I’ve taken a couple really big shots at the Mets lately because of poor organizational skills, but perhaps the Mets have something going right for them. Charlie Manuel seems like a good guy and I think he has a quality that may help to turn this team around.
I think his players trust him. Moreover, I think he trusts his players. Reports are surfacing that Manuel is willing to bat Jose Reyes 3rd in the lineup while Carlos Beltran (still really stupid) is out following knee surgery.
Why do I say he trusts his players?
Basically he’s telling Jose Reyes. “Listen, I think you can get on base consistently and I’m TRUSTING you to make a good 3-hitter until Carlos gets back and we can re-order this thing”.
That’s pretty heavy for a kid who was supposed to be the Jesus Christ of the Mets and hasn’t exactly saved them yet. Perhaps this is the beginning of the Mets being saved? Maybe the leadership role will slowly shift from David Wright to Jose Reyes?
Either way, if a guy on this team has any heart at all he’ll probably pick up on the “trust thing” if that’s what’s really going on in the clubhouse.
Honestly, I pleased that this report is coming out because it makes Manuel sound like he doesn’t just want David Wright to save the team. He wants to bring everyone into the fold. Baseball is NOT a one-man sport and trying to play it that way always gets you “d-e-d dead”.
If the Mets were leaning too hard on Wright in the past I think they made a smart and conscious decision today to put some of their weight on Reyes…not in expectation, but in deed.
Good for them! Let’s see if it pays off before and after Carlos Beltran gets back.
