New York Mets: The fall of Matt Harvey
By Ron Juckett
Another public spat between the New York Mets and Matt Harvey puts them on track for a split. How long will the “Dark Knight ” stay in Gotham?
This was not the way 2018 was supposed to play out for New York Mets pitcher Matt Harvey.
Instead of the bounce back year, coming off another injury filled campaign in 2017, Harvey pitched himself out of the rotation and back into the tabloids. With a rocky relationship between him, the press and the team, the end of Gotham’s “Dark Knight” in Queens is close.
Harvey made the infamous New York Post’s Page Six recently over his decision to party in Los Angeles before a scheduled appearance the next day in San Diego. When MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo asked Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson about the report, his response was blunt:
“Usually I get upset if a report is unexpected. So I guess the short answer is no.”
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Ouch.
New York is notoriously tough on a player’s privacy. From dishing dirt on Joe DiMaggio to Eli Manning, it is the one market where stars need to carry a thick skin. When players rebel, the knives come out in force. Ask Randy Johnson.
The papers pull no punches, especially when athletes are in decline. Enter Harvey and his diminished status.
After a promising five-inning debut against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Washington Nationals rocked him for nine hits and four runs over five. A loss to Milwaukee follows then the Atlanta Braves shredded him for six earned runs and eight hits over six.
Once a dominant strikeout pitcher, he mustered 17 in 21 innings. Harvey allowed 25 hits in his last 16 innings as a starter. Although he maintained control, tossing a mere four walks in four starts, his pitches were flat and hittable.
As the Mets keep a grip on first place in the National League East, they could not afford him in the rotation. When Zack Wheeler was ready, Harvey received the boot.
Although partying and athletes is a time-honored tradition, Harvey’s antics have been public before with a pledge to curtail his post-game activities to a dull roar. Now, as the Mets are playoff contenders, his decisions are under scrutiny again.
Between his salty response to his virtual demotion to making headlines for wrong reasons, you figure his time in New York is short. These articles do not come from thin air. His attitude is bound to make the Mets upset.
If Harvey can rebuild his career, it will be elsewhere. A free agent when the season ends, his $5.63 million contract for this year is portable. Another contender will take the chance he can find his game and get his new team into the playoffs.