Free David Wright

I know Willie's making a career out of doing things outside of the box, things like pitching Koo in the ninth inning or playing Chris Woodward in rightfield. While these moves have found varying levels of success (or failure), Willie has found a group of people to applaud these wacky moves simply because he's not doing what every other manager would do. I have to admit, I find myself in this group as well, simply because I had grown tired of Art Howe's way of managing over the past two years. With absolutely everything by the book, I'd find myself screaming at the television set for some originality.

The problem with a lot of originality is that you begin to expect it a lot more often. Particularly in the lineup. Particularly when runs are not being scored because of it.

Namely, Doug Mientkiewicz.

I don't like the Reyes move, but I get it. Reyes is faster than sound on the bases, and it seems like a deep fly can score him from first sometimes. So, while his on-base percentage dwindles around Mo Vaughn's weight, at least we know that if he is on base he has a better than most chance of scoring.

But if the only reasons Doug Mientkiewicz continues to take up space in the sixth spot because he had the good luck of being born lefthanded and/or eight years earlier than David Wright, then that's not "Out of the Box" thinking. That's just stupid.

Last night, with the bases loaded in the first inning, Mientkiewicz (the very same Mientkiewicz who preached patience at the plate to Jose Reyes on ESPN three weeks ago), promptly struck out on four pitches -- one of which was somewhere near the vicinity of the plate. The next inning, David Wright hit what would have been a two RBI single.

I know that looking at a lineup and seeing Switch-Righty-Switch-Lefty-Righty-Lefty-Righty-Switch is pretty cool. But, in my personal opinion, scoring runs is even cooler. Douggie M, for all his gold glove work at first, is still sucking wind with a batting average of .213. That's no mistyping. .213.

Willie, I'm begging you, there is no reason Doug should be hitting sixth. If you really feel the need to stick with this order you've set up for yourself, at least put Matsui sixth and hit Mientkiewicz eighth. And if Zambrano is pitching, you could even let Mientkiewicz hit ninth.

But for all the runs he's saving on the field, he's sending them right back by his non-production.