Roles Change for Curtis Granderson, Jose Valverde
A reasonably major shakeup for the Mets on Sunday, as they have removed both Curtis Granderson from the cleanup spot and Jose Valverde as the closer.
Granderson will bat second Sunday against the Braves. The Mets big winter acquisition is batting just .140 with a homer and four RBIs this season. He has also struck out 19 times. Terry Collins said Granderson has batted second before in his career and had success in the spot, so hopefully that can help him.
Curtis Granderson twice had the chance to be a hero on Saturday, but in the eighth inning with two on he popped out and in the ninth he struck out in a similar situation. Each time he heard boos as he walked back to the dugout.
Daniel Murphy will bat cleanup on Sunday, but that is obviously not a long-range solution. Collins said he did not want to put Lucas Duda in the spot because it might be too overwhelming for poor sensitive Lucas, what with just finally earning the first base job and all. Sigh.
Valverde was a much less ballyhooed signing this winter. He had a strong spring and when Bobby Parnell went down with injury, he was named closer. Valverde impressed early but in his last three appearances, he has allowed four home runs.
“I’m never disappointed,” Valverde told ESPN New York after Collins informed him of the decision. “If I’m not doing my job, someone else has to do it.”
Kyle Farnsworth will replace Valverde as closer.
i seriously have such a passionate hate for lucas duda, and very little of it is his fault. “he’s too sensitive?” the guy makes millions every year to play a game, are you kidding me? if he can’t hack it then find someone better, they spend so much money scouting these guys yet can’t make simple decisions. if you’ve seen enough to anoint him the starter and trade away your best plan 1a, then at least go all in with it to see what you have. i’m not a duda fan, which is especially why i don’t want to see his situation dragged out like ike’s was, but if he can contribute then i’m all for it. but enough of the babying already, the guy’s 28 and he’s bigger than 95% of the team but he has the psyche of a 10 year old girl
just to clarify most of my anger here is with the mets and not duda, but he’s the subject. the mets do this with all their prospects too, they don’t want to overexpose them, but they want to develop them, but they get stuck in between and never do what’s best for anyone because they want everyone to work out perfectly