Selective Discipline

I understand that it’s extra important to be sure that young players follow rules and don’t get themselves into trouble in this big city of ours than it is to do this to older players.

But I find it interesting that Dominic Smith was raked over the coals for this statement:

“It’s hard to get ready for the big leagues in the minors. It’s just a different game. The pitching is all better [in the big leagues]. The game is just way faster. The minor leagues can only help with so much.

“If you’re not getting ABs up here, there’s no way to really learn or develop. Whatever the team feels is best for me, I’m always open and I’m going to play hard wherever I play. At the same time, I feel like the minor leagues won’t help me get better in the big leagues.”

Okay, so he’s a little frustrated. Maybe you think he’s whining, and that’s fine. He’s not blasting anybody, he’s not calling anybody names … all he’s doing is answering a question honestly. He’s not even complaining about why he’s not getting playing time against right handers for a team that is 28-54 since the middle of April. He’s not complaining about why the Mets felt the need to bring in an over the hill first baseman (this was before Smith hurt is quad in camp). Whether you call it whining or honesty, I didn’t think it was such an inflammatory statement.

But hellfire rained down, of course.

“I think that he needs to just worry about the things he can control,” Callaway said before Saturday’s game against Washington. “He can’t control where he gets sent to play, but what he can control is the work that he does.

“Quite frankly, if he feels that way and goes down there, go down there and hit .400 and hit a bunch of bombs in a very hitter-friendly park. That was the gist of our conversation.”

So Smith can’t get consistent at-bats for a terrible team and Amed Rosario can’t face Max Scherzer because “Oh my God he might be ruined forever by a fastball!!!” But Jose Reyes can hit .027 and flat out dog it on a grounder to short and we’re stuck with him every single day. There’s no issue there. None. I bet if Reyes complained about at-bats he’d hit clean-up.

I feel bad for Dom Smith, because he’ll never get a chance here. Honestly, I think with Peter Alonso doing stuff like what he did at the Futures Game today, I think Smith is going to be wheeled for a similar fallen prospect soon. But I hate seeing Smith’s stock destroyed by his own organization, and between Lastings Milledge and Scott Kazmir, it wouldn’t be the first time. Bad habits are indeed hard to break.