Injuries Continue to Ravage the New York Mets

Charlie Klein

In the film Groundhog Day, Bill Murray plays a local TV meteorologist from a Pittsburgh station, where he goes out to cover Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania. Eventually he discovers that he is continually re-living the same day with the same events and only he is aware of past events.

Similarly, Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel experienced a similar phenomena in 2009 as star player after star player got injured over the course of the season. Manuel and Minaya begin 2010 in a similar fashion.

Carlos Beltran, the team's everyday center fielder, will start the season on the disabled list following a delayed surgical operation on his right knee that had been bothering him throughout most of 2009. Most Mets fans will remember that Beltran finished 2009 on the disabled list, and the delayed surgery occurred around January 13 of this year. Really makes one wonder what is going on over in Flushing these days and more importantly, who is in charge anymore.

Beltran is not the only key player out with an injury. Jose Reyes has been the talk of spring training, and particularly in regards to his health. At first he was healthy, then he had a thyroid problem, then he was healthy again, and now he has another thyroid issue. As I heard Buster Olney bleat multiple times on ESPN, according to Alex Cora, now the opening day shortstop for the Mets, Reyes is the most important player in the Mets lineup and that his energy is central in their hopes to make the playoffs this season.

And it appears as though Reyes only has one way to play, and that is to the nth degree. He slid into second base yesterday on a double when he was specifically told not to. Reyes has his own way of playing the game which has been what makes Mets fans sing Jose at Citi Field and what also frustrates Mets management.

One can also throw Mets opening day first baseman Daniel Murphy on the disabled list too. He has been listed on the disabled list with a Grade 1 knee sprain. Murphy suffered the injury in a rundown on Tuesday in a spring training game against the Cardinals. According to Minaya Murphy's injury now makes room for Mike Jacobs on the roster.

In the film Groundhog Day, when Murray's character shares what's going on with his producer Rita, she suggests that he use his situation in order to better himself. He is successful in this endeavor and manages to help as many people around him as possible on this version of Groundhog Day.

Hopefully the Wilpon family will reach a similar conclusion and attempt to help all Mets fans by dismissing Minaya and Manuel for good. Only then can the cycle of failed promises and injuries truly end in Flushing.