Mack’s Morning Report – 9-6-15 – Sand Gnats, Matt Harvey

Good morning.

Nathan Dominitz of the Savannah Morning News wrote a great story of the Sand Gnats and Mack’s Mets writer and contributor Wally Murphy and Lon Forbes –

          The Sand Gnats’ next game in Savannah could be their last.

Lon Forbes, a dedicated Gnats fan, would like Savannahians to come out in force to show their support when the minor-league baseball team hosts a playoff game next Friday at Grayson Stadium.

“We ought to get a record attendance,” Forbes said. “I’d like to think we’d have at least 2,500.”

That would an improvement. The team has averaged 1,962 a game in drawing 125,587 total for 64 home dates, not including Wednesday night, when the final regular-season home game was canceled because the field was unplayable after rainy conditions and two doubleheaders in two days.

Mack – This is the first year since 2007 that I didn’t attend at least one game with these guys. I will miss them greatly.

Michael asks –

        This entire situation is just getting my blood up and I'm really starting to think the Mets would be better off trading Harvey at some point.  Boras is poison to the relationship btw Harvey and the organization.

With Wright's health still up in the air long term, would you deal Harvey for Arenado +?  This would be at a future date, when we have a clearer picture of Wright's health but before an extension has to be negotiated w/ Boras.  This way, we'd lock down 3B with one of the young stars in baseball and the Rockies could get the pitching they need so badly.  It would also serve as a warning to Boras to not screw with this team.  Harvey goes to COL and watches his numbers drop.  Buh-bye $200M contract.

I'd hate to lose him and I want Harvey to be a Met for his career, but I feel like I'm watching a train wreck in slow motion and I'd rather deal with it before the inevitable crash

Mack – Matt Harvey and Scott Boras remain a hot topic on Mack’s Mets. Sadly, what every member of this extended family needs to do right now in September is to worry about this season.

I don’t know what Boras’ motives are all the time. He’s a lot like Donald Trump. In this case, he’s the only agent we ever hear from, standing behind a microphone.

I said yesterday that I like the idea of trading Harvey if I get the proper return. One player wouldn’t be enough for me.

Arenado would be perfect in a deal… 35-HR, 103-RBI, .288/.321/.576/897… but then the Mets would have to do something with David Wright.

I don’t know… like I said yesterday… trade him for at least two players… either a power outfielder, a leadoff speedster, an established successful shortstop, an A+ reliever, or an SP5… pick two.

And  Buster Olney has the last word (at least here on Mack’s Mets) on Matt Harvey –

Agent Scott Boras has spoken, and so have the New York Mets. But the only opinion that really matters regarding how many innings Matt Harvey will pitch is Harvey's opinion, and so far, he's not talking.

Maybe he's uncertain, facing conflicting forces. The safe play for his career and his future earnings is to defer to his doctors' guidelines. A more immediate pressure, however, comes from within the Mets' clubhouse, where his teammates are devoted daily to doing what they can to win the National League East and play deep into October. And if Harvey is going to play a major role in that pursuit, he will need to throw a lot more innings than what his doctors recommend.

He bears full responsibility for what happens moving forward, because the real power over the situation is his.

Mack – We’re spending far too much time here on Mack’s Mets on ‘the future’ of Harvey rather than targeting on what’s he’s doing this season.

Right now, I’m concerned.

The starters aren’t dominant, the relievers can’t do anything in the seventh inning, and Washington seems to have gotten their shit together.