Milliard, who had played baseball in Curacao (the home of Andruw Jones and Hensley 'Bam Bam' Meulens), remained interested in the game in Europe and joined a club team in Amsterdam as a teen-ager.
Milliard led his league in at least one offensive category in each of his first three seasons in the minors and finally made it to the majors in 1996, when he was called up by the Marlins three times.
Milliard was traded to the Mets on Feb. 6, 1998, with Al Leiter, and he pounced on the opportunity to prove himself in the minors.
But Milliard was born in Curacao, the island in the Netherlands Antilles that's produced three other major leaguers: Andruw Jones and ex-Calgary Cannons Hensley Meulens and Randall Simon -- "my best friend" he says.
Milliard got some time with the Marlins in '96 and '97 before a trade to the Mets, where he had another espresso in '98.
Milliard would like to be healthy come September because if he's not in the big leagues, he might be in Australia.
Feeds |
Contact