During the first five games of the season, the Binghamton Mets have
suffered three critical injuries to their lineup, all of them starters.
Craig Biggio and Chilli Davis are out at least a month, and Benito
Santiago will probably miss the whole season.
Filling in for three starters will be hard. Owner Jason Garnar has
decided that Rookies Ed Thomas and Bob Alvord will platoon at catcher.
Quilio Veras has also been brough up from Triple A to fill in for
Biggio. Garnar has also shuffled the lineup a bit so that Davis, the
opening day DH, can be replaced while his injury re-heals.
Garnar has also gone to a four man pitching rotation, perhaps the best
in the PVBL. Brad Radke, Alan Ashby, Bobby Witt, and Frank Rodriguez
will compose this formidable rotation, while Mark Langston will see some
duty as a spot starter, spelling the other 4.
As for the relievers, who have blown a few games, Garnar will stick
with their present spots, but also made it known that no one in the
bullpen has a permanent fixture, with the exception of Mel Rojas.
Ed Thomas, fresh out of High School, was rushed from the Mets Single A
club in Durham, NC to Binghamton, NY. Bob Alvord, another youngster who
will platoon with Thomas, is happy to help the team out. "Benito is a
great player, but I think Ed and I can adequately fill in", remarked
Alvord.
Remarked Owner Jason Garnar: "We will never give up. These injuries
definetly hurt, but if our starters can keep us in games we have a good
chance to win. It's gonna give the kids a little experience in the big
leagues."
Garnar declined to comment on the recent speculation that certain
individuals in the Vero Beach organization had broken into the Ballpark
in Binghamton and practiced certain voodoo rituals there.
