Bartolo Colon Retiring As A Met . . . So What?
The New York Mets have announced Bartolo Colon has decided to officially retire as a Met. The team will have an official ceremony on September 17.
Hopefully, then, this bizarre and nonsensical Colon fascination with this fanbase will end.
Yes, Colon had his moments. The behind the back flip was great. The homer was just an impossible moment. Other than that, he was meh to bad.
Over his three year Mets career, Colon was 44-34 with a 3.90 ERA, 1.225 WHIP, 1.3 BB/9, and a 6.3 K/9. He had a 3.79 FIP and a 96 ERA+
As the FIP and ERA+ indicate, he was a below average pitcher. Yes, he was an All-Star in 2016, but that was more of a function of Jacob deGrom declining, and Terry Collins being the manager.
Colon was actually quite good in 2016, and he did help that pitching staff stay afloat with all the injuries. He certainly was a reason they returned to the postseason.
Speaking of the postseason, he was not good in 2015.
It was overshadowed by Chase Utley’s felony assault of Ruben Tejada, but it was Colon who blew that game. He allowed the big hit to Howie Kendrick in the seventh. To be fair, Collins was dumb to try to use Colon for one batter in that spot.
In Game 1 of the World Series, he took the loss. In Game 5, he threw gasoline on the fire allowing a base clearing double to Lorenzo Cain all but ending the Mets hopes of a comeback.
Again, with Colon the legend didn’t match the production.
There’s also the off the field difficulties. He was caught using PEDs. He avoided a Biogenesis suspension on a technicality. He wasn’t paying child support, and when he was an All-Star in 2016, the lone child he didn’t bring was the one he had with his paramour.
In his career, he played the most for Cleveland and the Angels. The Yankees gave him a chance after his suspicions sojourn to Germany, and the Athletics gave him a contract after that. He also left the Mets to purposefully personal records instead of helping them try to win a World Series.
For whatever reason, Colon feels a deep connection to a Mets team he once wanted to leave. In the most bizarre thing in New York sports history, there’s a strange sect of Mets fans who adore him.
Colon is now getting a day and honor true Mets greats never got. It’s a sham and embarrassment to the franchise. The only hope is that this forever ends the fascination with him.