The Wisdom of Jerry Manuel (with thanks to Phil Rizzuto)

by Jack Str on Sep 9, 2010 12:47 AM EDT

When asked about Lucas Duda's future with the Mets Jerry Manuel replied as follows. The text is Manuel as quoted by NJ.com at http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2010/09/with_new_faces_around_mets_man.html#incart_mce

In order to highlight various aspects of Manuel's thinking I've taken the liberty of inserting line breaks.

Good question.

Very good question.

I think with what has happened this year,

with where we are as an offensive group,

we seem

to think

that’s where we have fallen short.

I think there has to be a combination of

some defense and

some offense.

We’ve got to find

some offense from

some place.

Consistent offense from

some place.

We’ve got to be more consistent with the offense

in the interior,

as well as the exterior.

It’s just got to be more consistent.

We think,

or feel,

to some degree,

that we have the pieces that fit our ballpark.

When you can put a Jason Bay

out there,

who historically has had great years at this level – 30-some home runs, 100-some ribbies.

Angel Pagan has evolved

and emerged

into a good-looking every-day

player

that you feel good and comfortable about.

You’ve got David Wright, Jose Reyes.

Luis has been in and out.

Now you’re bring along a young Ike Davis.

Josh Thole.

So there are some good pieces

that we have.

Just have to be consistent.

We have some good pieces.

Now, with the kid Duda,

he can make things interesting.

He could really make things interesting.

Because if he comes in here and bangs that baseball

around like people say he can,

shoot,

you might have to find some different combinations out there.

Say, hey,

this thing could fit to some degree,

and what are you willing to give up?

Now, do you change the pitching staff

to one that’s more of a groundball-type pitching staff?

Where you don’t have to chase down fly balls and those types of things.

So there are a lot of things that go into that particular question that the organization,

in going forward,

has to weigh in on a lot of different things,

in bringing up or

bringing in

our young players,

those types of things – and seeing how they fit,

and how they match up against the rest of the National League East.

I mean,

these guys are bringing in a young player like Heyward.

Some say the guy tonight, the first baseman, Freeman, is the best player in the International League.

So that’s two tremendous young players that this franchise is going to be facing for the

next how-many-ever years.

And whomever is sitting in this seat, or whatever, will be facing for the

next whatever years.

So you’ve got to be able to match that,

somehow.

So you’ve got to either think

in the term of the ballpark,

in the term of the division

and see what’s the best way to combat or to remain competitive.

Especially in your own division – because that’s who you play all the time.

So that’s a good question.

I think sometimes it’s difficult to evaluate in September.

September and spring training.

But if you feel like you’re in a pennant race,

or you’re facing pennant-contending teams,

then that’s not a bad time to evaluate.”

Indeed.

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Comments

Dude...Fix....

A lot f HTML blather up front. It’s happened to me. Usually a matter of making sure everything is above the jump and previewing the product before publishing…

by MookieTheCat on Sep 9, 2010 1:26 AM EDT reply actions

I think it's safe to assume that this HTML blather is a part of Jerry's thinking.

Proud supporter of a New York baseball team and a Boston football team. Yeah, deal with it!

by R_Adragna on Sep 9, 2010 1:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah....

Before posting that I was thinking that it’s almost like an Andy Kaufman internet performance. Then I found the Jerry Syphillis line and fell in love with that.

by MookieTheCat on Sep 9, 2010 1:32 AM EDT up reply actions

You fell in love with syphilis?

by JoshNY on Sep 10, 2010 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Heh, that's exactly what I was thinking.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Sep 9, 2010 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions

That said...

Reading the line by line Manuel I had 2 thoughts:
1. This is poetic, much like the Manuel Ozymandius, if Manuel had no sense.
2. Clearly Jerry has no sense, as he is speaking as a man who might be here next year. He is baseball syphilis in the age of antibiotics. His time is limited, though he causes sores, pain, and to those with morals lost opportunity during his tenure.

by MookieTheCat on Sep 9, 2010 1:30 AM EDT reply actions