The Marlins came in having lost 14 of their last 17 games but defeated Matt Harvey and the Mets, 4-3, Friday night.
- Harvey came out with no-hit stuff, striking out six of the first nine batters he faced in three perfect innings. But a bunt, a SB, a walk and one bad pitch and it was 3-0 Marlins. Kevin Plawecki called for the ball low and away and Harvey threw it up and over the plate and it was deposited over the wall.
- The Mets could do very little against Dan Haren, who surrendered two solo homers but virtually nothing else. His command was excellent, the only way a pitcher with that unimpressive stuff can succeed.
- Harvey threw 95 pitches thru seven innings and came out for the eighth despite trailing by two runs. Mets talk about restricting his innings yet allow him to pitch a needless one here.
- Giancarlo Stanton was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts against Harvey, who simply overpowered him. It remains to be seen if Bartolo Colon and Jon Niese can succeed against Stanton, who crushes pitches 90 and below.
- Plawecki needs to go to the minors. He’s got a dismal .561 OPS and has just eight hits in his last 47 ABs (.170).
- The Mets have scored just nine runs in Harvey’s last five starts.
Sad but true testimony Brian.
Good point on the needless inning Brian.
I am a big Plawecki supporter but he needs to go to Vegas now. He is not benefiting from this. I firmly believe he will be back and succeed.
Too bad they let the Fish get out of the cellar. Let’s put them back there today and tomorrow.
A few things:
The needless 8th… Is TC taking directives from Harvey, himself? Is TC concerned about Harvey’s anger?
Harvey has shown a no-nonse anger against losing. I wish some of the others might hate it as much as he does.
The Mets have scored just 9 runs in Harvey’s last 5 starts…
Remember the Seaver years where he had to either throw a shut out, or a single run, in order to win?
This is a shame. There needs to be a change in mentality in giving him support.
Lastly, the line up.
I think most of us just scratch our heads with Collins. Does SA believe in him, or, perhaps, does SA have a puppet manager of whom he remains most comfortable with?
The Mets also scored 31 runs in his first 5 games, so Harvey really has no reason to complain about run support this year.
Harvey appears to be a legitimate top-tier pitcher, I don’t think anyone seriously questions that, but it seems belief in him has gotten a little ahead of reality in some people’s minds. Mets fans want to think that he’s the be all and end all of pitching, the best in the game, a Tom Seaver for our times. Well maybe he is and maybe he isn’t. It would be great if it proves out that Harvey is all of that, but it hasn’t happened yet and those of us who count ourselves among the faithful will do well to stay clear eyed about it. Who wants to be one of those unfortunate people walking out of last nights game feeling not only crushed but self consciously stupid in their batman costume? Harvey pitched a fine game but he did give up 4 runs to a fishy last place team on a losing streak. It happens. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a very good pitcher, but it isn’t Terry Collins’ fault, or the batting orders’.
In the end it will work out best for everyone, including the Dark Knight himself, if we wait for him to prove it before we adorn him with Seaver’s mantle. In the mean time, I’m not sure Harvey’s even the best pitcher on the Mets’ current staff.
Good point, AJ. I think back to some of the great pitchers’ seasons I have seen (Gibson, Koufax, Marichal, McLain, Martinez, Seaver, Roberts, Clemens, Spahn, Maddux, etc.) and one common thread is that they all lost games. Hopefully Harvey can stay healthy and develop into a great one. He still has a way to go.