Asking The Question

I really thought we had something special going today. As Matt Harvey was going no-hitter for four and 2/3’s innings today, I was thinking how fitting it would have been for Harvey to twirl a no-hitter while his New York Rangers were winning a playoff game at the exact same time. And I was going to write about it, too. Oh the comparisons and juxtapositions I would have made. I’m sure it would have been a blog post worthy of Pulitzer consideration.

Instead, the following three outs were inter-dispersed with six Cleveland runs, six Cleveland hits, three Cleveland walks, and the only thought I had went something like: “Damn, now I have to write the same damn post that everybody else is going to write and lead if off with ‘What’s Wrong With Matt Harvey?’ And I don’t particularly want to do that.” And I still don’t. But as Harvey sits at 5.71 with a 1.56 WHIP on the season, we have no choice but to wonder if everything is a-ok with one of our beloved aces.

I’m tempted to say that this was merely a case of the Indians making their adjustments and getting good swings later in the game. That’s the only good explanation as to why somebody can be so dominant early in the game and not so much later on, right? Unless Harvey, with a full spring training under his belt, is still running out of gas too soon, which would be disturbing. Harvey is historically a fast starter, but he’s not appreciatively better in April than he is in other months. So this is perhaps just simply a random bad stretch like the kind that happens to any ballplayer in any month in any year.

Perhaps the amount of innings he pitched last year, and the amount of Harvey Days that fell later and later on the 2015 calendar are taking their toll. But that would mean that Scott Boras was right, and that’s not something I could ever compartmentalize in a healthy manner. So while I throw it out there as a possibility, I’m going to hold my ears shut and sing “la la la la la la la la I can’t hear you.” I’m allowed to do this under the statute of this is my blog and I can write what I want. (Unless you’re in a crowded theater, then I can’t legally type “fire”.)

Then there’s the practical … and you can thank Chris B for bringing this to my attention:

https://twitter.com/MLBastian/status/721499328376934400

So what’s wrong with Matt Harvey?

Whatever it is, I hope the answer is just that we’re panicking.

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At least the bats are waking up. They went from 7-1 down to the final score of 7-5 with a couple of dingers from Yoenis Cespedes and Neil Walker. But it only made the loss more heartbreaking because the two runs given up by Rafael Montero in a mop-up situation proved to be the difference. Jim Henderson pitched the eighth and while he wasn’t dominant, his arm didn’t fall off. That’s all I want for Jim Henderson after his week’s workload.

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Travis d’Arnaud got hit with a pitch on his arm, but it was diagnosed as a bruise so it looks like d’Arnaud will survive. Travis might be the Kenny McCormick of the Mets. He dies every season as a result of fluky, freaky instances. Hopefully the Mets will take action and ban him from playing Santa Claus at the team holiday party which would provide the ultimate jinx to his career as a Met.

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Last, and certainly not least, we’re all rooting and pulling for Jacob and Jaxon.

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Today’s Hate List

1. Jason Kipnis
2. Jose Ramirez
3. Josh Tomlin
4. Jeff Manship
5. Jeff Zatkoff