Why can’t the Mets deal with injuries in a straightforward manner? From Ryan Church last year to Johan Santana in spring training, players, coaches and front office often do not seem on the same page. And now a decision on whether Jose Reyes will go on the disabled list has been put off until Friday, which will be sixteen days since he first got hurt.
By not putting Reyes on the DL, the Mets are suggesting that he is not that badly hurt. Every day we keep hearing that he is about to return. Jerry Manuel says that 80% of Reyes is better than most alternatives. The implication is that management wants Reyes back now and that he could play if he really wanted to.
If Reyes does go on the DL, the Mets will finally admit that he really is hurt, but by then the DL stint, which would start retroactively on May 20, would be more than half over.
With Ryan Church also unable to play, the Mets’ bench is two men down. Carlos Beltran is going for an MRI on his knee tomorrow. Ramon Martinez nearly missed the game tonight. Gary Sheffield is now a full-time outfielder for the first time since 2005. This is no time for a depleted bench.
And it is no time to make one of your core players look bad. Met players shouldn’t have to undergo surgery or be rushed to the hospital in an ambulance to prove that they are hurt.
Only two days after that ambulance picked up Francisco Rodriguez, he was pitching tonight and converting his thirteenth straight save chance. K-Rod was praised on the air for inspiring his teammates with his quick return. K-Rod deserves the praise, but if a player is unable to rush back, he – and his team – should not be left in limbo.
Now the Mets have created a situation in which Reyes either comes back in a few days before he is ready, and runs the risk of further injury, or he goes on the DL and six days later, the daily questions begin anew.
Having inadequate backups for Reyes and Alex Cora is not Reyes’ fault. It is Omar Minaya’s.
What do you think of the way the Mets have handled Reyes’ injury?
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