Mets’ unwavering devotion to Daniel Vogelbach is getting ridiculous
Just when you thought the Mets’ insistence on employing embattled designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach could not become any more confounding, the Amazins find a way.
Daniel Vogelbach has been receiving a mental break of sorts.
In an attempt to get the struggling DH on track, Mets brass late last week decided to essentially play a man short for a stretch until Vogelbach can get his swing right, according to sources.
Vogelbach, 30, last played last Wednesday in Atlanta and wasn’t considered as a pinch-hitting option late, including in the Mets’ 7-6 loss to the Yankees on Tuesday.
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The Mets have lost nine of their last 10 games and they are willingly shortening their bench for a platoon player who makes $1.5 million this year and is four-for-his-last-44? And is batting just over .200 this season? And cannot run or field? It defies all logic.
We figured the decision to let the light-hitting Luis Guillorme hit in the ninth inning Tuesday was manager Buck Showalter sending a message: If the front office won’t get rid of this guy, I will effectively do it myself. Similar to what we think the Yankees’ Aaron Boone may have done during last year’s Subway Series when he let Joey Gallo flop in a big spot. But to now know this is an actual organizational strategy? It’s bizarre.
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James Kratch can be reached at james.kratch@xlmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @jameskratch.
James Kratch is a veteran sports reporter and editor. He currently reports on the youth sports industry for Buying Sandlot and was previously ESNY's managing editor. Before that he spent a decade at NJ Advance Media (The Star-Ledger and NJ.com), where he covered high school sports, the Giants and Rutgers.
