| John Milner | |
|---|---|
 Milner with theNew York Mets in 1974 | |
| First baseman /Left fielder | |
| Born:(1949-12-28)December 28, 1949 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | |
| Died: January 4, 2000(2000-01-04) (aged 50) East Point, Georgia, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 15, 1971, for the New York Mets | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 3, 1982, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .249 |
| Home runs | 131 |
| Runs batted in | 498 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
John David Milner (December 28, 1949 – January 4, 2000) was anAmerican professionalbaseball player. He played inMajor League Baseball as afirst baseman andleft fielder from1971 to1982 for theNew York Mets,Pittsburgh Pirates and theMontreal Expos. Milner was a member of the1973 National League pennant-winning New York Mets team, as well as a member of the1979world champion Pittsburgh Pirates team. A native ofAtlanta, Georgia, he grew up a hugeHank Aaron fan, even appropriating his idol's nickname, "the Hammer".
Milner was drafted by theNew York Mets in the 14th round of the1968 Major League Baseball Draft out of South Fulton High School inEast Point, Georgia, where he was All-State inbaseball, football andbasketball. He batted .307 with 58home runs and 168runs batted in over three seasons in theirfarm system before making his major league debut with the Mets in September1971. He earned the job of "left-handed bat off the bench" on the opening day roster in1972 by batting .296 with a team high three home runs duringspring training,[1] and quickly moved into a platoon withCleon Jones inleft field. In the first game of a September 8doubleheader with theSt. Louis Cardinals, Milner became the first Mets rookie in franchise history to record a five-hit game.[2] For the season, he batted .238 with a team high 17 home runs and 38 runs batted in to finish third inNational LeagueRookie of the Year balloting behind teammateJon Matlack.
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For1973, Milner was moved to first base. He was leading his team with a .328batting average, five home runs and thirteen runs batted in when he suffered ahamstring injury against theHouston Astros on April 25,[3] an injury that plagued him for the rest of his career. He returned to the club in mid-May, but went into a 12-for-82 slump that saw his batting average fall to .216. He returned to form by the end of the season to lead his team with 72 runs batted in and a career high 23 home runs as the Mets completed their improbable run to their secondNational League East crown.
The Mets pulled off the surprise victory over Cincinnati's "Big Red Machine" in the1973 National League Championship Series, but lost in seven games to theOakland Athletics in the1973 World Series. Milner batted .250 in the post-season with three runs batted in and fourruns scored. Though he was not credited with a run batted in, hisat-bat in the twelfth inning of game two drove in tworuns for the Mets' extra innings victory.[4]
On September 11,1974, Milner tied a major league record by making twelveplate appearances in the Mets' 25 inning marathon with the Cardinals.[5] That season, he led his team in home runs for the third year in a row, with 20, and also led his team with 70 runs scored. For his career with the Mets, Milner batted .245 with 94 home runs and 338 runs batted in.
Milner was dealt from the Mets to thePittsburgh Pirates in the first four-team blockbuster deal in Major League Baseball history on December 8, 1977. The trade also involved theTexas Rangers,Atlanta Braves, and a total of 11 players changing teams. The Pirates also acquiredBert Blyleven from the Rangers. The Mets gotWillie Montañez from the Braves andTom Grieve andKen Henderson from the Rangers (Henderson was sent to New York to complete the transaction three months later, on March 15, 1978). The Rangers receivedAl Oliver andNelson Norman from the Pirates andJon Matlack from the Mets.Adrian Devine,Tommy Boggs, andEddie Miller were traded from the Rangers to the Braves.[6][7]
Milner found himself in more of a reserve role with Pittsburgh, with the 333 at-bats he logged in1978 being his fewest outside of his injury plagued1975 season. His finest season with the Pirates came in1979, when he hit 16 home runs and drove in 60 backing upWillie Stargell at first andBill Robinson in left field. Milner was held hitless in nine at-bats in the1979 National League Championship Series against theCincinnati Reds, but was 3-for-9 in the World Series with a run batted in and two runs scored.
Milner developed and refined a reputation as a reliablepinch hitter who thrived in pressure situations during his tenure with the Pirates. On August 20,1981, he was traded to theMontreal Expos forWillie Montañez, who also was part of the four-team trade in 1977. Milner reached the post-season for the third time in his career as the Expos won the second half of thestrike shortened 1981 season. He was 1-for-2 in the1981 National League Division Series against thePhiladelphia Phillies with a run batted in during the fourth game.[8] When Milner was released by the Expos midway through the1982 season, he rejoined the Pirates. He was released by the Pirates the following spring, and retired.
| Games | PA | AB | Runs | Hits | 2B | 3B | HR | GS | RBI | SB | BB | SO | Avg. | Slg. | OBP | OPS | Fld% |
| 1215 | 3958 | 3436 | 455 | 855 | 140 | 16 | 131 | 10 | 498 | 31 | 504 | 473 | .249 | .413 | .344 | .757 | .989 |
A purefastball hitter with lightning-quick wrists, Milner posted a 1.066walk-to-strikeout ratio (504-to-473) for his career. Milner hit 10 careergrand slams, including three with the Mets in1976.
After his playing career, Milner was called to testify at thecocaine distribution trial of Curtis Strong. He stated during his testimony that he used cocaine from 1978 through1984, and that he bought two grams of cocaine for $200 in the bathroom stalls atThree Rivers Stadium during a June 13,1980, Pirates-Astros game, and on September 30,1981. He also claimed to have used a liquid form ofamphetamines called "red juice" he acquired fromWillie Mays while both played with the Mets, and that "greenies" (also an amphetamine) were often anonymously placed in his locker while he played with the Pirates.Dale Berra andDave Parker both attributed the greenies to Willie Stargell. Both Stargell and Mays denied the claims made against them.[9] Berra also claimed to have shared cocaine with Milner, Parker,Lee Lacy,Lee Mazzilli, andRod Scurry while all were members of the Pirates.
Milner died of cancer inEast Point, Georgia, on January 4, 2000.[10]