(M.E.T.S.) Must Endure The Season

In the third game of a four game set against the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets thirdbaseman David Wright was slid into by a Matt Diaz leaving Wright in pain. The collision left Wright bent over in pain for a few minutes. Eventually he stood up on his own power, walked off the pain, and remained in the game. Although the whole incident took a few minutes, it felt like an eternity because of the Mets injury problems. For the entire time Wright was on the ground I found myself holding my breath the entire time. Wright who represents the last healthy big name position player would be an enormous blow to the Mets roster and would effectively end any hopes the Mets would have for a winning season. The rate at which Mets players are getting injured raises many red flags that need to be addressed by the Mets front office.

A few years ago the New York Yankees were dropping like flies to injury. In response to their players getting injured seemingly every other day, upper management made a decision and fired the conditioning coach Marty Miller. After Miller was terminated so were the injury problems. The New York Mets have lost their all-star shortstop, all-star firstbaseman, all-star centerfielder, and all-star setup man. Obviously the Mets have made some changes in the front office or training staff right? Wrong. The Mets have not done anything to rectify the injury situation. Injury after injury has plagued the Mets often times the original diagnosis being a seemingly harmless ailment. Soon after the original diagnosis the player is put on the DL for an extended period of time. If you are not immediately alarmed by this then you should be. For the Mets it is imperative for them to get rid of their problems in the training room. Jerry Manuel, who has been criticized this season, can not do anything about the state of his team as he is not responsible for the injury problem. That is why Omar Minaya needs to step in and clean out the training staff.

If the Mets were not injured this year it is fair to say they would be contending for the lead in the National League East. However they are fielding a lineup that has lost their 1,3, and 4 hitters. The Mets current lineup has the makeup of a triple A team with a couple of great players waiting to be called up in Wright, Santana, and Rodriguez. With Beltran, Delgado, Reyes, Putz, and Maine all on the DL and probably out till August the Mets are all but mathematically eliminated from contention. Sad though it may be, injuries are a part of the game. Had the Mets not been maligned with injuries a bidding war would be raging between the Mets and Phillies to land Roy Halladay, a war I believe the Mets would win. Unfortunately for the Mets this season will have to be filed under the category of "There is always next season".