Huh?! Collin McHugh Sent Back to Buffalo

So much for making one of the best major league debuts in Mets history — on Friday the Mets sent Collin McHugh back down to Buffalo, another brilliant move by genius GM Sandy Alderson.

The Mets needed to reinstate Jeremy Hefner from the paternity list, and somehow they decided that McHugh should be the odd man out (yet Manny Acosta remains on the roster. Go figure).

All McHugh did on Thursday was pitch seven shutouts innings, allowing just two hits and striking out nine. I guess that 0-2 at the plate did him in.

Mets Blog reports that Terry Collins explained the move by saying that Monday’s off day allows the team to revert back to a five-man rotation, and they didn’t want McHugh to sit around on the bench without pitching. Collins promised McHugh would be back in the rotation when the rosters expand after September 1.

That all makes sense, but what kind of message does that send — pitch one of the best games of the season, get a ticket to the minors.

Why not leave McHugh in the rotation and skip Chris Young? His surgically repaired shoulder could probably use the extra rest, and besides, the Mets are trying to figure out if McHugh fits into their future. Chris Young and his 37 mile an hour fastball certainly do not.

The Mets are not going anywhere. The post-season dream is over. At this point fans would much rather see the exciting young McHugh try to succeed, and possibly even fail, than suffering though five Chris Young innings, only to watch the inevitable collapse in the sixth.

Is it any wonder why the Mets are such a joke?