When was the last time a team cut their Opening Day cleanup hitter just 11 games into the season? Has that ever happened before?
If not, the New York Mets made history on Sunday.
Call it a panic move, call it a move out of desperation, or call it a move just to create some buzz, but the Mets have designated first baseman Mike Jacobs for assignment. In seven games, Jacobs hit .208 with one home run.
“I think we gave him an opportunity,” manager Jerry Manuel said through the Associated Press . “We just felt that we didn’t quite see what we wanted to see.”
I have a question to Manuel and the Mets: What exactly were you expecting to see?
Through seven games Jacobs has put up a .208/.296/.375 hitting line. In 128 games last year with the Kansas City Royals, Jacobs put up a .228/.297/.401 hitting line.
Jacobs is pretty much doing what he did last year with the Royals. What did the Mets think they were getting when they signed him in the first place? The second coming of Keith Hernandez?
This just reaffirms my stance that Jacobs should have never made the Mets in the first place. They had two options coming out of spring training—neither of them were Jacobs.
They should have either gone with Chris Carter or Ike Davis. Pick one. But don’t pick a guy who can’t run, field, or really hit for that matter.
I am calling this a desperate move by a desperate team. You just don’t cut your Opening Day cleanup hitter 11 games into the season unless the panic button already has been hit.
With this move, expect the Mets to call up Davis next week.
Davis is currently hitting .374 with two home runs and a .514 OBP in nine games at Triple A Buffalo this year. Davis will represent hope to the Mets’ fan base and that is what the Mets’ organization is hoping for.
The Mets called up Tobi Stoner to replace Jacobs.
The only reason Stoner was called up was to provide bullpen depth on Sunday night. After going 20 innings on Saturday, the Mets’ bullpen was depleted as you could imagine.
As for Jacobs, he does have options left, so he can accept a minor league assignment.
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