Hello again Phillies fans. I completed another story today that might be of interest to those of you who follow future Phillies. It is a follow-up on several KU alumni and one of the featured players if Gus Milner who played in Lakewood last season.

Here is a link to the full story. I am afraid my chart did not transfer to this site but can be seen in the original story. To get to the section on Gus just scroll down a bit.

Below is the written portion of my take on Milner:

Gus Milner
Milner transferred into KU after two years at a Juco and put together two very good years in Lawrence. Milner is a big guy, 6'5 and solid. He is a good athlete who played outfield and ran the bases well. Milner had a good eye and a big swing. I can't think of many times when Milner decided to swing at a pitch when he didn't commit all the way. He drew a lot of walks and also struck out too often. The biggest thing about Milner, he was a run producer. He collected RBIs like Angelina Jolie collects new babies. I felt completely comfortable with Milner at the plate in clutch situations. Kansas worked out well for Milner. He had been drafted in the 47th round by the Indians out of Juco but turned them down for KU. Two years later he went in the 14th round to the Phillies.

Milner's first half season at Batavia was lack-luster. He continued to drive in runs but his averages took a tumble. 2007 went better and Milner rose his OPS from .725 to .799. Gus will benefit from his size and athleticism and continue to hold the Phillies attention. John Sickels gave Milner a C rating which indicates he sees him as a marginal prospect at this point. That sounds worse than it is. A "C" prospect is in the top quarter of all minor league players. Look for Milner to be pushed up to High-A Clearwater next year. If he can maintain his OPS in the .800 area and continue to hold his own in the outfield he should be in line for a cup of coffee with the Phillies by late 2009. Milner is a good package of physical potential backed-up by on-field results. He is one to keep your eye on.