Jerry Manuel started his Interim managerial career with the Mets by banging his head against  defeat and  petulance.

Reyes' feathers were ruffled by Jerry's decision to substitute the player after complaining of stiffness in his left hamstring which might have stoked up discontent in the Mets' dugout last night. Indeed, in a global frame of mind, a manager is not the most sociable person in a team since he is the man who must put his foot down when things are getting out of hands but there again he is the man who carries the can when the team is not doing so well. Nevertheless, the players must be made aware that the manager's job does not encompass cleaning up after them nor wipe their noses and take nonsense from them. Indeed, Jerry Manuel needs to take time out to nip problems, which may arise, in the bud before they become issues since it is about what the team wants and what it needs and therefore, one person's single-mindedness is not a huge asset to the team as the team's togetherness is far more important than the individuality of a player. On a different subject, it must be said that Johan Santana, for once, did not have the best of day yesterday on the mound since he was hit at will by an inspired host of Angels which did not have much respect for Santana's fast pitch or slow mean changer. The final score was 6 - 1 to the Angels.

P.Figueras

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