Wednesday’s Mets-Marlins game was postponed late Tuesday night due to the impending effects of Hurricane Ida, but even without taking the field, a storm brewed around the team with the news that acting GM Zack Scott had been arrested on suspicion of DWI.
Scott was placed on administrative leave by the Mets on Thursday, leaving team president Sandy Alderson to take over the reins as GM, and when asked about the whole situation before Thursday’s game, Mets manager Luis Rojas was transparent about how the team has handled the situation and how it has trickled down to the players.
“Sandy connected with us really early. He came to the ballpark and talked to the coaching staff and performance staff, and he did say that he will be more present as he assumes the GM role,” Rojas said. “We see him every now and then, because he’s been more on the business side, but now we may see him more physically.”
After a week that saw Thumbs Down-gate, among other things, there’s a lot of chaos around the organization. However, Rojas noted it was important for everyone to get in front of this situation, because the most important thing is winning as many of the team’s final 30 games as possible.
“We want to do our jobs, and that’s why we connect and talk. Whenever one of these unfortunate events happen, we connect because we are always working,” Rojas said. “We don’t focus on the past, today is the most important day and that’s where we keep it at. That was Sandy’s message, and that was my message to the team.”
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And indeed, Rojas said that he has had a lot of team meetings about chaotic off-field events this year, but it’s an important part of his job as manager.
“Every time something unfortunate like this happens, we have to connect and talk about it. Everyone has the ability to talk and be honest so we can contain things, and make sure we’re focusing on what we’re supposed to be focusing on,” Rojas said. “We have to stay in the present at all times.
Today is where all our energy and focus should be at.”
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