Palladino: Harvey's Problems Lie In The Present, Not The Past
By Ernie Palladino
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Things have gone so well for the Mets lately that it seems a shame to bring up Matt Harvey's problems.
In the grand scheme of things, a so-so year for Harvey won't kill this homer-happy team. And it is indeed turning into one of those years for the hard-throwing right-hander, who has struggled through much of his start, posting a 2-4 mark with a 4.76 ERA.
MORE: Keidel: For Their Sake, Mets Better Hope Harvey Is Better Than This
Whether things perk up for him in the warmth of Southern California remains to be seen. He will get a chance Sunday in San Diego to redeem himself for his role in Tuesday's 3-0 loss to the pitiful Braves. If the 70-degree temperature doesn't allow him to have full, lengthy command of his repertoire, then one can assume his problems are due to something other than the early-season thermometer.
Just, please, don't blame this year's troubles on last year.
MORE: Boras: Mets' Harvey Is Healthy, But Why He's Struggling Is A Mystery
That's what Terry Collins and Harvey's agent Scott Boras are trying to sell now. It's understandable. The innings count, which Boras turned into a legendary controversy as the playoffs neared, has merely become the latest straw available for the grabbing as they ponder why this dominant pitcher has lost his mojo.
The problem is that the reasoning holds about as much water as a bottomless bucket.
Counting the 26 2/3 he threw in the playoffs, Harvey worked 216 innings in 2015. That's a good amount, but certainly not an overwhelming one. Even coming off elbow surgery, he proved strong enough not only to withstand the innings count, but to thrive with it.
Besides that, he had five full months to rest and recuperate.
If Collins and Boras are right about the relation of his current problems to last year's workload, then Harvey has even bigger issues than his manager or agent can imagine. Think about it. It's early in the season. If his arm is pooped now, imagine what it's going to feel like when he hits August.
Their reasoning also plays into the mystical numbers game that pervades baseball's overall pitching scene. Somehow, 200 has become the danger point. Under 200 innings, everything's fine. Take it a notch or two -- or 16 -- over that line, and you're asking for late-season collapses and ruined futures.
What that amounts to is an easy, statistical excuse for those searching for answers. There's no doubt some sort of problem exists. Harvey is simply not Harvey. The strikeouts are down from a career average of 9.3 per nine innings to 6.6 this year. His walks are up. And opponents are hitting .528 against him in his third time through the lineup.
Boras blames it on the interrupted "sequencing" -- whatever that means -- from last season. It was clear the agent wanted Harvey shut down even before the regular season ended. Now, his high-minded phrasing conjures an image of Boras sitting back in his office chair and muttering, "I told you so."
Such smugness won't serve his client well, especially since it's probably inaccurate, anyway. Much to the pitcher's credit, Harvey, himself, shrugged off any such speculation. He said he feels fine physically.
Sunday's start may tell a lot. If he performs well in San Diego, then it's probably just a matter of waiting until the better temps cover the nation. And he'll continue to tinker with his mechanics.
If the answers are not forthcoming, Harvey will probably struggle for the season. It happens to even the best of pitchers. They have off years because, well, they have off years.
Deep down, Harvey probably understands that.
What Collins and Boras have to acknowledge is that Harvey's problems involve the present, not the past.
Follow Ernie on Twitter at @ErniePalladino
