I had no idea Terrmel Sledge was half-Korean. Here I am, debating whether Sledge’s recent signing with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters was worth a write up for not. Suddenly, it absolutely is.
I’ve always like Sledge, mostly because of his potential. Well, really, there’s never been much else and as you’ll read here, it’s led him to be included in several big name trades during his career. This is a guy who at various times has been projected as an all-star player. He can hit for power, has a fair-to-good eye and decent speed.
But for whatever reason he’s never put it together in the big leagues. Originally signed by the Mariners, then dealt to the Expos, Sledge played in 132 games during Montreal’s final season when they were shuffling between Canada and Puerto Rico. During that year he slugged .462 and actually finished sixth in the rookie-of-the-year balloting.
Trivia: He also hit the first home run for the Washington Nationals the following year. But it would be his only big fly that year and he would spend most of the year on the bench. He was later part of the Alfonso Soirano deal, going to Texas with Armando Galarraga and Brad Wilkerson. Then, just a month later he was part of an arguably even worse deal, being shipped to San Diego with Adrian Gonzalez and Chris Young for Adam Eaton, Akinori Otsuka, and Billy Killian.
In 2006 Sledge went .311/.402/.583 with an OPS of .985. in Triple-A Portland. He had a torrid spring in 2007, and was set to hit leadoff as part of a platoon, but Sledge again had trouble with big league pitching and he was eventually sent back to Portland.
One would think Sledge’s numbers in Japan might at least be what they were in Triple-A Portland during 2006. This looks like a great addition for the Ham Fighters who let Fernando Seguignol go just after season’s end.
Sledge will join former Padres teamamte Brian Sweeney who pitches for the Nippon Ham.
6 responses so far ↓
1 Will // Dec 3, 2007 at 11:33 pm
There is an American born Chinese in the Padres minor league system and his name is Ray Chang. Do you know anything about him?
2 JP // Dec 4, 2007 at 11:10 am
Sledge is one of those guys who always showed flashes in the big leagues but never got consistent. Same as other Nationals stalwarts like Ryan Church and former Phillies OF Marlon Byrd. Now, granted, I made Byrd a .375 hitter with about 75 doubles in my season of MLB 2006: The Show, but sadly that never translated to the real thing.
3 A.S. // Dec 4, 2007 at 1:03 pm
I’ve heard of Ray Chang…I read this article a while back…it’s an good read http://padres.scout.com/2/673208.html
I’ll follow him more closely…
4 A.S. // Dec 4, 2007 at 1:06 pm
That’s what made the trade the Mets made all the more perplexing…getting Church and Brian Schneider for Lastings Milledge. If I’m not mistaken the A’s once offered Dan Haren for Milledge…maybe last offseason.
It makes me wonder if the Mets see Milledge as the rest of us see Church, as you and I see Sledge. Byrd fits right in there too. And Nook Logan, who I believe also with the Nationals.
5 JP // Dec 5, 2007 at 3:03 am
Yep, Logan is another good example. Everyone is pretty much killing Minaya for making the Milledge deal. I don’t have all the stats handy, but needless to say, Schneider is done offensively and can be a decent mentor to young pitchers, but also is owed about $10.8 million over the next 2 seasons. People really like Church, but he can’t really hit lefties and it’s hard to see him being more than a platoon OF in Shea. Also, he made some anti-semetic remarks a year or so ago, and will be playing next to Shawn Green. Should make for some witty and fun “Christ killer” banter in the OF.
And speaking of Jewish guys, the Nationals traded for Elijah (Dukes) yesterday as well. Shaping up to be a young, powerful OF if they can all keep their heads on straight and not assault anyone.
6 You Say Goodbye, We Say Hello: A List of Major Leaguers Making the Jump to Japan | East Windup Chronicle // Dec 12, 2007 at 11:29 am
[…] Sledge (OF, Padres): Already wrote about him here. In 2006 Sledge went .311/.402/.583 with an OPS of .985. in Triple-A Portland. Could become the […]
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