As a fan of the NY Mets, the sense of urgency to renew my faith in this ball club has staggered a bit. Having lost three-fifths of their starting rotation due to old injuries and poor mechanics, the reasons continue to mount as I attempt to analyze why this Mets team remains so inconsistent.
The coaching staff, headed by manager Jerry Manuel, has not only decided to demote left-hander Oliver Perez to the bellows of the bullpen but has also prolonged its legacy by issuing a stern warning that if any Mets pitcher is lying about an injury it will not be tolerated.
Once seemingly relaxed and light-hearted, Manuel looks more detached and fidgety these days as he paces back and forth within the Mets dugout at Citi Field. Watching him live near the top step last night against the Yankees as he exchanged reliever after reliever, assures us of one thing: that the more time Manuel spends as the skipper, the longer it takes for an eighth-inning guy to materialize out of the bullpen. It’s May 22nd, Jerry! Figure out your bullpen already.
The Mets hitting will continue to struggle. I could say with confidence that right now the Mets hitters are guessing wrong: “should I swing at the first pitch or should I wait for my pitch?” Until we find out, I'm a Mets fan starting to settle into reality.
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