The New York tabloids are beside themselves this morning. “Same Old Mets” brays the back page of the New York Daily News. “Buzzkill” blares the New York Post. “Old Timers Day” chortles Newsday. The reason for all this LOLMetsing? The team announced that Bartolo Colon would be the starter on Opening Day against the Nationals in DC. He’ll be followed two days later by reigning Rookie Of The Year Jacob deGrom, then everyone’s darling, Matt Harvey, in game three. That sets up some tastiness when the team comes home on the 13th, with deGrom going in the home opener and Harvey going on the 14th against the Phillies. Over here, the cry is “Good call!”
It is customary for a veteran – usually the “senior man” on the staff — to pitch the opener. There have been howls in the above papers that starting Colon sends the “wrong message” to the fan base. That somehow, if “the kids” don’t pitch on Opening Day,” they somehow don’t exist. That “aha! If the front office really believed in its young pitchers, one of them would be out there on Opening Day!” It’s this kind of “Gotcha!” game that has soured many on the good ol’ MSM in the first place. Of course, the cynical among us will point to this as yet another money-grab by our favorite ownership. See, the home opener is a traditional sellout, no matter the state or prospects of the team and no matter who pitches. Home game number two, however, usually plays host to a crowd that is at least ten-to-fifteen thousand fans lighter. If Harvey starts game two, there is the potential for two boffo box office dates in a row. That’s some nice money for early-April. There are Met fans who see this as cold and calculating, just another way to wring an extra nickel out of loyal fans’ pockets. But guess what: the Mets are a business, not a public trust, not a charity. Businesses are in business to make money. Who in their right mind would begrudge any business owner that? Especially the Wilpons, who are facing crushing debt service payments in just a couple of months’ time. No, can’t blame the Mets here.
The other consideration is that – all evidence to the contrary – Harvey does need his innings pitched totals limited. For all the beauty of his spring training form and his like-he-never-left results, he is still coming off Tommy John surgery. There are compromises to be made until and unless he is able to put in a full season’s workload, plus, God willing, playoffs. This is actually a sound decision, from both a business standpoint and a baseball factor – quite a rare commodity in Metland.
So what do you know? The MSM got one wrong. Go figure.
Follow me on Twitter @CharlieHangley.
I also see this as a “trick move” of sorts. The Nationals are hungry and antsy for success in 2015, and they can’t wait to explode out of the gate. By putting a crafty “soft-tossing” veteran for Opening Day instead of a flamethrower, it almost throws the Nationals off. They might be ultra-aggressive and not be as effective as they could be. This could cause a bit of a stumble out of the gate, and the Mets could actually take 2 out of 3 games to start the season.
Much ado about nuttin
Name summed it up perfectly back on February 17th.
Harvey, Niese, Gee, deGrom, Colon.
26 of the first 31 games vs the Eastern Division. Every game counts and the first three pitchers should be the best three pitchers that have pitched against the Nationals. Colon is the weakest link in the rotation but he will get the most starts in the first 31 games. A quick start in the opening series and a strong 31 games will alter the mindset of the team and fans. Oh well …..
I really don’t think Colon is such a problem. He does as much as he has to to win because he wants to keep pitching in the majors. Therefore, it can be assumed that he will be motivated to have a good year for a new contract. And, would rather Gee or a lefty pitching against the righty heavy Nats?
Starting Colon is the grand scheme to keeping the three best righties against the Nationals, yet having Colon pitch game 6 in Atlanta and have deGrom and Harvey pitch the first two home games. There’s definitely a method to the madness.
It also sets up Harvey to pitch against the Yankees in the Bronx. They’d miss him otherwise.
Or maybe the front office realizing that Scherzer is pitching in the Nat’s home opener decided that having Harvey match up against him is not a good idea.. They certainly do not want Harvey to go out there on the first day of 2015 and over throw just because he’s so competitive and wants to win. Don’t need another Parnell scenario happening in back to back seasons.
That, too.
Good post, Charlie. I don’t have the slightest problem with this, and called Colon as the OD starter back in the middle of February.
One thing about Bartolo and how he “wins games.” Last year he had the 4th highest run support in the NL. So those 15 wins were more a result of that than any sort of (perceived) effectiveness on his part.