Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Since the end of last season, it’s been nothing but soap opera drama between the New York Mets and pitcher Dillon Gee. There’s been incessant trade talk, back and forth moves between the starting rotation and the bullpen, a few less-than-professional words from Gee and several poor performances. But it’s all over now, as the Mets have designated Gee for assignment, which is the right move to make.
The so-called six-man rotation the Mets have tried to employ has not worked with Gee shuffling back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen. Gee wasn’t happy being in the bullpen, and he wasn’t sharp when asked to be a starter. And after his disastrous outing on Sunday, in which he couldn’t get out of the fourth inning, the Mets had to cut Gee loose. With five solid starters and top prospect Steven Matz knocking at the door of the big leagues, Gee was never going to get another chance in the Mets’ rotation, and he was never going to be happy in the bullpen.
Parting ways with Gee will allow the Mets to simplify a complicated and distracting situation. They can move forward with five starters on their roster instead of six, and they can now focus their efforts on trying to find a way to insert Matz into the rotation, even if it’s only for a spot start. Moreover, the Mets no longer have to worry about a disgruntled Gee in the bullpen and wonder how he’ll perform in that unfamiliar role. Even if the Mets can’t find a trade partner for Gee, it’s best to bring clarity to the situation.
As for Gee, either he’ll go to a team that wants him enough to trade for him or he’ll head back to Triple-A to either prove to the Mets that he belongs in their rotation or showcase himself for other teams that may be interested in acquiring him next offseason. In any event, getting away from New York and getting out of the Mets’ clubhouse should be good for Gee, even if he’s not traded and is still a member of the Mets organization.
In a way, it’s sad to see Gee’s tenure with the Mets end up like this after he’s been such an important part of the team during the rebuilding process. But the fact of the matter is that there’s no room for Gee on the Mets pitching staff anymore. Trying to keep him around would have only continued to complicate their rotation, so taking a step towards parting ways with their longtime starter is the right move for the Mets.
Bryan Zarpentine is a New York Mets writer at www.RantSports.com. Like him on Facebook, follow him on twitter @BZarp and add him on Google.
