There are so many avenues I could take with the K-Rod issue.  Not only has it been an embarrassment for the organization, the players, the city and the fans, but now it has an impact on the field as well.  One could argue that the season is over anyway, but even if it is, does that mean we shouldn’t still try to salvage what’s left and end the season with some dignity and pride?

Rodriguez’s contract needs to be voided — no ifs, ands or buts about it.  Had he injured his thumb while practicing or playing, or even in an accident outside of the game, one can tolerate it; just another unfortunate event for the Mets.  But injuring it while committing a misdemeanor? Unacceptable.  As Mike Lupica of the Daily News put it, “You do something like this in another business and you lose your job.”  

One blogger over at Citi Field of Dreams feels that the Mets should be concentrating more on voiding Oliver Perez’s contract rather than Frankie Rodriguez’s.  They say, and I quote, 

“So instead of getting rid of a pitcher who can NEVER seem to do his job, they void the contract of the one who has because of an incident that resulted in an injury. I do not see other teams getting rid of players because they did something that resulted in an injury. Especially some serious stupid injuries. Do I even have to get into it?

Let’s revisit some:

  • Sammy Sosa blows out his back sneezing during a press conference.
  • John Smoltz burns himself ironing a shirt HE WAS WEARING.
  • Adam Eaton stabbed himself with a butcher’s knife while trying to open up a DVD.
  • Hunter Pence tried walking through a glass door and shattered it. Disabled list.“

I don’t know about you, but I was unaware that sneezing, walking, movie-watching and caring about personal appearance were all crimes.  Look, these events — while perhaps a little freaky and even comical — are NOTHING compared to K-Rod’s ASSAULT of his common-law father-in-law.  Seriously, now.  This incident was a different kind of embarrassment than that of the ones listed above.  There is no humor — or excuse — in K-Rod’s actions.  While Perez needs to be dismissed for other reasons (as does someone like Jerry Manuel), they haven’t done anything against the law or to cause bodily harm to another human being.  Just because a player is performing (and is he really?) that doesn’t give him a “Get Out of Jail Free” (literally) card.  No matter how you slice this pie, K-Rod is in the wrong.  End of story. 

Moving on…

The offense has completely shut down.  I know it’s only coincidence that this team started struggling when Beltran and Castillo returned, so something else had to happen.  The team is a completely different breed from the first half.  Not only does Johan lack the run support now, it seems every starter does.  They scrape their way to a run or two and then cool their jets.  (Speaking of the Jets … oh, nevermind — wrong website!)

I hate to admit it, but maybe Reyes and Wright do need to be split up.  The problem is, who stays and who goes?  And who replaces the one who departs?  Not like we have much talent in the minor leagues — especially in the infield — with the exception of Tejada, who will most likely be Luis Castillo’s replacement, should it go that route.  Each of them (Wright and Reyes) — when playing up to their fullest abilities — put different cards on the table.  While both are excellent defensive players at their respective positions, Reyes is the triple-hitting, base-stealing, run-scoring, pitcher-tormenting guy while Wright is the double-hitting, swing-for-the-fences, move-the-runners-over type of guy.

Sometimes part of me thinks Beltran is done.  But in my heart, I really don’t believe that.  I just think he returned at the wrong time, for him.  A time where maybe he wasn’t totally ready to come back from surgery, and since the team was about to start their nonsense, he got caught up in the struggles.

The first change that needs to be made, in my opinion, is the firing of our hitting coach.  I loved HoJo as a player, but even if he isn’t causing the offensive woes, he certainly doesn’t know how to solve them.  Knowing how to hit yourself and actually getting someone else to execute it are two different things.  I hate to see him go, but I think it’s necessary.

The starting pitching has certainly been what’s keeping Mets fans tuned in night after night.  Coming close to our first no-hitter already twice this season, Mets fans never know when “tonight could be the night”.