The one shining light for the Mets has been doused with a bucket of “take that suckers,” as super-stud pitcher Matt Harvey has been diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow, the Mets announced Monday.
Harvey is heading to the disabled list, and at this point the best case scenario is that he doesn’t require the dreaded Tommy John surgery, which would surely keep him on the shelf for most of the 2014 season. Even if he didn’t require surgery, the Mets would be dumber than Ryan Braun to pitch that kid again this season.
The Mets just don’t get breaks. All year GM Sandy Alderson’s been telling fans to be patient because the team is poised to add some free agent bangers to help a young, rich pitching staff this off season in anticipation of a run at the division by 2015. Harvey and his total domination were supposed to be the centerpiece of that revival. He’s the golden arm that captivated Mets fans and saved the credibility of the franchise with his pitching heroics this season.
"I figure everybody is going to go through a stretch there where you've got to battle through some fatigue and some discomfort," Harvey told espn.com after Saturday's start. "It's a long season — 162 games — and you've got to push through it. Right now I'm not doing a good job of doing that, and we've got to figure something out. The last couple of starts it's been tough getting out there and getting things going. But, like I said, I'm doing a poor job of pushing through it.”
Actually, Harvey was too much of a warrior and too hard on himself considering his 9-5 record, 2.27 ERA and 191 strikeouts for a team that’s weaker than the White Girl Mob.
At least this latest disaster explains why Harvey gave up a career-high 13 hits against the Tigers on Saturday. He was complaining of discomfort after the 102-pitch outing and an MRI revealed the tear that rips at the Mets hearts and totally detracts from what little luster remains in Citi Field.
Ain’t enough Nas and Third Eye Blind Concerts in the world to pack that stadium without Harvey toting the rubber every fifth day. All of the positive energy the Mets had accumulated for next season will now be invested in uncertainty and constant second-guessing, wondering why Mets skipper Terry Collins let Harvey throw all of those pitches with nothing immediately at stake and everything to play for in the future.
