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MLB free agents: When millionaires realize they’re the dregs

By Rick Soisson

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 22: Matt Harvey #33 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim walks to the dugout after allowing a solo homerun to Luke Voit #45 of the New York Yankees during the first inning of a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 22, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 22: Matt Harvey #33 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim walks to the dugout after allowing a solo homerun to Luke Voit #45 of the New York Yankees during the first inning of a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 22, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

When millionaires realize they’re the dregs

The Curious Case of Matt Harvey

Finally, there’s the youngest player we’re looking at, problem child Matt Harvey.

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Harvey’s injury history is so prominent it shows up in that special box on the right of the search page from Google for “matt harvey injury” – he’s had “Tommy John surgery, thoracic outlet syndrome, and a stress fracture in the scapula.”

Well, entering his age-31 season, if he does, he’s still getting some attention.

In 64 games started at the beginning of his career with the Mets, Harvey had a 2.53 ERA, so it’s not surprising that NJ.com writer Randy Miller suggests, “Maybe that old Harvey magic returns if the Yankees sign him to a minor-league contract and let him work with new pitching coach Matt Blake.”

Arguable – and if the Yankees let him start in the minors, he surely wouldn’t get anything even five zip codes away from the $11 million the Angels wrote into a contract for him last year. And this is because the Bombers would also have to ignore the clubhouse problem Harvey has seemed to be sometimes.

Moreover, has anyone given a thought to the idea that a stress fracture of the scapula is an indicator of bad mechanics? At the time of the injury in ’17, a Mets coach suggested the injury was “fallout from offseason surgery” even as Harvey was admitting he tried to push through discomfort. OK, then….

This is what happens when millionaires dig in their heels and then realize they’re actually the dregs of their profession, as age inevitably dictates.

Next. MLB: Predicting the 2020 batting champion. dark

Expect Jason Vargas, perhaps, to gracefully retire from this group of MLB free agents.

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