Jerry Manuel Continues to Hurt the Mets

Last night the Mets had a chance--a real chance--to get themselves in a position to win.

Sadly, Mets manager Jerry Manuel saw to it that the team was put in the worst position to fail, and they did.

The Situation:

Top of the third, 2 outs, bases loaded, pitcher's spot up, Manny Parra on the mound, Mets down 5-2.

Jerry's Options:

On the bench are three pinch-hitting options:  Chris Carter, Fernando Tatis, and Gary Matthews, Jr

Parra is a lefty, so Chris Carter is not the best option.

Fernando Tatis is a switch hitter.  He is 1 for 2 lifetime against Parra with a double and an RBI.

Gary Matthews Jr is a switch hitter and has no history against Parra.

Narrowing It Down:

On the season Fernando Tatis is 6 for 13 with 2 walks as a pinch hitter--.462 BA, .533 OBP, .769 Slg %, 1.303 OPS

On the season GMJ is 3 for 18 with 0 walks and 10 Ks as a pinch-hitter--.167 BA, .167 OBP, .167 Slg %, .333 OPS

The Decision:

Despite all the evidence clearly pointing to Tatis, Jerry Manuel goes with GMJ, who struck out. 

It was another unfathomable decision in a season full of them.

There were other poor decisions in the game, but that was clearly the one, above all others, that Jerry could have correctly made with ease.

A titanic head-scratcher of epic proportions.

Jerry ball?

Is Fernando Tatis in the Doghouse?

Game after game we keep seeing Jerry Manuel trot out an ineffective Gary Mathews, Jr in a pinch-hitting role, and game after game we see him fail.

On the season, GMJ is a pitiful 3 for 17 as a pinch hitter, and all three hits are singles.  As a pinch hitter he is batting .176, with a .176 OBP, .176 Slg %, and .353 OPS.

The Mets best pinch hitter, Fernando Tatis, is 5 for 11, with a .455 BA, .538 OBP, .818 Slg %, and 1.357 OPS.

The difference in the two is startling, yet it's GMJ that Jerry keeps trotting out there.  In fact, GMJ has exactly twice as many pinch-hitting at bats in May than Tatis--12 to 6.

Finally, here is the stat of the century...I would like to plaster this in Jerry's office until he wakes up.

Gary Mathews, Jr RBI Opportunities:  60 Plate Appearances, 45 Runners on base, and a total of 1 RBI.

Yes my friends, out of the 45 runners on base Gary Mathews Jr has seen this year, one has scored.

I just wonder if Tatis is in the doghouse, of if Jerry is just really this dense. 

Chris Carter NOW

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Frank Catalanotto's pathetic excuse for an at-bat Sunday was the worst in MLB history.

Seriously, the guy is batting .167 on the year with a .208 Slg% and .408 OPS.  He can't hit lefty's, he can't field, and he certainly can't pinch-hit.

How bad are Cat's stats as a Met?  ESPN's picture of him shows him in a Ranger hat with a big porn stache. 

He looks like a guy in the witness protection program, and maybe he should be.

Take one look in the minors and you see your answer:  Chris Carter.

Player	POS	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	AVG	OPS	E
Chris Carter	RF	28	109	16	37	8	2	6	20	67	8	8	0	0	.395	.615	.339	1.010	0

Is there any reason whatsoever to not make the move, and make it now?

At least Carter would give you a fighting chance as a pinch-hitter.  I am 100% positive that Cat would take a minor league assignment to try and get his swing together, so it's not like there's one ounce of downside to this.

Come on Omar--enough is enough!

Jerry Manuel is Driving Me Crazy!!!

• Tie Game
• Bottom of the 6th
• Bases Loaded
• 2 Outs

Who does Jerry use to pinch hit?

Angel Berroa.

Who was on the bench?

Jeremy Reed.

On the year Reed is batting .364 as a pinch-hitter. He's 8 for 22 in that role with a .500 slg%.

Moreover, Reed's been up 10 times this year with 2 outs and RISP and he has 4 hits and 3 walks.

In his career, Berroa is 1 for 10 as a pinch hitter....actually he's now 1 for 11 after swinging and meekly grounding out on the first pitch against a guy who had walked 6 batters to that point.

Why on Earth would you pinch hit Angel Berroa over Reed in that situation?

Maybe cause it would have been lefty against lefty....oh wait, Reed is 4 for 7 against lefty's this year and Davis is actually easier to hit from the left side.

It's effin nuts!