Shawn Green is a Good Soldier

Shawn Green is my kind of teammate. Willie Randolph is reported to have talked with Shawn Green about Lastings Milledge replacing him in right field (finally!). Green is quoted as having admitted he wasn't swinging the bat well and that Milledge was so he deserved to play.

Wow. In the age of Barry Bonds, trade demands, and Gary Sheffield, it's refreshing to see a team player. We all know that Milledge is the future and a better glove in right field (except for that 8th inning catch last night), but Shawn Green will play a role on this team in the playoffs.

Milledge deserves to and needs to play out the rest of this season, but I can see Milledge struggling come the playoffs. He likes to over swing and do too much at the plate. Green on the other hand is an accomplished hitter and will probably handle the pressure of the playoffs (if we get there) better than Milledge.

That's not to say Milledge won't play in the postseason. I think we'll need him in the lineup, but I'm confident that Green can step in and play up to par even though he will not be a regular in the lineup.

Thank you Shawn Green for being a team player. It's appreciated and I hope your swing improves as the season goes on. We'll need you come October.