The narrative after last night’s game was Matt Harvey was soft for following doctor’s advice. The other part of the narrative was David Wright is the anti-Harvey because he’s playing through a back injury.
Let’s start with Wright. He didn’t begin his rehab until doctors signed off on it. Furthermore, spinal stenosis is a degenerative and permanent condition. The Mets are making accommodations for Wright’s injury by limiting him to playing only four games in a row. People call Wright tough, but they fail to realize he only had two options: play or retire and forfeit approximately $87 million dollars.
Harvey, who is coming back from major Tommy John surgery, is labeled as soft. This ignores everything that has happened. He was told he shouldn’t go past 180 innings. The team wanted to limit him to less than 180 innings so he could pitch in the playoffs. The team abandoned the six man rotation on three different occasions due to the sixth starter’s injury or ineffectiveness. However, the Mets made sure to publicize Harvey’s disdain for the six man rotation to make it seem like the six man rotation was abandoned on his orders.
Harvey suffered from arm fatigue and decreased velocity (major warning signs). He left a game with severe dehydration. He pitched through all of this in his first year after Tommy John surgery, and he’s not tough? That’s insane. He doesn’t want to win? Then why is he working to come up with a modified schedule so he can pitch unfettered in the playoffs?
That doesn’t stop Mets fans from blowing up on Harvey went he only goes five innings against the Yankees, but there was no peep when Wright sat against the Marlins in a loss two weeks ago. Seriously, in a game the Mets lost on a walk off hit, Wright didn’t so much as pinch hit. Why the double standard?
I don’t know why the Mets can make accommodations for Wright and not Harvey. I don’t know why people want Harvey to risk his career pitching in meaningless September games when he’s clearly gearing up for a postseason run. I don’t know why no one respects the fact that he’s making under a million, and the Mets have made no financial incentives to ignore his doctor’s advice and pitch. Wright has $87 million reasons to play. Harvey had hundreds of millions reasons not to pitch, and yet, he’s still out there pitching.
Overall, Harvey and Wright are tough and want to win. That should be the narrative. Any other narrative purposefully ignores the facts.
Tonight, Matt Harvey was brilliant for five innings. He allowed one hit and a walk in conjunction with seven strikeouts. As October is more important than Septrmber 20th, especially with a 6.5 game lead in the division, Harvey was lifted.
The Mets then blew the lead. Twitter blew up. Everyone acted like it was Harvey and Boras that was the reason the Mets lost. It wasn’t even close to the reason. Here are some of the bigger reasons why the Mets lost:
- Mets leave the bases loaded in the first.
- Mets only score one run off CC Sabathia, who came into the game with a 4.93 ERA.
- Mets only mustered five hits and struck out seven times against Sabathia.
- David Wright dropping a throw from Hansel Robles after an awful Brett Gardner bunt, which set up a big inning.
- Robles emulating Jon Niese after the Wright misplay.
- Mets committing four errors.
- Terry Collins pitching Eric O’Flaherty.
- O’Flaherty being O’Flaherty (allowing all three lefty batters to get on base).
- Erik Goeddel walking in one of the batters he inherited from O’Flaherty.
- The Mets bullpen in total allowed eleven runs.
The Mets lost this game because their bullpen was terrible. The Mets lost because their offense was terrible. They didn’t lose the game because Harvey was amazing for five innings.
So when the blame game starts tonight, let’s start with where it belongs, which is everyone but Harvey.
Since the trade, Yoenis Cespedes has been insanely hot. He was carrying a vastly improved offense. With his play, fans have been clamoring to re-sign him. They wanted to make him the MVP.
Well, he’s come crashing down to earth. He’s 0-16 with a .194 Citi Field batting average. It’s a slump. Just as we couldn’t believe his earlier numbers would hold true, we can’t overreact to this slump. His early stats with the Mets were not congruent with his career numbers. Early on, he was hitting, .307/.354/.660. As he’s not Babe Ruth, these numbers weren’t sustainable.
Another reason why these numbers aren’t sustainable is the fact that it isn’t who Cespedes is. Cespedes is a career .270/.318/.486 hitter. Now, he may improve due to a change in leagues or the presence of Kevin Long, but not that much. So as much as his recent hot streak wasn’t him, this cold snap isn’t him either.
He’ll settle in as the hitter he’s always been, which is a terrific player. He’s a cleanup hitter. He’s just not the player you thought he was. That’s fine. I’m happy with the player he is. We need that player to win the World Series.
My first dream growing up was to be a baseball player. Unfortunately, as I make Sid Bream look like a speed demon, that was never going to be an option for me.
My next dream became to become a Mets’ season ticket holder. Trust me, I had much bigger aspirations . . . this was just one of them. Unfortunately, my job wouldn’t permit that type of commitment. Better yet, no one would join me for that many games. However, my father and brother were on board for the Sunday plan. Today was my day to go to a Mets game. It was for 13 glorious games. Even better yet, we would have access to postseason games.
Something interesting happened over those 13 games. You got to know the other people in your section. A vast majority of them were nice people and terrific Mets fans. We got to know them all. We saw them in subsequent seasons. You always acknowledged each other in and out of the ballpark. We sometimes talked strategy. It was nice seeing them return the next year as well.
Shea Stadium closed after the 2008 season. The Mets moved to Citi Field and ended the Sunday Plan. I never got to see those people again. Sure, some of us exchanged numbers and talked about going to a Mets game together in Citi Field, but it never happened.
I’m still in constant contact with the two Mets fans I know and care about the most. It doesn’t mean I don’t miss the sense of community amongst Mets fans. Right now, I don’t think another ticket plan is in the cards right now. It’s a shame because I’d love to go to a home World Series game.
I’d like to be there celebrating with not only my son, father, and brother, I’d like to be there with you Mets fans.
For a second straight week, I am lucky that I do not have to choose between the Mets and football. Now, I would choose the Mets, but I wouldn’t be thrilled with missing the Giants game.
There’s an extra treat for Mets/Giants fans like me today because
Always excited to be back in NY! Should be a great game! https://t.co/tTU8a6edGk
— Kevin Burkhardt (@kevinburkhardt) September 16, 2015
That’s right, we get to see and hear Kevin Burkhardt call a Sunday 1:00 game. Forgive me if I instinctively tune to Channel 11.
It’s amazing if you think about it. Burkhardt was the Mets version of a sideline reporter, and now, he’s the football play-by-play man for Fox’s #2 broadcast team. In essence, it was like finding Jim Nantz doing postgame interviews for the Dodgers. No one going to ask Vin Scully to step aside for anyone, but Jim Nantz is way too qualified for the job he’s doing.
Losing Burkhardt was tough for Mets fans. He’s one of us. Like Gary Cohen and Howie Rose, he was not only a Mets fan, but he’s also tremendous at his job. He showed he was capable of more, and he got it. However, that came at a huge loss to Mets fans.
We miss him. I know we get him on Sundays and doing pre-game and post-game baseball work. It’s not 162 games.
I do have one personal antedot regarding Burkhardt. I got a chance to meet him when we just found out my wife was pregnant. I had a Mets Bob on me, which he was happy to sign. When he asked me what we were going to have, I said a baby, which he responded with an incredulous look.
I think he thought I was trying to be funny. I explained to him that it was too soon to find out. In fact, he was finding out before most of my family because it was still too soon to tell. He then laughed and congratulated me.
So now, I get the chance to turn him on today with my son. I’ll get to tell him that’s the guy who autographed the bib that hangs in his room. I only wish my son could get to watch him more frequently because he brought something to Mets games that made them a little more enjoyable.
However, Kevin Burkhardt is too talented for that. Mets fans loss is America’s gain. I’m going to enjoy the Giants and seeing an old friend today. I just want to wish continued good luck to Kevin Burkhardt . . . not that he needs it.
Previously, I had done multiple posts for 10 when there was no change in the magic number. When I looked over the candidates again, I didn’t believe there was another player worthy of a write-up. Instead, I thought that I should have a master list of every selection I have made.
Before, I list them out, please keep in mind the rules: (1) I’m focusing on bad, disappointing, or players that haven’t panned out; (2) I must’ve seen the player play; and (3) the player played on bad or disappointing Mets teams. I began the list with 17, and I do not publish anything until the Mets and Nationals have finished their games (if they both played on the same day).
Without further ado, here’s the master list:
Current Magic Number: 0
METS CLINCHED THE NL EAST!
Magic Number 0 – Mr. Met
Magic Number 1 – Chris Young
Magic Number 3 – Omar Quintanilla
Magic Number 4 – IV*
Magic Number 5 – Charlie O’Brien
Magic Number 6 – Kelly Shoppach
Magic Number 7 – D.J. Dozier
Magic Number 8 – Carlos Baerga
Magic Number 9 – Craig Brazell
Magic Number 10 – Joe Hieptas & Rey Sanchez
Magic Number 11 – Vince Coleman
Magic Number 12 – Alvaro Espinoza
Magic Number 14 – Ken Boyer
Magic Number 16 – Rick Ankiel
Magic Number 17 – Jeff McKnight
As the Mets have won the NL East, this series has come to a close. I’ve had a lot of fun doing it, and I hope you’ve had fun reading it. It’s now off to the playoffs.
Lets Go Mets!
