Omar Turns to Trot to deal with Biblical Disaster; Photo Essay Part I

Omar Minaya would probably deny it, but Trot Nixon was brought in yesterday to do more than answer some questions for Ryan Church in the off-chance the later ever plays again. Known for his hustle, defense, chronic injuries, and personal relationship with Jesus, former Red Sox and Indian Trot Nixon is just the guy for this troubled clubhouse:

Trot uses the camaraderie of the clubhouse to share the gospel with his teammates -- no matter how strange the request.
"They say, 'Run off to chapel and tell God to allow me to get a couple hits.' I've had guys joke about that, and I say, 'Why don’t you come to chapel, sit there in the back, listen to what our chaplain has to say and maybe talk to God a little one-on-one. Some people get quiet, change the subject real quick because I believe they know that’s what they should be doing. That’s what they’re yearning for. They just don’t know how to do it."

Although (if he sticks) Nixon's zealotous agenda and funny name will provide ample grist for the blog, I am still uncomfortable with overt religious proselytizing in sports. Let's leave that to John Smoltz, who praise the lord, now has plenty of time on his hands. However, I am now more than ever willing to try anything.

New Met Trot Nixon brings his personal relationship with this man to the table.

And, although I'm a separation of church and plate kind of guy who is concerned with the presence of Christian proselytizing in the proper realm of the Baseball Gods, it seems to me that at least Trot seems to be capable of understanding the team's position as Satan's whipping doll:

"You have a lot of ups and downs. You battle yourself, you go to the depths, and you know that Christ is there for us. But Satan's really beating down on you. I'm not here to question what God does, because He has a purpose and a reason for everything that He does in this world for each of us."

This season's Book of Johan has indeed read much like the Book of Job and we need some answers quick. While turning to Jesus instead of Billy Wagner might be a good idea, I still have my doubts. After what I witnessed in person Tuesday night in my farewell tour to Shea, I'd say it is unclear how god feels about this team. Tied 5-5 with the Diamondbacks, the wind began to whip papers and dirt from the construction site into the friendly confines of Shea--I took it as a visible sign of His displeasure. As papers and debris whipped around Shea, I became sure it was End Times (not to be confused with Endy Time) for the Mets and looked for the plague of locusts and rain of frogs.

A holy haze moves into Shea.

Instead what I got was an hour delay and $10-20 million of Mets bullpen relievers running out on the field to secure the tarp with the grounds crew, apparently in an effort to prove that "Blowing Games" did not exhaust their job descriptions. It was the most ill-advised thing I'd seen since Ryan Church risked permanant neurological damage to take some meaningless pinch hits. Some nerve Countrytime and Showenblow have, staining the last well-run division of Sterling enterprises with their taint.

Truth be told, Wags and Blow aren't that much better at this job.

To be continued...