Bartolo Colon remains among the most popular figures in recent Mets history, as further evidenced by the warm reception he received when introduced with the Braves on Opening Day at Citi Field on Monday. And given the Mets' suddenly thinner rotation, Colon certainly could have been useful had he remained for a fourth season in Queens.
Yet the decision to allow Colon to defect to Atlanta for $12.5 million on Nov. 17 ought not be second-guessed now that Seth Lugo reportedly has a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and Steven Matz has disclosed he has a strained flexor tendon in his left elbow.