Yes, the Mets’ are suffering from injury issues in a bad way but has it come to this?
Manager Jerry Manuel is considering using pitcher Livan Hernandez as a position player if other options don’t present themselves.
In the meantime, the Mets will have to get by with just three position players on their bench. They could release Tim Redding to make room for another position player, but if they don’t, Manuel said he could use Livan Hernandez as a pinch hitter or a corner infielder if he runs out of options on the bench.
Hernandez certainly can handle himself with the bat and has done so throughout his career. He has a career batting average of .229 with 9 homeruns. In 2004, the year he won the Silver Slugger award, he collected 10 rbis.
Livan is up to the task:
I want to do it," Hernandez said. "That’s my dream — to play one day at one position. I’ll play anywhere."
That said, injuries and all, I can’t imagine there’s not a better solution. I know one APBA manager in my APBA league who’s paying rapt attention, though.