Current And Former Mets Involved In Biggest Head Scratching Decisions This Season
New York's Handling Of Jay Bruce Has Left Many Scratching Their Heads
When You Have A Losing Team, September Should Provide A Glimpse Of Hope For The Future
September has been a good month for many front offices in Major League Baseball, highlighted by acts of class that all too often are missing from today's incarnation of America's pastime. Unfortunately, the sport's various administrations also made some decisions that were, and still, leave many fans scratching their heads.
During the second week of September, Minnesota's front office made a good story out of an otherwise meaningless game between two clubs that were long out of contention. The Twins were visiting the Tigers, which is managed by former Minnesota skipper Ron Gardenhire.
It just so happens that Gardenhire's son Casey is the manager of one of the Minnesota minor league affiliates, whose season had ended in August. The Twins therefore promoted Casey Gardenhire to the Big League club for one game, which happened to be against the his dad's current team.
In what turned out to be one of the most poignant routine pre game exchanges, the Twins allowed Casey Gardenhire to take the lineup card to the plate instead of Manager Paul Molitor. Detroit fans applauded in approval as Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire swapped lineup cards with his son, who is his way to following in his dad's footsteps to become a Big League skipper.
Just a few weeks later, the Mets announced that All-Star third baseman David Wright would be activated for one game, having spent much of the past three seasons on the disabled list. The plan was for the career New York star to be honored in a ceremony at Citi Field, after which would come a retirement speech.
Around that same time, however, the same front office that orchestrated the class act to honor Wright made another decision that seems quite short-sighted, especially for a team with ten more losses than wins. New York's administrators sent out instructions to play outfielder Jay Bruce, who has struggled nearly all season both on offense and defense, at first base for the rest of the season.
It would not have been deemed a bad idea at all, considering the contract Bruce had been given in the off season, except for the fact that the two best Major League ready prospects in the Mets organization are both first basemen. By moving Bruce, who has just eight home runs and a batting average of .219, the Mets are missing out on an excellent chance to see what their young first basemen can do.
Dominic Smith has been ready for the Major League for two seasons now, after having been New York's first round pick in 2013. Like Bruce, Smith swings from the left side, but his large frame pretty much has limited him to first base.
The top prospect of the Mets this year is Peter Alonso, who is also a first baseman. He was ranked by Baseball America as the best at his position, being selected as that publication's Minor League All-Star team in its September 21st edition.
At twenty three years old, Alonso has reached the age when he should be given a look at the Major League level. At Triple A Las Vegas he finished first in homers with thirty six and runs batted in with 119, numbers that certainly merit a chance to play for the Mets in September.
A former Met was involved in another head scratching decision, only it was made by the front office of the Reds. After having acquired former New York ace Matt Harvey for catcher Devin Mesoraco, Cincinnati was projected to move the right hander to a contender at the trade deadline.
The reasons for trading him were obvious, especially the fact that Harvey was a free agent as soon as the season ended. Since Cincinnati is in the middle of a rebuild, the club has no intention of signing Harvey to the lucrative contract that he will be expecting this winter.
Because of his recent on field and off field struggles, Harvey would unlikely have brought in a number one prospect. Whatever the Reds would get in return, however, would be better than nothing.
Therefore, the baseball world was left shaking its head when, after a contender claimed him off waivers at the deadline and offered to work out a deal, the Reds suddenly refused to trade Harvey. Why a last place team would choose to receive nothing rather than a prospect for a pitcher who would make five meaningless September starts is a question only the Reds could answer, and most of the baseball world is still waiting for them to explain it.
