A Bench of Worthlessness

Someone has to be the worst player on the team. It's a fact of life. Not everyone will be an All Star slugger and no team has a guy that can hit .300 as the last resort in an extra inning game.

The issue is the Mets seem to have a bench full of them.

In last night's disappointing loss, the worthlessness of the Mets bench was fairly evident. This should sum it up for you in a nutshell. In the most important moment of the game with a chance to win it on one swing, the Mets decided to pinch hit for a guy batting .205 for a guy batting .050. The lesser of two evils? Perhaps. The results was a hard luck ball that might have been a base hit under other circumstances, but the point is would the outcome have been any different if another bench player was available? I don't think so.

The Mets are a depleted bunch right now with Ike Davis being hurt and David Wright soon to be on the DL so some may defend that the team is at the end of the talent pool. Possibly, but I'd argue that these bench players have been on the roster since Opening Day and have given no reason for us to want them to stay.

Think about it. Brad Emaus was the starting second baseman. He is horrible. So Murphy steps in. Davis gets hurt. Murphy moves to first and the Mets neglect Hu, who made the Opening Day roster, and instead turn to Justin Turner who has been great. Hu rightfully should have been given the shot, but Collins knows that Hu is worthless. And so finally today they put him out of his misery and send him to the minors.

But Hu isn't the scapegoat here. Scott Hairston and Willie Harris have been just as worthless. Again, both of these guys are on the Opening Day roster. Pagan gets hurt. Instead of turning to either Harris or Hairston, they call up Jason Pridie who know is the every day center fielder.

Both Hairston and Harris have been abysmal at the plate. Hairston is giving me flashbacks of Jeff Franceour and Willie Harris is this year's Gary Matthews, Jr.

Ruben Tejada has been called up and I like that move, but what is with the Mets hatred of poor Nick Evans? The kid can play either corner infield or outfield position and for the most part has done more at the plate in the majors than either Hairston or Harris.

In any case the Mets bench is bad. So bad you wish you had Fernando Tatis back. I understand the need to let young guys play every day and that veterans are more suited to coming off the bench cold. But when the Mets are in such roster flux right now and there are platoons at more than 3 positions, that argument should go out the window.

Let the kids play. Bring me Nick Evans.