Rod Barajas Should Bat Clean-Up

Last night, the Mets ended their five game skid by beating the Braves 3-2. The Mets did something else that they haven't done in a while and that's have their starting pitcher win. The starting pitchers hadn't won a game in the month of May until last night. 

The Mets won despite having Chris Carter as their clean-up hitter and only five hits as a team. David Wright went 0-4, Jose Reyes went 1-4, Gary Matthews, who oddly is still on the team, went 0-3, but it should've been 1-3.

The only player to have a multi-hit game last night, the man who has been the most consistent and has been an RBI machine, coming up with big hits in key moments, Rod Barajas. He went 2-4 with a two-run double last night. Why he has only moved up one spot in the lineup is besides me.

Rod Barajas is batting .273 with 22 RBI's, 9 home-runs, with a .573 Slg. He has done so much more than expected and he has been the most consistent hitter on the team yet he only bats in the 8th spot or 7th as of last night. Why is he not batting clean-up? It makes absolutely no sense at all. The combo of Rod Barajas and Henry Blanco have been great, but I don't think Jerry Manuel is using them right. When Pelfrey was hot and he was pitching to Blanco, I had no problem with having Pelfrey pitch only to Blanco because we all know how sensitive these Met pitchers are. Some times though, it's just ridiculous, if you notice, how Barajas can have a big game, with big hits, and then sit out the next game, but if Gary Matthews gets two hits, he will play the next day.

I understand last year Rod Barajas was over used by the Blue Jays and he didn't get a lot of rest, but you don't pick a spot to rest him the day after he gets three hits, or especially when he is the only guy in the line-up hitting. 

These are just some of the things I don't understand about Jerry Manuel. David Wright most of the time looks like he is standing in the batter's box holding an imaginary bat or something because he just swings through so many pitches, you forget he is indeed holding a bat, yet Jerry doesn't drop him in the lineup. Jason Bay has one homerun and actually has a better average than Barajas, but he's not getting the big hits we thought he would. Putting Jason Bay to bat third may help him, but I think he should bat fifth after Barajas.

Rod Barajas needs to be the clean-up hitter or at least bat him fifth and they need to drop David Wright down in the order. The whole showing favortism towards players is a bit childish to me, I don't think it helps anyone at all, just look at the Red Sox and how they are handling David Ortiz.