Terry Collins seemed to reach a breaking point back in spring training when he was made aware of Ruben Tejada’s calf strain. “Shocker,” Collins exclaimed sarcastically. Collins took that opportunity to rip the players who were injured and the team’s approach to handling injuries as the team prepared for the season.

At least one member of the Mets medical staff will be replaced this offseason. Adam Rubin reported last night that strength and conditioning coach Brad Andress will not return in 2013. Although you cannot blame all the injuries on the training staff, not every team has faced the rash of injuries that Mets have over the past few seasons. Clearly, a personnel move had to be made in this area. Do you know of any other baseball team’s medical staff that gets booed on Opening Day? Well, it’s happened every year in Flushing since 2010.

Andress has worked as the strength and conditioning coach for the Mets the past two seasons. In that time, major players have spent significant time on the disabled list. Many of those DL stints were longer than initially diagnosed due to the apparent mismanagement of those injuries. Andress worked under head trainer Ray Ramirez who was hired by Willie Randolph prior to the 2005 season. Ramirez has survived the tenures of Willie Randolph, Jerry Manuel, and now Terry Collins. If the injury bug doesn’t leave the Mets this season, it will be time for a medical staff overhaul.

*Andress points and yells at Jeurys Familia (with his pants around his ankles) during 2012 Spring Training – Photo courtesy of Jeff Roberson