Some things never change. Mets reliever, Matt Harvey, delivered a potty mouth blast at the New York media the other night, presumably because they are the source of the predicament he finds himself in. Just one more nail is driven in the coffin he’s been building for himself.
You hate to see this kind of thing in baseball or anywhere in life. So much that could have been that never was. All that was that is no more. Thus ends the story of Matt Harvey and the New York Mets.
It’s only a matter of time now before the Mets make a move they’ve probably wanted to make and need to make by designating Matt Harvey for assignment. According to Wikipedia, this means Harvey “will be placed on waivers for the purpose of outrighting him to one of the club’s minor league teams. A player who is outrighted to the minors is removed from the 40-man roster but is still paid according to the terms of his guaranteed contract.”
Short of a trade, a much more appealing option for the Mets, both Harvey and the team have reached the proverbial end of the line. But given Harvey’s current and still rebellious state of mind, it’s unlikely a team will jump at the chance to load all of Harvey’s baggage and wheel it into their clubhouse.
This wasn’t a tirade issued by Harvey the other night. All he did in so many words was tell the media to “f___k off,” a polite way of saying, “I’m sorry, I’d rather go home and get some sleep. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
Matt Harvey is not a happy camper. Mickey Callaway, the Mets new and decisive manager, laid down the law with Harvey, a man who has had his way with the Mets for six years and counting. Watching Harvey trot in from the bullpen the other night to deliver two relatively good innings in relief, one would have thought everything was going the right way.
It was only after the game when Harvey just couldn’t hold his frustration in and the little boy came bursting forth again, embarrassing not only himself once again but the team as well.
Hall of Famer and widely respected for his insights into pitching, John Smoltz, doesn’t believe Matt Harvey is quite ready for the trash heap, but he had this penetrating thought when asked by SNY:
Except it doesn’t appear Matt Harvey is ready to believe it, choosing instead to live in the past as though this is all some bad dream.
In some ways, this recent disturbance, among other more serious team issues, in the midst of what otherwise has been a joyous season for the Mets is not as big a deal for them as it is for Harvey. One way or another, the Mets will be finished with Harvey at season’s end when he becomes a free agent. And if they can get one or two decent innings out of him for a couple or three days a week from here on in, so much the better for the team.
Smoltz believes, because he underwent the same experience himself in Atlanta, taking one for the team and eventually becoming a dominant closer for the Braves, who at the time was winning one pennant after another. Translation: Winning was more important to Smoltz than it is to Matt Harvey.
This is a raking charge to make against any player, but as they say, if the shoe fits, wear it. But I’m not the only one. Here’s former Mets pitcher, Nelson Figueroa, and his take:
Above all else, Matt Harvey loves Matt Harvey. There’s nothing wrong with that, and in fact, it once was the reason why he excelled with that burning desire and overflow confidence oozing forth when he was on the mound.
What we have come to know, though, is there is a dark side to the Dark Knight. Matt The Brat became synonymous with the Dark Knight long ago, and regretfully it’s too late to reset the clock now. Not all baseball stories end well.
Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal.
