The Mets are Climbing GlennAlan Hill

[DOUGHBOYS]

This post is dedicated to Glenn and Alan who, most likely, will dislike the post. If half of their tenaciousness in defending the Mets, morphed itself into the Mets organizations consciousness, this post would not be necessary.

If my math is right, Matt Harvey is in line to start next Wednesday. Then, the following Monday. Then, on the Sunday before the All-Star game.
This makes for an interesting sub-story line. A lot of folks think that Harvey should start for the National League in the All-Star game.
It would be a great accomplishment. At the same time, if pitching on that Sunday, it would make it almost impossible for him to pitch.
The Mets have put team pride aside in the past, and made sure that Jose Reyes got his batting title two years ago. And last year stated that they would do almost anything to make sure R.A. Dickey garnered 20 Wins.
In some way, the Mets think that personal achievements make their organization look better.
They don't.
It's a loser's game.
Jose Reyes on our bench, with a batting title, is better than Jose Reyes on the field.
RA Dickey pitching at every opportunity and getting 20 Wins is better than giving a young arm a chance at MLB innings in September.
And Matt Harvey pitching for an All-Star team is better than pitching for the Mets.
We get it.
A little sad, but we get it.

In this case, the Mets may come up with a way to skip a Harvey start so that he can pitch in the All-Star game.
They may say that they're trying to save Harvey's innings. Or make no bones about it and just skip that Sunday start.
It's easy to say that the Mets can do these things because 'there always out of it'.
But, they need to start building so 'they can be in it'.
And one of the first things to do is put the Mets first. The Mets team itself. Not Reyes, Dickey, or even Harvey.
The Mets team should come first, not what the organization deems important and can hang a hat on, like a batting title, 20 Wins, or an All-Star game start.
That, would be a start to building a winner.

Met's fans and naysayers think that their most important 'need' over the off season is an outfield.
They're wrong.
Although the outfield is a glaring weakness, the Mets want to build around their starting pitching over the next few years.
As shown by Harvey and the Mets bullpen yesterday, it doesn't matter how good a starting pitcher is if a bullpen cannot get six outs to close out a game for him.
Without a decent bullpen, a Manager will stretch these young starters deeper into games. An effect that could prove detrimental to the very arms that got them deep in a game.
Not to mention the effect on a psyche after pitching your ass off for seven innings, only to see your hard work blown up by the next four batters.

The Mets will be scrutinized more than most organizations this off season. If they fix their bullpen and get things right in the outfield and other weak spots, it'll be a pleasure for those young Starters to contribute.
If not, again, team needs will be back burnered and the Mets will again take solace with personal achievements.

Not to mention, aggravating, and then having Glenn and Alan's back against the wall in defending them.

[EA Sports]

You failed to mention the classic "blister" scenario...

Still...good call!

[DOUGHBOYS]

'Matt Harvey (blister) will skip his next scheduled start Saturday against the Pirates.'

[DOUGHBOYS]

Maybe it's just me, I don't know. I didn't want to pile on the Mets in the way they run their program, but it bothers me. Putting any one players personal accomplishments is never good for an organization. Two years later, even Mets fans can rat's ass Jose Reyes batting title and even a year later, the same with RA Dickey and his 20 Wins.

The Harvey All Star start is a little different. It's being played in the home park, Harvey has had a good year and it is good to see, for the country, that the Mets got something right.
I get that.
And yet, I don't.
Harvey's one or two innings will become almost meaningless as soon as it is over. A year from now, it'll be rat's assed, and folks like me will remember only that the Mets had him miss a start for his team so that he can pitch in an All Star game.
I thought to myself that I can just keep my feelings to myself, I don't need to post this. They've heard it from me before.
But then, last night I saw this RotoWorld blurb:

'Jordan Zimmermann is dealing with a sore neck.
Zimmermann has nursed the ailment for a few weeks now. He's not concerned about it but could skip the All-Star game in hopes of putting the injury behind him. Zimmermann held the Phillies to two runs over 6 1/3 frames but took a loss Thursday.'

And I thought to myself, 'THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE!'
Team first, everything else second.
Like Harvey, Zimmerman has never pitched in an All Star game. The Nats and Zimmerman KNOW their priorities though.
Sure, I know the arguments will be the Mets are out of it anyway and that this is a showcase for Harvey in his home park.
I get that.
At the same time, the Mets mentality as it has been over the last three years in fullfilling personal goals will seemingly never manifest its way into achieving something more important, a winning team.
The Mets will always be 'out of it' with this shallow mentality.

Harvey will come out of the All Star game a winner. He is a soldier obeying Mets orders. If he pitches well during his one or two innings, good for him. If he doesn't, well, maybe it's because he shouldn't have been pitching with that blister that he missed a TEAM start for.
And while trying to cut his innings, it is perfectly fine for Harvey to give one or two innings of max effort on his arm for a team other than the Mets.
That part, I don't get.
No matter what transpires next Tuesday, the Mets organization comes out the stinker.
Again.

[Bronx Yankees]

Completely agree with you on this one. Seems ridiculous that he would miss starting in a real game but then pitch an inning or two in an exhibition. Incredibly, my sense is that the Mets are the ones who are making this call. I would hope that, between the two, Harvey would rather go for a win in a game that counts than to pitch an inning or two in the all-star game. If I was a Mets fan, I think I'd be questioning my team's priorities.

Confession: I may be just a bit biased on this issue - I have Harvey on two teams and was hoping for a two-start week. (Not that I'm bitter or anything.)

Mike