According to Adam Rubin, of the Daily News, Jerry Manuel does in fact intend to use Jenrry Mejia in short relief appearances. First, Mr. Rubin’s quote, than my outrage.
Look for Manuel to get his way with Jenrry Mejia, at least as far as working the 20-year-old righthander as a reliever from this point forward in camp. If Mejia does end up with Double-A Binghamton, it’s likely he won’t be ready to enter the rotation immediately there, since he won’t be stretched out. My expectation is that from this point forward in camp, Mejia will work as a reliever rather than get three-, four- or five-inning work.
As Joba Chamberlain got torched in yesterday’s game between the Yankees and Tigers, I can’t help but see the similarities in his evolution to what the Mets are proposing to do with pitching phenom Jenrry Mejia.
Chamberlain gave up six runs on five hits and three walks over 2 1/3 innings on Wednesday. The situation for Chamberlain rapidly deteriorates, and what was once their can’t miss ace of the future, may now be a longshot for the rotation or even the bullpen.
This unfortunate turn of events is the price the Yankees will have to pay for jeopardizing the long term future of a cant-miss top of the rotation starter, just so they could have a solid option in the bullpen for a few months. It was a doomed short term strategy that bore some fruit for three months at the expense what could have been a sensational career as a Yankee ace.
Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it…
If the Mets truly believe all that hype that they have been dishing out on Jenrry Mejia, and still proceed in a like manner, it would be akin to or even worse than the trade that sent Scott Kazmir to the Rays for Victor Zambrano.
There are plenty of good rants today on why the Mets shouldn’t proceed on the course that they have seemingly embarked upon.
No good will come out of this situation, unless a few months of right-handed relief is worth more to you than a top of the rotation starter in 2011 and beyond.
Let the kid go to AA or AAA and hone his craft so that we can reap the rewards of our patience for the next decade.
The time for short-sightedness must come to an end.
