Willie Randolph had Cliff Floyd hitting 2nd in last night’s rain-shortened 2-0 loss to the Phillies, a move the Mets left-fielder responded to thusly, as jotted down by The Journal News’ John Delcos.
With regular No. 2 hitter Paul Lo Duca getting the night off, last night was as good a time as any to experiment with Floyd.
Lo Duca is expected to return to the second slot tonight against the Brewers, with Floyd dropping down in the order with the hope that he can snap out of his funk on his own.
“I need some hits,” he said.
Floyd said he’s been hitting in bad luck and dismissed the notion that he’s pressing because he doesn’t have a contract for next year, saying it hasn’t crossed his mind.
“I might not even play next year,” Floyd said. “If I keep playing like this, do you think I’ll get a job? If you were a GM would you sign me the way I’m going now?”
Readers older than one year of age might recall that a banged-up Floyd openly spoke of early retirement just two seasons ago.
Metradamus finds a silver lining in last night’s defeat :
Thank your lucky stars that Aaron Rowand’s catch was not made by Derek Jeter.
Can you imagine if Derek Jeter made a catch like that? (And just so we’re clear, the first Yankee fan that tells me that Jeter’s catch in ’04 was better than this one is getting a bat to the head.) Can you imagine the poem Frank DeFord would come up with for that one (and something tells me that DeFord isn’t at his typewriter trying to find a word that rhymes with Rowand)? Can you imagine all the Jeanne Zelasko tributes?
MetsGeek’s Andrew Hintz breaks down the Milwaukee trio of Dave Bush, Dana Eveland and Doug Davis, whom the Mets will be facing starting this eveing.
derek jeter plays center field? wow! I know the Highlanders are really desperate for outfielders right now but I hadn’t noticed this surprising development.
I think Metsradamus was comparing the face-mangling characteristics of Rowand grab last night and Jeter’s ’04 face-first snatch that pretty much shipped Nomar to Chicago.
though you’re correct in saying that Jeter ain’t an outfielder, more than once, pundits with sharper cred than you or I have suggested that for-the-good-of-the-team, the Yankee captain move to the outfield and A-Fraud return to short. That was before the Yankees invested mucho cash in 32 year old Johnny Damon’s 40 year old arm, however.
Props to Olbermann for yucking it up on the radio today about the likelihood of Steinbrenner insisting on an approach to Sammy Sosa. Who, to be consistent, is no longer a baseball player.