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Matthew Cerrone

News: Wise is Unavailable
By Matthew Cerrone - Apr 7, 2008 9:07 am

Matt Wise will be unavailable to pitch during the next few days due to a stiff right forearm, which an MRI revealed to have no structural damage.

Wise has not pitched since the second game of the season.

…if wise does not pitch in the next day or so, and then still can’t go, it would be wise to put him on the disabled list and get another body up to Shea for help, such as Brian Stokes

…yes, pun intended…sorry, i couldn’t help myself

speaking of the pen, i was under the impression that willie would go right at it with his bullpen this season, operating with specific roles almost immediately…this does not appear to be the case…again, it seems like willie is testing pitchers, which i am not totally against…i understand the logic: in order to know who is capable of what role later in the year, he must test them now…i didn’t think that would occur again this season…and it is…so, i need to be aware of this when he repeatedly uses who i perceive to be the wrong reliever in a curious spot…

15 Responses to “News: Wise is Unavailable”

  1. Danny says:

    Yeah, the testing pitchers and throwing away games thing worked out great last year.

    Burgos left in to face Howard against Philly!

    Schoeneweis left in to face Renteria against Atlanta!

    And so on…

    How many games did we lose the division by last year?

    • Cerrone says:

      Well, it’s not like Willie is the only manager to do this. They all do it. It’s mostly why no team ends up with the same exact bullpen that they start with. They try things, adjust and rework it.

      I was under the impression that the team had a good idea of who could do what, though. So, I’m not sure why this method is necessary for the Mets, right now.

      But, time will tell.

      • Danny says:

        How many new arms are in the bullpen though, Matt? Wise? Who else?

        Haven’t they been tested enough? These pitchers are weird, flaky animals that love defined roles and seem to thrive on them.

        • mikey_FF says:

          If Willie doesn’t know what his bullpen guys can do yet, and still needs to test them … something is terribly wrong.

      • miker94 says:

        sure they all do it now, but the key is that towards the allstar break, roles have developed. but not for willie, even into the last week of the season last year he was “experimenting,” or going with his, “gut.” big mistake. figure it out early and let’s get some roles here willie!

  2. Tidewater says:

    What does he need to test? Isn’t Wise the only arm he’s unfamiliar with?

  3. extrawhitemeat says:

    I love how the Willie approval rating is down like 20 something percent.. I dunno how this guy still has a job… you don’t do a job well.. you get fired…

    He doesn’t do his job well…

  4. kingrw says:

    i am personally tired of the “testing” of the bullpen.

    IMO it is a cleezy excuse he uses when his bad decisions cost the mets a game.

    IMO in 2008 the manager of a major league team has to make in game decisions that gives the team the BEST chance to SUCCEED. that means bringing in a lefty to face a lefty when you have one waiting in the pen.

    It also means that when you want you batter not to bunt, or steal third, THEY DO NOT DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!

    saying you thought it was a bad idea after the fact is NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!!!!!!

  5. dave27 says:

    How many times does Heilman get to re-take the 8th inning test? He’s like that kid who was 17 in 9th grade.

    • extrawhitemeat says:

      Better yet.. how many trades did we NOT make because we hold on to this guy….

      • Agbayanitodeepleftcenter says:

        Why does everyone hate Heilman so much? He was one of the best set-up men in baseball last year and the year before. So he gave up a two run homer yesterday! Big Deal!

        Last I looked we lost yesterday because Pagan didn’t take the right route on a fly ball, we can’t seem to drive anybody in when he’s in scoring position and this team can never seem to figure out Smoltz at Turner field.

        The only reason that ball went out was because 20 mph winds carried it and even then it was about 6 inches from Church’s glove.

        Listen I know he gave up the 2-run shot to Molina in Game 7 two years ago but move on. The Mets offense lost that series. How can you not be able to hit Suppan or Wevear in 4 games?

        Aaron Heilman has done a brilliant job for us and, contrary to what the media tells us, he has not complained out loud once about his role. At least he was there for us in 2006 and 2007 unlike someone who went out at 2:00 am for “food” and then was lazy in rehabing his shoulder last year.

        • gomets019 says:

          Its been said a sure sign of insanity is to keep doing the same damaging things to yourself over and over and expecting a different result.I love Heilman. His overall numbers look great at the end of each year. He gets a lot of key holds for us. The problem is when he is called upon to hold the eighth against the Phillies, Braves, Yanks, or any team in the playoffs. To continue “testing him” vs. the Phils and Braves is UNACCEPTABLE. I don’t care who is or isn’t available or who is on the dl. I’d even be cool with him starting some games. His value as a set up guy on a championship team is greatly overestimated. Minaya is partly to blame for bringing back the same group that blew it last year, but I believe it may be time to FREE WILLY. Its not that I think Willie is a complete idiot or that he shouldn’t be managing or anything crazy, but he is clearly the wrong guy at the wrong time for this team. He doesn’t motivate THIS team. He doesn’t seem to understand pitching changes and double switches, he loves the crippled veterans a little too much, he seems to let his ego get in the way too much. North Carolina’s coach said he walked into the locker room after losing to Kansas and apologized to his team for being outcoached. He was sincere and you could feel his pain. Same way you could with Bobby V endured tough times when he was the Skipper of the Mets. Willie’s answer to the collapse was “I wish my guys wanted to win as much as I do”. Defensive, stubborn, and just a little pathetic. I think this team would respond immediately to a coaching change. Isn’t Gary Carter Managing in the minor leaugue system somewhere??

  6. deport_liberals says:

    OK, so how bad CAN the Mets be in the first half to get Willie FIRED and yet still allow enough leeway to rebound and make the playoffs?

    I’m sick of him already.

  7. Nate W. says:

    Sosa against Johnson is bad managing plain and simple. I would rather have Feliciano againt whatever righty PH they could put up there.

    If Wise isnt available when Pelfrey starts on Wednesday, and neither will Figueroa because he will be starting on Friday… then they will need another arm in the pen. I could get ugly without decent starts from both of them. By decent I mean less than a quality start but not getting knocked out in the 3rd inning.

    • ExileInLA says:

      If Wise still isn’t available by Wednesday, then it’s a week without him and it’s worth DL’ing him retroactively.

      But Sosa has to be the first man up behind both Pelf & Fig — which means Sosa sits out Tuesday (Ollie) & Thursday (Maine). Between them, they need to take us thru 6 innings. That means the pen those days is really 5 arms: Show, Smith, Feliciano, Heilman & Wagner.

      In other words, if our top starters pitch deep, we’re fine. If they don’t, then we’re in trouble. Basic baseball…