Montero on notice

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Howie mentioned last night that Terry is expected to visit St Lucie on the offday and check in on rehabbers like Blevins and Montero. Howie suggests the org has grown impatient with Montero and terry is likely to "go up one side of him and down another" noting that the team could have used his help as a reliever or spot starter by now.

[Edgy MD]

That's cool. I've always thought it would be a good idea to give the manager a series off twice per season, to go down and visit the minor league clubs, develop opinions about guys who might be joining him soon, and talk directly with the minor league coaches as they watch the players work out and play. The team, meanwhile, gets the fresh air of a new voice in the dugout as the bench coach takes over for three days.

It also gives the bench coach a brief high profile and adds a little experiential learning to his r�sum� to talk about in his interviews the next winter.

The idea that it's out there and known that a main part of the agenda is to dress down Montero makes things seem very leaky. Perhaps intentionally, in this case.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I didn't hear Howie, but why would a player drag his feet
in rehab when he could be back in the bigs? Riding around on
buses in Florida everyday versus being in a penant race and
living rather luxiourisly in comparison should be incentive
enough if he's ready to rock?

I'd like to see Terry do a dance up a guy's one side and down
another though just for entertainment value.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

LETTIM HAVE IT, TERRY TAKING TIME HEALING IZ 4 PUSSIEZ1!!!1!

Sandy's just annoyed he wasn't fully flippable a week ago, I bet. When has this team been in need of a spot start since he's been hurt?

[Edgy MD]

Believe me, that tone is SO out there. This nice little run has awakened a lot of sleeping mooks.

[Centerfield]

One reason could be he is collecting a major league salary during the time he is on the DL. Who knows.

Can't imagine any kid would rather stay in Florida when the big leagues are knocking.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

RE: Mook-age... Just going by the folks I saw in my neighborhood/on the train this weekend, I have NEVER before seen this many Met hats on dudes with neck tats.

Think this may be a get-a-load-of-this leak from someone who DOESN'T like the tone of internal, Montero-related conversation?

[TransMonk]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Howie suggests the org has grown impatient with Montero and terry is likely to "go up one side of him and down another" noting that the team could have used his help as a reliever or spot starter by now.

Gary and Ron also talked about this using the same quote during last night's telecast.

Having an off day between Miami and TB is another schedule quirk that could work out to be beneficial for the Mets if it allows Terry to look Montero in the eye in PSL and motivate him.

[Edgy MD]

Wright also heading to PSL after the Miami series. So he can be Montero's rehab buddy. Although Mitsubishi should be moving up to Bingo or Vegas soon enough, I imagine.

[dgwphotography]

As Greg's partner reminded us on twitter:

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/baseballinsider/jenrry-mejia-ready-reclaim-phenom-status-ny-mets-blog-entry-1.1642667

That might read like a boast, but he said it with glee, not swagger. After posting a 5.62 ERA last September, then missing most of the first half this year with discomfort in his forearm and elbow (he needs offseason surgery, but does not consider it major), Mejia seemed cooked for good. And, according to organizational sources, he had Frank Francisco advising him to stay in Port St. Lucie and collect his big league D.L. money, rather than work to return and be optioned to the minors.

While this doesn't mention Montero (it is 2 years old), the Frank Francisco cancer runs deep.

[Edgy MD]

I tend to think the culture of the closer brings out the worst in folks' character.

[Zvon]

If the doctors say they can't find anything wrong with his arm at this point, and that's what I've read they're saying, then Montero is playing games. Maybe there's more than meets the eye here. Maybe he's just as stupid as Mejia.

[Edgy MD]

I'm hesitant to go from zero to stupid.

[Ceetar]

Rehab's a quirky thing. I imagine Terry's going up there to be the tough love guy to try to motivate a rehab. Rehab is tough from what I understand, hard work, pain, a little gun shy about re-injuring yourself. Sometimes that fine line between pushing hard enough to get better and pushing too hard and hurting yourself again is tough to navigate ,especially for pitchers.

I don't know Montero's specific issue, I almost feel like the Mets themselves were dragging their feet early because of a cramped rotation.

[Edgy MD]

Two scoreless innings yesterday from a clearly Terryfied Montero.