Results tagged ‘ Matt Harvey ’
#MetsPlusMeetings: Should the Mets Trade Harvey
When Matt Harvey first bursted on the scene in New York, he was the talk of the town. He was on Kimmel one day, Fallon the next, and then starting the All Star Game the day after that. 2013 Harvey was the talk of the town, and even after his year long absence in 2014, there was so much energy in his 2015 return.
Just two years later, after Harvey botched the ninth inning of Game 5 of the World Series, Harvey is at rock bottom. On top of a 6.70 ERA and a career high 21 homeruns allowed and 47 walks, Harvey was also accused of skipping games, showing up late to practices, which forced the Mets to bring names like Adam Wilk (who?) across the country on six hours notice.
Of course, late in the season, Harvey promised to clean up his image, and even attended events as a representative of the Mets, like the Syracuse Chiefs announcement.
Today, at the Winter Meetings, I heard a lot of rumblings about the possibility of Harvey being traded for a reliever, or a low-list position player like Jurickson Profar.
“They are willing to move him,” one CBS source said, “and they said they wanted to try and flip him for a reliever. They seemed more willing to move him then (Robert) Gsellman or (Seth) Lugo.”
Here’s @SNYtv’s reaction to the trade rumors:
Now look, I’m not a huge Harvey fan, and I don’t think he’ll be in a Met uniform long term. With that being said, I think with so much emphasis being put into this new coaching staff (Mickey Callaway and Dave Eiland) it’d be a shame to not see if they can do something with Harvey that Warthen couldn’t do.
Of course, if the return was better than what it is, I’d be inclined, but right now there is no market for Harvey, so let’s not run him out of town….. yet.
My Thoughts on Matt Harvey
Disclaimer: I’ve never been a Matt Harvey “fan”. I’m a fan of the uniform he wears and will support his performance as long as he’s wearing the Orange and Blue, but after the game, I have no interest in Matt. I’ve wanted to see him out of Queens for three years now. In 2014, when he refused to rehab in Port St.Lucie after his first taste of fandom, I called in to the “Mets: On The Air” radio show (hosted by James Flippin) in January of 2015 and suggested that the Mets deal Harvey, as they’d get a great return. That was mostly laughed at, but year after year, the drama has increased and his trade value has decreased to little or nothing.
So, when I headed to the ballpark today to see Harvey, I was a bit hesitant, especially after the discouraging starts he’s had the last few weeks. And then, as I was on the (7) at 74th Street/Broadway station, the news broke. Adam Wilk was somehow in New York, and was going to pitch the matinee, as Harvey was in day two of a three game suspension.
Um, what?
How can someone be halfway through a club-mandated suspension, and be listed as the scheduled pitcher two hours prior to game time? This was the first sign of improper behavior on the Mets part, and my friend on social media, Jordan Gregory, went as far as to say what the Mets did was fraud.
And, sure enough, at 1:10pm, there was Wilk, who had been in five states in twenty-four hours, pitching for the Mets. And immediately following was a literal and figurative black cloud. The offense was nowhere to be found, and everyone seemed discouraged, possibly by the Harvey news.
Anderson and Collins both addressed the media, but were seriously restricted in what they said, and since they spoke in tongues, some fans were more confused with more speculation.
Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com reported that Harvey “had a migraine” and “the team saw it differently” at 2:14pm, and later reported that he didn’t show up all together.
Now, I have some thoughts on what might have happened, but my speculation is just as good as anyone else’s, so I’m going to withhold them until we get more factual information, but I will say this. Matt Harvey has to show that he wants to play, NOW.
Like Jose Reyes said today, he needs to show up to work and act like the employee that he is. His job is to be the best player he can be, not be out on the town every night, and be on Page Six of the Post instead of the back pages, celebrating a shutout.
One night his girlfriend Adriana Lima is caught out with Julian Edelman, and the next night Harvey has no command and is hit hard while pitching against the Atlanta Braves.
No player is going to come without baggage, I have no problem with a cool commercial here and there, and even a skit on the Jimmy Fallon show, but I feel like this is a played out drama, and that he’s negatively impacting the Mets.
I still think the Mets will figure it out and get to the postseason, but I’m very disappointed with these early developments. I rather have a guy like Montero, who is trying his best, without success, than a guy like Harvey, with his prima donna attitude and mixed results.
So go ahead, Harvey, file a grievance against the Mets for whatever it is you did that no one wants to tell us, I’m sure that’ll go great around the clubhouse that didn’t have your back one bit today.
Niko Goutakolis
