The OTHER came over in a trade as a throw-in when the Mets traded Chris Benson to the Orioles to get his wife Anna Benson as far away from Flushing as quickly as they possibly could. But the trade was really intended to bring back former Oriole closer Jorge Julio; who there's little to speak of.
The first ONE I referred to is Oliver Perez. The OTHER to which I refer is John Maine. You have often heard me refer to them and HAIL and RAIN, respectively. After their 2010 sub-par efforts thus far, they have done everything with-in their power, not to work out their problems, not acquiescing to the club's wishes as with Ollie, not being forthright and honest with regards to pain or discomfort as with Maine; No!
They have done everything with-in their power to introduce themselves to the MLB populace as not only the Flushing version of DUMB and DUMBER...But more accurate to the Mets' situation:
DONE and DONE(ER)
...as in finished.
John Maine couldn't get the SMURFs out right now showing no gumption or velocity while failing miserably in AAA-Buffalo. Ollie? I don't even know where he is. These silly jokes are nothing compared to the barbs manager Jerry Manuel has been ripping to the press about those guys. I'm not going to get all quote happy here, but when asked if one of the pair might see some innings as a starter again or even relief, Jerry replied with something to the effect of, "yea, on our next off day" - Don't quote me but that's the gist. I'm lazy and don't feel like getting the paper.
R.A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi have made Met fans all but forget Maine and Perez. There are too many to mention who would be contented to just see the "weather" system bringing RAIN and HAIL upon Citi Field just blow off to sea. In the big picture I think the Mets see Nieve and Mejia as starters but I'm getting into the future. The present is very bleak for Ollie and Maine. It's clearly evident Jerry Manuel has no practical use for either one of them. Nor does he see a need to treat them like men anymore when both have pouted and acted childishly throughout their individual ordeals.
To both their credits, we rode them like mules down the stretch and through the playoffs in 2006. They came through with flying colors; they rose to the occasion admirably!! I, as a Met fan had far more confidence in these two, hoping that we had caught magic in a bottle with young untested, unproven pitchers, than I ever had hoping Tom Glavine could win a big game for us. That's being honest. That is why perhaps I, and many other Met fans have stood by their side, supported them, protected and defended them from criticisms since that playoff run we made. They came through in huge ways for us. Ollie pitched masterfully in game 7 of the 2006 NLCS. But like I mentioned earlier, we were left placing our bullpen trust in Aaron Heilman because Duarner Sanchez was no more.
It's time to face facts here folks. These boyz' time in Flushing have arrived to their Law of Diminished Returns. There is no more from or for them; Not for this team. Maine is an easier situation to deal with because of the contract the Mets gave Ollie Perez. The Mets still owe Ollie $24 million for two more years after 2010. The Ollie Chronicles are something you won't want to miss because A) - you just can't have someone sitting around counting millions for sucking and not pitching and B) - Jerry Manuel wants nothing to do with him anymore. This is a great drama in the making.
John Maine? Ollie? We liked them. We used to. We're finished and they're DONE and DON(ER).
A fair question to ask is Omar Minaya's riding the backs of two trade throw-ins over the last few years. That argument only carries so much weight because at one time or another we all found ourselves on the sides on Ollie and Maine. Unlike today we used to think very differently about them. What further mutes the "riding-the-back" debate was Omar's trade for Johan Santana and the emergence of Pelfry.
Johan and Pelfry were much better stable mates for Ollie and Maine than Glavine and Trachsel ever were. But Maine and Ollie could never maintain or improve upon the early success they had here.
Separation anxiety is never easy for players, clubs or fans. Life in Baseball can be a real "stitch" sometimes.
In other transactions out of METropolis:
Bobby Parnell is UP; - and Jenrry Mejia is DOWN. Bobby Parnell who last year set a rookie record for appearances as a Met and perhaps was so burnt out after 2009's over-use by Jerry Manuel he couldn't make the club this year, is back on the big club swapping roster spots with Jenrry Mejia. The idea is to start stretching out Mejia for Starting Pitching duties maybe by the end of July. It's no big point of contention but I would have liked for Mejia to remain at AA/AAA as the club broke Spring Training. He would be ready today for insertion into the rotation. I know...hindsight is 20/20. Like I said...No biggie. I would have kept him down but he pitched well enough to earn a bullpen job with the club back in April.
One last bit of METrospection before I go. Yes the Mets finished their road trip with 7 up and 2 down and good job by them in doing so.. Yes they've played to the tune of something like 19-9 (whatever it is) in their last 28 games or so. So many "experts" are pointing to the last round of Inter-League when the Mets and Yanks squared off in CITI as the point where the Mets turned things around and played like the hottest team in Baseball since.
My question is why look there? Why not look and just a few days prior to that series when Jeff Wilpon went down to Atlanta to talk with the care-takers of his Father's baseball club. In a very "Brian Cashman-esque" move as when Brian went down to Atlanta to give his faltering Yankees a visit last year, Jeff Wilpon had more than good enough reason to want to talk with his executive employees that day in HOTLanta about the state and direction of his Pop's baseball company.
As someone who is one of the biggest critics of the Wilponian Way...Let's give him/Jeff some credit instead of the Yankee series at Citi for getting this team on a better path. Maybe his mere presence was a message in itself, that professional Baseball players read loud and clear.
Jeff, I give you the benefit of the doubt on this one.
In other transactions out of METropolis:
Bobby Parnell is UP; - and Jenrry Mejia is DOWN. Bobby Parnell who last year set a rookie record for appearances as a Met and perhaps was so burnt out after 2009's over-use by Jerry Manuel he couldn't make the club this year, is back on the big club swapping roster spots with Jenrry Mejia. The idea is to start stretching out Mejia for Starting Pitching duties maybe by the end of July. It's no big point of contention but I would have liked for Mejia to remain at AA/AAA as the club broke Spring Training. He would be ready today for insertion into the rotation. I know...hindsight is 20/20. Like I said...No biggie. I would have kept him down but he pitched well enough to earn a bullpen job with the club back in April.
One last bit of METrospection before I go. Yes the Mets finished their road trip with 7 up and 2 down and good job by them in doing so.. Yes they've played to the tune of something like 19-9 (whatever it is) in their last 28 games or so. So many "experts" are pointing to the last round of Inter-League when the Mets and Yanks squared off in CITI as the point where the Mets turned things around and played like the hottest team in Baseball since.
My question is why look there? Why not look and just a few days prior to that series when Jeff Wilpon went down to Atlanta to talk with the care-takers of his Father's baseball club. In a very "Brian Cashman-esque" move as when Brian went down to Atlanta to give his faltering Yankees a visit last year, Jeff Wilpon had more than good enough reason to want to talk with his executive employees that day in HOTLanta about the state and direction of his Pop's baseball company.
As someone who is one of the biggest critics of the Wilponian Way...Let's give him/Jeff some credit instead of the Yankee series at Citi for getting this team on a better path. Maybe his mere presence was a message in itself, that professional Baseball players read loud and clear.
Jeff, I give you the benefit of the doubt on this one.
Mike
No comments:
Post a Comment
Say what you feel. The worse comment you can make is the one you do not make.