Time For Manuel and Minaya To Manage Effectively

I always found it interesting that in the amateur ranks, from Little League to college, the head man of a baseball team is a 'coach.' In the pros, he's a 'manager.' The lead man in the dugout has to be part strategist, part pop psychologist, massaging psyches and meshing 25 diverse personalities into 1 baseball team.

Let's face it, perception has it that Jerry Manuel has not done a great job of 'managing' the NY Mets lately. GM Omar Minaya isn't exactly burning the candle at both ends either.

Manuel chucked, dived and guffawed his way through Mike Francesa's WFAN show today. By the way, 'The Pope' of NY Sports Talk sure didn't beat the drums with Manuel on air as he did Monday afternoon. Like why he pinch hit for Daniel Murphy the other night and then didn't use Jose Reyes to pinch hit. By the way, Manuel was adamant on WFAN that Reyes is not 'lazy', but just doesn't 'focus.' Well, with the talent he has and money you're paying him, get Jose some treatment for Attention Deficit Disorder and have him channel his abilities on the field. A big league team cannot make some of the blunders that Reyes, Murphy and Ryan Church have made the last few days.

Manuel chirped on the radio that the club will be taking extra infield. What a novel concept-asking big leaguers to do some extra work. As of tonight, Daniel Murphy will be the first baseman. The Mets have talked about this for a while. It's about time. After all, Jeremy Reed, who hasn't played first base since the early days of the Bush administration, ain't Keith Hernandez out there. Reed is AN OUTFIELDER by trade. Hey, here's a novel thought: Use Reed exclusively as a defensive replacement in the outfield ONLY. Perhaps Mauel missed the bio that Jay Horwitz put out when Reed joined the team. It is as much Manuel's fault as any that Reed and Murphy have made costly errors the last two days. Why? Because a manager's job is to give his team the best chance to win, and Manuel, even with the team as constituted-and he hasn't done that.

While we're at it: Jerry-grab a sit down with Ryan Church and settle whatever issue you have. YES, you were upset with Church the other night, but you have been soft on Reyes' lack of hustle. Whatever Church did to reserve a spot in Chateau Bow Wow, he plays each day, he's played through concussions and medical botchups by the team. Mend fences and move on. Jerry, you haven't been here long enough, and haven't won anything here. You have no fallback credibility like Joe Torre.

Here's another idea: GO GET a bat! I failed to mention Cleveland's Mark DeRosa the other day-he can play 4 positions and he can hit. Omar, where are you? With Carlos Delgado gone, this team has less pop than a 4th of July sparkler. Get someone under 36 years old who can hit THIS season.

Now, I grant you, the Omar and Jerry Show isn't responsible for guys not hitting in the clutch, making errors or leaving guys on base. But the, indiviudually and collectively, are not giving the team its best opportunity to win,