Peter Hyatt - Cespedes Fires Back Against Collins

Tensions continue to increase in the Mets clubhouse with Yoenis Cespedes stirring the pot, front and center.  

Blaming Cespedes for Astrubel Cabrera's arrogance is unfair. Cabrera, known for his ego before Cespedes, was emboldened in his stance when he claimed the Mets did not inform them of their plans  in the minor system, which was shocking enough, but do not blame Cespedes. 

True, Cabrera and the Met players have watched Cespedes defy their employer routinely and get away with it, but the key is:

Cespedes gets away with it. 

When a child acts up, we don't hold the child responsible as much as we do the parents who allow such behavior. 

The Mets let Cespedes get away with his behavior and the Mets knew Cespedes penchant for behavior before the big signing.

The Mets chose to not only allow Cespedes to make the calls of his rehab and even of his line up, and of more club house moves we are not privy too, but have had to cover for him and even lie for him.  When Cespedes hits he will talk to the press, but when the Mets lose and Cespedes does not hit, Jay Bruce takes over.  

None of this is lost on the manager who did attempt to reign Cespedes in, but was told by the brass to let it be.  


Terry Collins has reached the breaking point with Cespedes.  The final straw was not Cespedes' recent insult, but when Collins slipped out about Neil Walker's rehab.  

This made Collins fume that he has to watch his every word, at age 68, and even lie for Cespedes. 

Collins fumbles over his words but admitted that Walker was following the prescription as players do; with certain amount at bats, then a report from Mets management, with recommendation for promotion or more at bats, and so on. 

But here is the one constant that has dug at Collins even more than the "Cespedes people", the "translator" (he speaks fluent English) and the muzzling brass forces on him about Cespedes: 

Collins embarrassingly has to hold off submitting his line up card until Cespedes gives his approval. 

This is a constant insult to Terry Collins and Cespedes knows it.  

What led Cespedes to finally fire back?

Terry Collins. 

Terry Collins' anger over this prima donna.  

Collins was hamstrung by management who enabled not only Cabrera, but is impacting Noah Syndergaard (recall his medial refusal and reaming of Jay Horowitz) and further empowering Matt Harvey, who, as we know, needs no inspiration to be self centered.  

Collins may have "refused" (passively) to wait any further when making out his line up and Cespedes, the self anointed "El Hombre", was insulted.  

Cespedes did not wax nostalgic about the A's but took a page out of Sandy Alderson's book by using the public to communicate how unhappy he is with Collins and the Mets.  Cespedes does not feel any responsibility for the Mets' losing season. 

Alderson reached his breaking point when he went public to announce that "no substantial injury" was found with Cespedes, who was refusing transparency regarding his leg injury and refused to follow team protocol, in an attempt to get his employee back to work.  

This has burned Cespedes ever since, who has a posse of "people" to remind him of the insult. 

Remember, this frail ego cannot bear failure to self and Mets clubhouse anger over not only Cespedes special treatment but over his personal choice of when to hustle, has spread throughout.  

Cespedes' biggest supporter is fellow club house cancer Astrubel Cabrera. No surprise here. 

Close buddy, Jose Reyes, a selfish and media seeker himself, felt the need to distance himself, a bit, from Cespedes. Reyes is not nearly as self absorbed as Cespedes and has expressed willingness to resign with the Mets as a utility player.  He genuinely loves playing here. 

Cespedes took his shot, carefully, at Terry Collins. 

Beginning with Curtis Granderson, please note the following:

The veterans on the Mets are utterly devoted to Terry Collins. 

The split in the clubhouse just got wider.  

The Mets should explore moving Cespedes to Oakland.  There is enough professional relationship strings remaining between the two clubs and Oakland would not likely seek to embarrass Alderson, nor would Alderson accept such humiliation.  Alderson always orders his contracts played over productivity until the howls of Citi Field overshadow the howls of media. 

If you get your Mets info from the MLB app beat writer who plays softball with Alderson, then "all is well" and Cespedes is leading the Mets clubhouse in kum-by-ya songs. 

If you get your Mets info from listening carefully to the quotes of those involved, and even casually watch their body language, and you know Human Nature 101, you'll see the drama of mediocrity in action.  

The Mets are...

a billion dollar corporation with high level soap opera drama just like every other corporation.  The higher salaries mean higher drama.  Sports fans' "linguistic lens" is often hero-shaded.  People are almost always greatly let down when they get to know a celebrity. Sports learn that the celebrity is...

no different than their brothers or fathers, and pull their pants on one leg at a time, and subject to the same imperfections we all share, only magnified by both money and power.  Whatever negative traits we have, throw money at and see them increase.  Its human nature. 

If Cespedes did not have the ability to hit a baseball at 109mph for 450 feet, he would be a troublesome manager at McDonalds, wearing short sleeves and a tie, and constantly having employees quit due to his insistence that they honor his greatness.  We've all met the type.  

Add in accolades and you've got ego on steroids, but add in millions and you have entitlement that is unable to be concealed in the body language.  

As a boy, I worshipped Willie Mays and when I first read some quotes by players about him, I was shocked.  

My wife and I love old movies.  She has told me, "Never tell me about the actors; it'll spoil the movies."  It's true.  I could not resist telling her that a worker for Bob Hope was telling the truth when she said that Hope used to throw her pay on the floor so watch her prostrate herself.  She said, "You're spoiling "Road to Morocco" for me!" 

I stopped.  

She gets that actors are those who make animal faces in front of the mirror to practice and get millions for playing pretend, so that when they are declared "an American hero", it is to say, "he has played heroes in roles..." with a touch of childhood innocence lost. 

It can be the same way for grown men when it comes to baseball players.  

It's always acceptable to skip articles like these, if you so wish.  Yet, it is also fascinating to see the behind-the-scenes psychology that impacts the win - loss record.  


"He is the best manager for me" with "for me" is the most important clause for Cespedes.  

The best manager "for me."  

Howie Rose fumed.  

Mets tweeter world raged.

Beat reporters retreated to, "Well, maybe it got lost in translation" a familiar and worn out excuse.  Cespedes is no dummy; he knows what he is saying, and so do his teammates and the only surprise for Collins is that Cespedes actually said it outside the clubhouse. 

Its been known in the club house since Cespedes refused to follow Mets protocol for his injury. 

But remember:  the most important reaction is not from Collins nor even Cespedes, but from team mates.  The vets love Collins with some loving him like a father.  Many of the younger players are still favorable towards Collins but there is a split.  

For Yoenis Cespedes, the only time you hear him talk about "team" is when he is going well.  

It is all about him and this led to 4 teams in 3 years with the most intolerant anger coming out of Boston.  

There are still those in Mets brass who have the silent "I told you so" that allow for the dialogue in meetings to say, rather than "how do we spin this?" but,

"Can we... move him?"

This contract is going to hurt later on.  Even for those who believe his birth certificate to be accurate see what he did to his body in the off season; especially his legs.  

Cespedes cannot even be shamed into taking responsibility as a leader.  He will not speak to the press unless he does well.  

There may be some in media who will continue to inch more and more with the criticism, while carefully making sure they do not experience Alderson's ex communication from the club house; it is their bread and butter. 

UPDATE:  Saturday afternoon presser. 

Terry Collins spoke out about the Cespedes statement saying he was "moving forward" with it. Even as he "moved forward", he fired a shot back.  A man can only be expected to take so much from one so arrogant.  

"I know where he stands," Collins said. "We've talked a lot and I'm sure you guys can imagine that we have a lot of conversations. (He can think) somebody else is his favorite manager. That's great. That doesn't bother me a bit. I just want him to keep hitting and keep hitting home runs."

Terry Collins, like him or not as a manager, is considered an overall good guy.

He deserves more respect than Cespedes has shown.