Jon Niese probably regrets these 3 times he criticized the Mets
Left-hander Jon Niese returned to the Mets clubhouse Tuesday for the first time since being reacquired from the Pirates on Monday. And things might have gotten weird.
After being drafted by New York in 2005 and spending the first eight seasons of his major-league career with the Mets, Niese's trade to Pittsburgh this past December was messy. So much so that Mets manager Terry Collins admitted there still might be some tension.
"I think there will be some things that will be addressed," Collins told the Mets’ website in response to the news of Monday’s trade. "There are some guys that are still here that were here last year. … But the job he did in the postseason last year out of the bullpen, I didn't forget. Right now, we need that kind of guy to step up."
Just how many bridges did the 29-year-old lefty set aflame after he cleaned out his Citi Field locker? Here are three quotes, courtesy of the New York Daily News, that he would probably like to take back.
First came the apparent jab at the Mets’ defense after his trade in December:
Then came this veiled shot in January when asked the move to Pittsburgh:
Finally, there was this critique of the Mets’ six-man rotation:
In hindsight, things weren’t so great in Pittsburgh, either — at least not on the mound. In 23 games (18 starts) this season, Niese sports a 4.91 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. That ERA is exactly a full run higher than his cumulative ERA in eight seasons with the Mets.
