Time for a Change

No, I'm not talking about Peter Brady's voice cracking saga, I am talking about Jerry Manuel's fan cracking saga.  It's really just way, way, way past time for Jerry Manuel's dismissal.

We've been through the litany of his bad moves and ineffectiveness all season, in fact, there is a list I kept somewhere back that I could dig out, but it's really just not necessary right now.

Just look at the simple fact that the team cannot win more than one game in a row.  Or the fact that the team is devoid of any spark whatsoever.

But what really got to me last night was the fact that one day after proclaiming Hisanori Takahashi his "8th inning guy", Jerry pulls him after giving up a walk and a single after he got the first two outs....and went to Manny Acosta.

This is not a manager that has a strategy, much less a winning strategy.

This is not a manager that understands leverage.

This is not a man who understands advanced statistics, trends, and match-ups.

This is not a manager that will fight with every dying breath, and at all costs, to win.

A manager has four basic functions:  Keep the players motivated to play their best and win, put out the best starting lineup, manage the bullpen, and make the tactical in-game moves that maximize the team's chances to win.

In my opinion Jerry fails on all four counts, and his most egregious failures occur  with his bullpen moves and in-game tactics, like bunting a man over in the first or second inning of a game.

Not putting in Frankie Rodriguez with 2 outs in the 8th in a 2-1 ballgame was just mind-boggling.  Not staying with his anointed "8th inning guy" becuae he was in the slightest bit of trouble was bad.  And going to Manny Acosta as the choice was just one more example of what an awful in-game manager Jerry Manuel is.

Time for a change......way past time.

Down on the Farm

A good day for the Mets up and down the organization:

AAA Buffalo WON 3-2 (10)

• Josh Thole - 0 for 4, BB, K (batting average down to .042)
• Fernando Martinez - 1 for 5, RBI, OF Assist
• Ike Davis - 1 for 3, R, BB, K
• Chris Carter - 1 for 3, 2B, BB
• Ruben Tejada - 0 for 2, 2 Sac Bunts
• Pat Misch - 4 2/3 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (considering one of the runs was a HR, Misch got extremely lucky with stranding runners)
• Manny Acosta - 2 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (former Braves farmhand who may get a look especially if he keeps up striking out a minimum of a batter per inning - so far has 7 K in 5 1/3 IP)

AA Binghamton WON 7-6

• Kirk N+10 - 1 for 5, 2B, RBI, K
• Nick Evans - 2 for 5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 K
• Lucas Duda - 0 for 3, 2 BB, 2 K
• Zach Lutz - 2 for 5, R, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K (K's are a tad high - 8 in 26 AB, but if he can stay healthy he is an underrated prospect who could turn out to be a nice trade piece since 3B is blocked by David Wright)
• Scott Shaw - 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
• Clint Everts - 1/3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 0 K
• Roy Merritt - 2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

A+ St. Luice Lost 7-5, but no team could score after the first inning

• J. Valdespin - 2 for 5, R, CS
• Stefan Welch - 2 for 5, R, RBI
• Richard Lucas - 1 for 5, R, RBI, 3 K, E
• Eric Campbell - 1 for 3, R, 2B, 2 RBI, K
• Sean Ratliff - 0 for 3, BB, 2 K, E
• Brahiam Maldonado - 1 for 1
• Robert Carson - 2/3 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 ER, BB, K (UGLY!)
• Jimmy Johnson - 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 3 K

A Savannah WON 4-1

• Alonzo Harris - 1 for 4, 2B
• Wilmer Flores - 2 for 3, RBI, BB (improves his BB:K to 1:0)
• Juan Lagares - 1 for 4, K, OF Assist
• Cesar Puello - 1 for 3, R, 2 K
• Mark Cohoon - 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• John Church - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Erik Turgeon - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Brandon Sage - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K