The Mets Can't Hit And Can't Pitch But They Sure Can Fire People

The Mets made a rare double-switch today when they released 11-year veteran pitcher Jose Valverde and axed their hitting coach.

The right-handed reliever coughed up 4 runs in less than an inning in a 5-3 loss to the Pirates. His time with the Mets was brief, so it was fitting that the Mets' announcement of the move was, as well:

Dave Hudgens, the coach who just got fired on a national holiday, had been with the club for four seasons, and we use the term "club" here liberally. The Mets were 14th in the National League in slugging percentage and 12th in batting average. They batted .237 as a team last year, and were 10th in the NL in average before that, and at a certain point what the hell do you do, because you can't pink-slip all the players, anyway there would always be more to replace them, all wearing Mets uniforms and Metsing about.

Photo credit of Valverde leaving the mound today: AP