The LTJ Editorial: “The NY Mets and accountability; demotions need to happen”

“The LTJ Editorial”
Author: Luis Tirado Jr.
Date: 5-3-13
E-Mail: NYLuis7@gmail.com
Twitter/Instagram: @Slayerdemise

“The NY Mets and accountability; demotions need to happen”

So for the past week or so, just like me, you tuned in, attended, or listened to our NY Mets play baseball against other teams. Between the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, and the Miami Marlins the Mets didn’t look amazing to say the least. Between lots of errors, a bad bullpen, and lack of hitting, the team struggled in a few critical areas. We looked confused, bewildered, and the icing on the cake was the recent series we lost to the Marlins 2-1. As we all know, the Marlins are literally at the bottom of the NL East, have some of the worst stats in all of major league baseball so far this season, and often times the names on their roster resemble an AA minors team. Yet still, they beat us. In one of those games, that famous 15 inning one that lasted into the wee hours of the night, we left so many people on base in scoring position that didn’t run across home plate, it was embarrassing. We just couldn’t punch in any runs, we couldn’t score if it hit us in the face. You know what this team truly needs in situations like this? Accountability.

For example, how many times do we have to see 1B Ike Davis strike out? Know what his average is right now? .169! I know he usually does start slow but where is the fire? Where is the energy? The previous few years of major league experience surely would have attributed to be able to handle a slump and get out of it as soon as possible. Wouldn’t you be upset after you keep striking out to stick to one particular batting stance instead of trying a bunch of them? Even Mets legend Keith Hernandez made a short video on the three different stances he’s been using and was also curious why he didn’t just stick to the most logical one. It seems every 5 at-bats, he switches it up which is very weird. Perhaps he is trying to find the one that works? Is this his decision or perhaps that of Hitting Coach Dave Hudgens? Regardless of the matter, I still got the best idea for Ike Davis.

Demote him. Send him to AAA to figure out exactly what his particular problem is and keep that for any player who has a consistent slump. Our minor league system has quite the few up and coming stars so as time progresses what more humbling situation would it be to send Davis down to get better and also give some advice to the youngsters before their time comes. This would help his current slump and who knows, maybe when we call someone up from AAA to take his place in first base, he might provide a spark. One that we haven’t seen the past few games coming straight from first base. Once Davis improves, send him back up, that is of course, if we need it. Before you start getting all worked up because he is getting paid over $3 million this Season and I said to demote him, hear me out. When it comes to any job, if you start to under perform, people will start to question you. They are going to ask you what is up and determine if it’s mental or physical. In a desk job, if you don’t submit your reports in time, you will be documented. Get a few documentations and you’re fired. In sports, if you don’t play well, you will eventually not have a job. It’s a very cold reality not just in life but also in sports. One day you’re on top of the world, the next, you’re name means nothing anymore. I’m not saying get rid of Davis, just send him down, let him and the coaches figure out his issues, and when he starts performing, he’ll be good to go.

3B David Wright in the offseason was appointed the official Team Captain and this will be a true test if he can get his team together and through this. Lets face it, we just aren’t hitting the ball. At all. You can’t win games by striking out left and right or by having your bullpen give up runs that costs us games in the end. Surprisingly, we’ve never really been blown out, most of our losses come from games we easily could have won if it wasn’t for bad pitching, leaving players on base, or silly defensive errors.


We do have some positives thus far after the month of April though. P Matt Harvey was named the “NL Pitcher of the Month” and RF Andrew Brown is set to make his Mets debut this weekend as we take on the NL East leading Atlanta Braves. Hopefully the day off after the Marlins series puts things in a whole different perspective for our beloved Mets. We are now officially in May and it’s time to see if we can stop the nonsense and start winning these close games by minimizing mistakes and scoring runs. After all, if you’re winning, you will be on top of the world and right now, the Mets need to be on top of something.