Know Your Bread and Butter

[batmagadanleadoff]

So is this why David Wright's on pace for a single digit HR season? I hope so. It's better than having to hear "declining" whispered whenever Wright's name comes up.

Harvey: Mets pitchers not protecting Wright
June, 13, 2014
By Adam Rubin | ESPNNewYork.com

NEW YORK -- David Wright has been getting his share of up-and-in pitches recently, including from Matt Cain in San Francisco and Milwaukee's Wily Peralta on Wednesday. And powerless Matt Harvey has seen enough. �It�s hard for me to watch David keep getting pushed back," Harvey told the Daily News. �I�m not happy about it. It�s not right how guys are being able to manipulate his entire at-bat by pitching him up and in. It�s tough for him. He�s had to adapt to a different style. And it�s frustrating to watch from the sidelines and not be able to do something about it. �When it would happen once in a while last year, I�d be the first guy to throw one behind somebody�s ear. And I don�t forget. Once I�m back I�ll be excited about getting the chance to help the captain.�� Why hasn't more been done by Mets pitchers? "It�s out there, everybody knows," Harvey told the newspaper. "If guys don�t know by now that something needs to be done, it�s going to continue to happen and that�s not acceptable."

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/89081/harvey-mets-pitchers-need-to-protect-wright?ex_cid=espnapi_public

[Zvon]

I read this today. Interesting stuff.

But Dave bails on some balls he shouldn't be bailing on. Curves up and in that aren't going to (or even meant to) hit him. We all know he has his reasons but he really needs to get past that.

OE: I like that kind of talk from Harvey tho.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I know it's a popular internet thing, and everyone loves
Harvey ... but I really wish he'd shut the fuck up already.

What he thinks, says, and does just really isn't news.

[Zvon]

d'Kong76 wrote: I know it's a popular internet thing, and everyone loves Harvey ... but I really wish he'd shut the fuck up already. What he thinks, says, and does just really isn't news.

I don't care what he says about anything other than Met business. I don't love him yet. I'm very excited about what he could bring but I'm too seasoned to feel that strong at this point.

But what he says here...it's Met baseball business and it's something I wouldn't mind being in the head of opposing players when he returns.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I disagree, and the beat writers eat this stuff up.
He comes back low man on totem pole and needs to
work his way up again. He talks like he's the man.

[Frayed Knot]

I've long suspected that if one were to poll the fans of all 30 teams as to whether they got thrown at more or did more of the throwing-at, all 30 would claim victim status. Of course it's impossible for them all to be correct but selective observation is a powerful tool.
So citing two recent incidents of 'up-and-in' pitches hardly makes it a trend with Wright even if it's fun to do so and, even if true, I don't believe for a moment that it's the cause of his mediocre numbers this season. But Harvey likes to talk and has been in the vicinity of microphones lately so it was only a matter of time until a press corps that likes him gets him to utter something they think merits ink.

IOW, this is a total non-story IMO.

[Zvon]

d'Kong76 wrote: I disagree, and the beat writers eat this stuff up. He comes back low man on totem pole and needs to work his way up again. He talks like he's the man.

Seaver talked like he was the man. He did get some time in under his belt before going there, but he did. And his "I'm the man" type of comments were much less convincing than Harveys.

I believe (if healthy & 100%) he's gonna walk the walk

[Guest d'Kong76]

I don't see any parallels to Seaver and Harvey.

[Zvon]

d'Kong76 wrote: I don't see any parallels to Seaver and Harvey.

He could be to these Mets what Seaver was to those Mets. An ace and a leader. Can he walk that walk? We shall see.

I come down on the side that thinks he can, but he still has to do it.

[Frayed Knot]

Even Ronnie talked about this tonight, saying that a player not playing should also be not talking. It's very easy to be saying what you would do from the sidelines.
And particularly about this topic, the way to take care of this sort of thing (assuming it actually exists in the first place) is to NOT talk about it.

[Guest d'Kong76]

We're talking George Thomas Seaver? Seaver?
Harvey? Really, Z?

[Zvon]

Frayed Knot wrote: Even Ronnie talked about this tonight, saying that a player not playing should also be not talking. It's very easy to be saying what you would do from the sidelines. And particularly about this topic, the way to take care of this sort of thing (assuming it actually exists in the first place) is to NOT talk about it.

Well, I think I've already gone on record about Harvey blowing his horn. But looks like he's going too.

d'Kong76 wrote: We're talking George Thomas Seaver? Seaver? Harvey? Really, Z?

Please don't tell me it's not possible. That would bum me out.

[Edgy MD]

There's a word for people spoiling for violence, bragging about their desire to take part in a fight they know physically can't happen.

Well, there are probably a bunch of words.

[Zvon]

d'Kong76 wrote: We're talking George Thomas Seaver? Seaver? Harvey? Really, Z?

Ugh, game oveh! Nice try Rangers.

Listen, I 'm not saying Harveys gonna have a Seaver like career, win 300 games, k 3000 or any of that. I just think he might be a big part of what turns these Mets from losers, back to winners.

If he wins 15 games each season for the next 3 yrs, then I may grow to love him. But now, I certainly think he can be what he thinks he is, and for as long as he's a Met, I hope he can be.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Matt Harvey. Professional douchebag.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Matt Harvey. Professional douchebag.

Seaver has always struck me as the same way.

But whatever, that's fine with me. If ego and attitude is your thing, then it's your thing. I have no desire to make you into someone your not.

[Zvon]

Ceetar wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Matt Harvey. Professional douchebag. Seaver has always struck me as the same way. But whatever, that's fine with me. If ego and attitude is your thing, then it's your thing. I have no desire to make you into someone your not.

Seaver did back then. He was not my favorite Met pitcher even when he was the best ( I always tend to lean towards underdogs). Now, we are talking about a kid (me) who figured Tom was the Met ace and would be until he lost it. But then we lost him, and I realized what we had. I've said it before, I kinda took Seaver for granted because he was the ace when I came along. All teams had an ace.

As far as Harvey goes it's like with Reggie Jackson. His hotdogging was annoying and even amusing at times. Same with things he said. I thought this guy thinks his shit don't stink. But after the world series vs. the Dodgers, with the homers (78?), I had to bow down to him. He was Mr. October. I thought from now on, he can do and say whatever he wants. He can be the Reggie Jackson he thinks he is.

I respected him after that, regardless of his antics.

Now Harvey has a looooong way to go before I can type a paragraph like that about him, but I hope some day I do. I'll give him every chance to.

[Ceetar]

I don't link performance and attitude. let people be who they are and don't worry about it so much. Harvey's rehabbing up here. people are going to ask him things. He doesn't mind talking to them.

So far everything's been rather tame anyway. Harvey seems to be a typical douchy jock, but he also seems to still be a good guy.

[Edgy MD]

I have a huge desire to turn people into what they are not, especially when what they are is somebody threatening to hit other people in the ear with a thrown baseball on behalf of my team, when he's clinically unable to back up that threat, and it's emasculating to his old teammates, who, he implies, are not as brave and warlike as him. It's a douche move eight ways to Sunday, and not a little embarrassing.

[ashie62]

If you want to talk about Seaver protecting hitters than I have to bring up Jerry Koosman drilling Santo in 1969...

[Zvon]

Ashie62 wrote: If you want to talk about Seaver protecting hitters than I have to bring up Jerry Koosman drilling Santo in 1969...

If you want to talk about the '69 Mets, I want to talk about the '73 Mets. In 1973 the Mets hitters were hit by pitches 23 times. That season Met pitchers hit a batter with a pitch 23 times. No idea if that was all involving bean balls (I doubt it) but that is interesting.