(above : Mr. Asking-For-It)
Conventional wisdom has it that Mets skipper Terry Collins is the lamest of lame ducks ; saddled with a non-competitive roster and well on his way to a 3rd consecutive losing season in Flushing, only the most delusional person would believe he serves any purpose other than helping the franchise bide their time until whenever ownership can afford a pot to piss in. And with that in mind, perhaps Collins has rightly surmised he’s got nothing to lose. It’s unlikely Sandy Alderson will fire him in mid-season for anything less than ending Johan Santana’s career a second time a capital crime, and this pseudo teflon status has seemingly emboldened Collins to make OF Jordanny Valdespin an etiquette-offending scapegoat.
As you’ve no doubt read elsewhere, Collins nominated Valdespin to pinch hit Saturday with the Mets on the short end of a rout. A night prior, Valdespin interrupted Collins’ slumber during another blowout, this time, styling, profiling and bat-flipping after a meaningless solo HR, an act that must’ve deeply offended the opposition. Prior to Tuesday night’s clash with St. Louis, Collins addressed the widespread perception that he sent Valdespin into Saturday’s game to pinch hit, knowing full well his second-year player would be the target of a purpose pitch. From Metsblog’s Michael Baron :
“I don’t answer to fans. They don’t play this game. They have no idea what goes on in there. They have absolutely no idea what it means to be a professional teammate. … I don’t care what the perception is. All I know is what goes on here. I’ve been doing this for 42 years. I don’t care what anybody on the outside thinks. I know how to get it done in the clubhouse. I’ve been doing it a lot longer than a lot of people.”
Indeed you have, Terry. In 8+ years of big league management, you’ve compiled a winning percentage of .493, and you’re presently tied with me with zero career postseason appearances. Persons quick to call you a charmless, small-minded retread who wouldn’t be working if the Mets could afford another option should stand corrected. You don’t answer to the fans. Obviously, you answer to Clint Hurdle.