Don't Blame Jeurys Familia's Brutal Performances Entirely on Mickey Callaway

Mickey Callaway has come under fire by the Mets fan base and for good reason. A season in which the New York Mets were expected to compete for a wide open division title has (yet again) gone sour prematurely and most of the criticism has fallen on the New York skipper for his seemingly continuous errors and apathetic press conferences.

One aspect of Callaway's managerial strategy which has been a topic of discussion is the way he utilizes his bullpen - Jeurys Familia to be specific. Familia has underperformed consistently this season, shown by his abysmal 5.60 ERA and 13/18 K/BB, and Callaway has taken the bulk of the heat.

But why?

Yes, Familia has been awful, and yes, Callaway deserves some of the blame for how often he sends Familia to the mound. But why isn't more of the fault going to Mets' rookie GM Brodie Van Wagenen or Familia himself?

After all, Callaway has shown potential to manage at an MLB level. It hasn't all been negative, though that's what people focus on when a team is in freefall.

All in all, Familia has been awful. He is miles away from being the elite reliever he was in the 2015 regular season, which is why the Mets dealt him to Oakland anyway. Blame Callaway for Familia's high inning count, but don't blame him for Familia's poor performance each night. That's something the higher-ups should have seen coming.