New York Mets

Mets revert to 5-man rotation, demote disgruntled Gee to the 'pen

Published Jun. 8, 2015 5:32 a.m. ET

foxsports

It didn't last very long, but the New York Mets are already ditching their six-man rotation, which was originally enacted to preserve the young arms on their staff.

The move was made official on Saturday when former starter Dillon Gee was demoted to a spot in the bullpen.

Gee, who recently returned from the disabled list for the Mets, was unabashedly discontent with the decision made by manager Terry Collins.

"This is kind of like not good for anybody," Gee said, making reference to the Mets' crowded bullpen and his inexperience as a reliever. "I felt like any value, if I had any at all before this, it's probably gone. What am I going to do out of the 'pen? I just felt like there's really not a whole lot of good that comes from it."

In his first and only start after returning from the disabled list, Gee was knocked around by the San Diego Padres, giving up eight hits and four earned runs in a shortened four-inning outing.

In six starts with the Mets this season, the 29-year-old righty is 0-3 with a 4.46 earned run average.

Although there's no getting around the relegation aspect of the move, Collins is counting on Gee to hold his weight in the bullpen.

"He's fought so many obstacles ever since I've been a New York Met," Collins said of Gee, who has spent all of his six years in the majors with the Mets. "The strange injuries that have occurred in his career, he's fought through them and he's made himself a very good Major League pitcher. Right now, I need him to be a very good Major League relief pitcher."

Gee was disillusioned by the move, and seemed to take it quite personally.

"I'm almost at the point now where I don't even care anymore," he said. "I'm kind of just over it all. I'm going to do the best I can out of the 'pen now."