The one thing that I’ve already grown to like about Jerry Manuel, aside from his colorful comments, is the way he reacts to the team.
Last night it was refreshing to see him run out there and jump down the umpire’s throat and protect his player.
A week ago, I like the way he handled the Jose Reyes situation and not only how he stood his ground, but how he ultimately motivated Reyes to elevate his performance on the filed the very next day. We’ve seen Reyes get chewed out before and then sink into a month long funk. Not this time.
After last night’s embarrassing loss to the Mariners, Jerry Manuel had seen enough. After a week’s worth of games under his belt he realizes the need for some changes.
Mark Hale of the NY Post summarizes…
Manuel, who was also ejected in the fourth inning along with Carlos Beltran, pronounced the Mets a flat-out "bad offensive club" and declared there could be radical changes if the team doesn’t start putting up.
"We have to find a consistent formula at some point," Manuel said. "We have not found that yet. But I believe we can. It could mean some tough decisions."
"It could be lineup changes. It could be rotation changes. It could be all types of changes," said Manuel, who said the Mets were being unfair to their fans because the team was "not giving them anything."
The first guy who might feel the Manuel wrath is Oliver Perez, who was abysmal in getting smashed for six runs (five earned). Manuel hinted was possible the lefty could be dropped from the rotation.
"I’m definitely concerned about his struggles right now," Manuel said. "And we’re going to have to address it at some time."
It’s about time that we have a manager who can feel what the fans are feeling. Rather than ignoring a bad performance and putting it behind him, Manuel seems ready to tackle the issues head-on. It’s a welcomed departure from what had been the norm in the last couple of seasons.
I am hoping that the changes equate to less playing time for Delgado and Perez, and opening up some opportunities for Tony Armas and Valentino Pascucci who are impressing in AAA.
