The unexpected Aaron Miles

What to make of Aaron Miles?

He began the season as a non-roster invitee and made the team out of spring training partially because Casey Blake started the season on the disabled list. He has no power. He almost never walks. Has little speed.

And he's becoming a mainstay in the Dodgers’ lineup?

OK, maybe not a mainstay but he has almost oddly proved valuable. After getting four hits Saturday, he is currently batting .305. He continues to get playing time and is back in the lineup Sunday against Colorado batting second.

He has a lowly .319 on-base percentage, yet has emerged as something of a table setter on a Dodgers team desperate for production. He’s fifth on the team in runs. All without a home run. He’s in a five-way tie for sixth with six doubles.

Looking at his on-base and slugging percentages with a minimum of 100 at-bats, TrueBlueLA’s Eric Stephen calls Miles the worst .300 hitter in Dodgers history.

To be mentioned in such company, of course, you still have to be a .300 hitter.

He can play three infield spots and switch hits, so he was expected to have value. As a backup infielder. A backup to backup infielder Jamey Carroll. The Dodgers' continued run of injuries and Miles’ play, however, have left a much different situation.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Dodgers infielder Aaron Miles drives in two runs with a hit in the seventh inning against the Rockies on Saturday night in Colorado. Credit: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

Comments

[Joe the Plumber]

Aaron Miles is having a typical Aaron Miles year and batting well in-excess of his 185 pound weight. That makes him an All-Star on this Dodger team.

[OldBrooklynFan]

I don't know where this team would be, right now, without Miles, along with Carroll they make two of the best everyday utility players I can ever remember.
I can't figure how this team would look with these two on the bench.

[16blows]

Sure you can Old Brooklyn... furcal & uribe

[FormerLifelongDodgerFan]

I have no complaints about this guy.

[Chumpy Kemp]

Miles performs. You can't say that about every player on the team.

[bg.muddy]

It's always amazing when guys like you pass judgement on guys who are major league players like Aaron Miles who don't perform like your fantasy league guru/morons expect them to perform.

I know that guys like you are allowed to have opinions but your opinion is like many other stinky places.

Yeh, I played and competed. And I love guys like Aaron Miles who know how to compete and play at a level you and I are not remotely familiar.

Your next competitive article/BLOG will be your first.

[kevin davis]

If nothing else, both Miles and Carrol will have honestly earned their paychecks. How many other guys on the current Dodger roster cannot have that next to their name. At best, the Dodgers will be a .500 team. The Dodgers are in the midst of their apprentiship program with AAA & AA players being brought up to showcase their talent. A good portion of the current roster will be gone next year, either non-tenured or their options not picked up. I would also expect Loney to be traded for a pitcher by July as well. In the meantime, enjoy the Dodgers and baseball for what they are worth: entertainment.

[aaron d.]

bg.muddy hit the damn nail right on the head.

as fans most of us really have no VALID opinion about players performances, those are reserved for players of the mlb and coaches of mlb.

no one else can really say anything.

[cover2]

Go back thru history and the blue have always had ( as alston used to say)
good extrie players. Even Jay Johnstone, who said he could of hit Lasorda.

[Airedale]

For $500K, Miles is having a much better year than Uribe, who, by the way, is guaranteed $21M over the next three years.

[N.P.Krohn]

Grateful for what miles has done helping win a few games as the blue crew treads water but the only positives this year have come from the development of the kids. I still say miles will finish around .270 and barring an amazing resurgence of about 4 or 5 key players the Dodgers will miss the playoffs. Cruz should be given a month or two every day at th ML level.

[Cypress1]

Miles and Carroll deserve more than plaudits, they deserve our amazement for being utility guys who perform day in and day out both at the bat and in the field. In fact, it's becoming harder and harder for Mattingly to keep them as back-ups.