Jerry Manuel, What the Hell Is Wrong With You?

Okay, I admit it: from my redoubt here in Zurich, Switzerland I am pretty guilty of not having watched yesterday’s terrible loss to the Giants through any medium other than Gameday, and so some may feel I shouldn’t opine on what happened yesterday. Nevertheless, having followed almost every pitch I tried hard to visualize what the heck was going on.

Like the rest of you, I feel that Perez is our weekly nightmare. He should have been axed before spring training began, but there he is, atop the mound in May pitching as a simple embarrassment. I tried to imagine how badly he was being booed at the time he left the field of play. So how bad was it?

When the Mets overtook the Giants in the seventh, I was in seventh heaven, and I felt confident (as I’m sure most of you did, too) that we had this one. I figured either Takahashi or Feliciano (I know he isn’t perfect and is being used a lot) could come in and shut these San Fran boys down in the eighth, and then Krod and his magic would ace it for us in the ninth. The one reliever I absolutely did not expect to see was Mejia. You couldn’t make a more incorrect choice in that pressure-filled situation if you tried.

Now, I have written earlier that Mejia must never be used at this stage in his career when we are trying to protect a one-run lead; he succumbs–as would many a-rookie. I also figured that JMan had learned this lesson from previous experience. Well, everybody knows the rest of the story. You serve ’em up to a hitter like Rowand, and it’s good-bye Charlie.

So I have to ask: Jerry Manuel, what the hell is wrong with you? We practically had yesterday’s game won, and you made a really stupid choice. You are responsible for losing ballgames that Mets players are trying to win. This Mets team can do terrifically surprising things. Are you trying to ruin it?

Earlier this year, my brethren, I said that we really cannot go far w/ Manuel. I have tried so hard to have faith in him, but I think his authority makes him one of the biggest enemies the Mets face. He and Ollie should be on the next vehicle out of town.