milledge did more than dream. He planned for it. That's why Milledge seems so unfazed about being the Pirates' starting left fielder and possibly one of the cornerstones of the franchise's future. It's something he's been working toward and always expected to happen. "When I was 14, I knew I wanted to do this for a living," Milledge said the other day, unwinding at his locker after a workout at Pirate City. "I always stayed focused on becoming a professional. I didn't let outside things mess with me too much or put pressure on me. I was focused on getting to the major leagues." Milledge, 25, grew up in"