The Mets get disgraced reliever Guillermo Mota back for tonight's game against the Giants. In a case of unfortunate timing, the club had no choice but to summon him immediately from Triple-A New Orleans once his 50-game suspension was up. Sharing the media crosshairs with Barry Bonds this week at Shea is not an ideal situation for Mota, regardless of his apology.
If Mota gets in tonight's game, and there's a good chance he will, the crowd reaction should be interesting. Bonds was booed loudly last night, interspersed with the expected "Barry S----" chants. As for Mota, I'm not sure what the statute of limitations is. Mota is not the only former steroid user in the majors, just one of the few that has been caught. He apologized, did his time according to league policy, and now is making the most of his second chance.
Mota was a Mets villain before last season's trade because of his beanball episodes with Mike Piazza, one of the most popular players in franchise history. But I have a sense the fans are ready to forgive this latest offense. Unless, of course, Mota can't get anybody out. Then it's open season on him, steroids or not.
Comments (2)
David Lennon: We Met fans are always ready to forgive people.
For example, we are almost completely willing to forgive you for being a Met basher.
Almost.
Baseball fans are suddenly realizing this... folks like Guillermo Mota are small potatoes. There was a gentleman who was arraigned in San Francisco, who apparently is the "Holy Grail" of the illegal steroid industry.
He is compelled by the court to divulge names.
Those names are reported to be major mlb players.
Nobody cares about the little fish in the pond.
Only a true Met hater would talk about Mota ( a journeyman bullpen guy) when in the Bronx, a fella making 20 million a year has never "publically" admitted EXACTLY what he did or took.
Time to be fair.