They didn’t know that when they signed him? -Dan Warthen
I love this reaction to Brian Cashman blaming the Mets for Pedro Felciano’s current injury. There is nothing like some Yankee whining to take my mind off of a loss.
To be fair, Cashman was probably just answering a question posed to him by the media.
It was no secret that Jerry Manuel loved to trot out Pedro Feliciano any chance he could. I’m pretty sure he pitched every inning at the annual father son whiffle ball game last year.
Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
Let’s take a second to stop and appreciate what the Mets have accomplished.
Last night’s win brought the Mets road record to 14-18. A record that once was the bane of their existence, is all of a sudden acceptable. Especially, considering their outstanding home record.
I understand that a team that is contending for a playoff spot should beat the Orioles and the Indians. It is a realistic expectation.
However, sweeping two road series in a row is an accomplishment any fan should be proud of.
During this current road trip, the Mets have displayed a combination of good starting pitching and relenting offense. A combination that has been lacking for much of the season.
The starting rotation has allowed an average of 1.75 runs the last six games, while the offense has scored an average of five runs per game.
The recent surge in offensive production has to create a sense of relief for the starters.
The Mets have given us everything we have asked for. So take a second and enjoy it.
All good things come to an end. If the Mets come back to Earth and lose their upcoming series with the Yankees, the team should remain confident.
Based on their current records, this is a road series they should lose.
Maybe I am trying to prepare myself for the inevitable (it is unrealistic to think the Mets will continue to win at this pace).
I consider myself a fan doused with reality. I understand the law of averages.
This being said, I love the position the Mets have put themselves in.
Imagine the pressure they would have faced had they not been successful these last six games.
They are a team with nothing to lose in this series. Any win they obtain is icing on the cake.
Jerry Manuel provided a good perspective last night.
When you go to play the defending world champions, you’ve got to be playing good baseball. I feel good about the way we’re playing.
I’m sure his players feel good as well.
Another quality start for R.A. Dickey. That makes five in a row if you are scoring at home.
Last night’s performance was not his best by far, but he was able to hold the Indians to only two earned runs even though he gave up seven hits and two walks.
Every major league club would love this type of output from their fourth starter.
Dickey even learned something about himself last night. During the fifth inning he prevented the Indians from having a big inning, thanks to a suggestion from pitching coach, Dan Warthen.
I had runners on second and third and he came out and encouraged me to throw the hard one. It’s about four, five miles per hour harder than my comfort-zone knuckler. It was a good step in my evolution, learning to adjust in-game.
Jose Reyes was the MVP offensively. He went three for five, scored two runs, and had the biggest hit of the night.
His run scoring triple in the eighth gave the Mets a much-needed insurance run. 
In my eyes, the hit signified his return to form. He tore out of the batter’s box right away and flew around the bases. The end of this video shows Jose at top speed.
One of the few issues I have with the game of baseball, and all of professional sports for that matter, is the copy cat/unoriginal way teams handle situations.
Everyone wants to follow the leader. Straying from the norm is hugely unsupported by fans.
Until it works.
Are the Mets truly hampering Jenrry Mejia’s development by keeping him in the bullpen? That has been a question that has been asked countless times this season.
At the beginning of the season, Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya were challenged for their decision to use Mejia in the bullpen rather than letting him learn how to be an effective starter.
The detractors all said it was a waste of his development and that they were mortgaging their future on futile wins in the present.
I’m not buying it.
I have yet to read any concrete evidence that what the Mets are doing will actually ruin Mejia’s future as a starter. If he can help the team now, then keep him in the bullpen. In fact, I contend that he is actually being developed in ways he could never be in the minors.
Before I get into how Mejia is being developed in the bullpen, let me take a second to remind everyone that he has been working with the Mets since he was seventeen.
Mejia has logged 210 innings in the minors already, which includes forty games as a starter. Its not like the Mets just signed him and placed him in the bullpen.
Just because he is in the bullpen now, doesn’t mean he will forgot everything he has learned in the last three seasons in the minors.
Now, on to why I think he is gaining extremely valuable experience with the major league club.
There is a huge difference between facing hitters in the minors versus facing hitters in the show. There is a reason why these players have made it. They are the best in the world.
The notion that Mejia is toiling away to nothing by being in the bullpen is absurd. He has faced 122 major league hitters this season. That is 122 more major league hitters than he would have faced in the minors.
Let us not forget some of the valuable things he is learning while on the big league roster. On a daily basis, he has the opportunity to watch, learn, and listen to Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, and Francisco Rodriguez. Just by watching Johan’s preparation alone, he is gaining extremely valuable knowledge.
Mike Pelfrey’s confidence and competitiveness has to have made an impression on the young prospect.
He has also had an opportunity to watch how not to do things.
He has observed Oliver Perez’s selfishness, lack of focus, and me first attitude earn him a demotion to the bullpen as well as public enemy number one status to many Mets fans.
Mejia has witnessed John Maine’ struggles and surly attitude garner a quick hook from Jerry Manuel and Dan Warthen.
Speaking of Dan Warthen. It is a fair assumption to make that he, along with other members of the coaching staff, work with Mejia on a regular basis. The coaching staff doesn’t just hangout in the coaches office and then suit up for games.
They are constantly working with their pitchers as they throw on the side and make adjustments. Sometimes it seems people forget about all of the work and preparation the players go though prior to the games.
Every time Mejia does side work, it is an opportunity to learn and get better. He has the luxury of doing this work with Dan Warthen, rather than the minor league coaching staff.
Everyone communicates differently, even if it is the same message. Jennry doesn’t have to make the adjustment of learning how differently Dan Warthen communicates. He has already learned that by now.
This may sound boring, but Mejia also has also been learning what the day-to-day schedule is like for a big-leaguer. He understands the travel and all of the other details associated with it.
The public relations demands for major league players can be a distraction for younger players. Mejia has built a foundation on how to handle these demands. This will be extremely helpful if he becomes the great starting pitcher that everyone thinks he has the potential to be.
He is a part of the clubhouse culture and is learning how each player interacts with each other and where they fit in. He bares witness to the circus that is the New York media as he watches players like David Wright and Jose Reyes handle their constant demands.
Being a successful major league baseball player is much more than just having the talent. The talent part is a given for everyone on the roster. The best players learn how to thrive in all of the non-baseball areas as well.
Jennry Mejia is most certainly developing with the Mets. Not only is he learning how to get the best hitters in the world out, he is getting plenty of experience in the areas that don’t show up in the box score.
I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss the Maine issue.
Just when I thought John Maine was finished putting this team into strange predicaments, this happens. I applaud Warthen and Manuel’s decision.
They’re the experts. They saw something they didn’t like. I love the fact they were proactive, and didn’t leave him in the game to get shelled.
If this was a different pitcher, it would probably be a different decision. Maine’s history doesn’t help his cause.
Fact, he just isn’t reliable in terms of his health.
Warthen and Manuel are fighting for their jobs. More importantly, they are trying to make decisions on what’s best for the team.
Maine has had plenty of time to get right. This sends a message that he is on a very tight rope.
Obviously, this leads to a bigger issue. Maine’s fragile psyche has taken a hit. Check out these quotes from the New York times.
If he’s throwing that way, then there’s got to be something incorrect in that arm. Something’s not feeling correct. John’s a habitual liar in a lot of ways as far as his own health. He’s a competitor and a warrior. He wants to go out there and pitch. But we have to be smart enough to realize this guy isn’t right, the ball’s not coming out of his hand correctly.
I guess they didn’t see 95. It was a little slow, but it was the first batter of the game, cut me a little bit of slack…….
No, I didn’t get a chance, and I think that’s what I’m most upset about. They said they saw something, so they’re taking me out. I’m a little hurt by that. It wasn’t 100 m.p.h. the first pitch. I never got asked to really see how I was or anything like that. They just said I was out. That’s what upset me the most.
Maine’s desire for Warthen and Manuel to cut him some slack rubs me the wrong way. I have always liked his surly, working man’s attitude.
Unfortunately, in this situation it hurts the team. I can understand Maine’s frustration in the matter. However, the Mets can ill afford to let him work through any troubles during a game.
Especially if he isn’t ready in the first inning.
Midwestropolitan 