Mets to Matt Harvey: Shut Up!
Boy, the Mets really do not want to hear about Matt Harvey’s desire to pitch in 2014 — they have basically silenced him.
A team spokesman told the New York Post Monday that for the time being, Harvey will only do “group interviews.” Presumably that “group” will include a Mets official who will give Harvey an electrical shock any time he mentions pitching this season.
This follows a weekend in which Harvey tweeted that he will indeed pitch in 2014. The Mets were not happy and Harvey deleted his tweet.
Harvey all but confirmed the move when Post reporter Kevin Kernan said to him, “So you’ve been shut down verbally, too.’’
He smiled and said, “Apparently.’’
Has James Dolan taken over the Mets?
No, just Sandy Alderson, who told the newspaper, “We’re looking to have him ready to go for 2015. There is no looking to have him ready for ’14.’’
End of story.
For the time being, anyway. I just hope these Mets decisions regarding Matt Harvey do not come back to haunt them when Harvey is ready for free agency. Not to say there shouldn’t be rules for players, but why would he want to stay with the team that has potentially alienated him? And don’t forget, Matt Harvey is represented by Scott Boras, so it will be difficult to resign him, anyway.
But that is all five years away. Let’s hope Matt Harvey forgets all of this nonsense by then.
While it is nice to have a guy who wants to get well and get going, it is also not so nice if he comes back too early out of an overinflated estimation of his his own powers and blows out his arm for good. Whether he remembers being shut down verbally and takes it to heart is a matter of whether he is truly wise and just a little over eager or if he is foolish (and terminally so).
Wise Harvey – I mispoke out of my eagerness to help the team. Of course I will rest my arm.
Foolish Harvey – They can’t tell me what to do! I’ll get them back in 2020!
Time will tell if we have a case of the Wise or Foolish Harvey.