Peter Hyatt - Jay Bruce Advocates for Amed Rosario

Joel Sherman of the NY Post wrote that he "I too, bought into the narrative that Bruce couldn't handle New York..."

A journalist buying into narrative is not surprising.  Even his mea culpa, low on mea, is not surprising.  

What is surprising, however, is that his laziness is plain to see.  

How about someone with access to the clubhouse actually doing some journalistic endeavors and asking Bruce in August 2017, 

"Is it an adjustment personally coming to NY?" followed by

"Is it impacting your game?" and letting Bruce speak for himself?

The reporting of news is so...so not journalism today.  Keep this in mind the next "pronouncement" of "inside" information that Sherman makes.  His source?

Check Twitter for one and some small blog articles for another.  

Jay Bruce was a very strong veteran in the club house.  At just 30 years old, and moving into his home run prime, he would be good for 30 to 40 dingers a year and worth a contract that would be larger than self proclaimed "El Potencia" (the Almighty) at $110 mill for four years. 

That would upset El Potencia who, the Mets have learned, does not take much to rattle his sensibilities.  

While the Mets fan base screamed for the promotion of Amed Rosario, who has been an immediate upgrade defensively, a spark on the base paths, and, for now with his slump, the equal bat to Reyes, Terry Collins' weak "hiding behind happy vets" leadership caused him to make a deliberate statement about playing time. 

Easily dismissed by those who do not listen, Collins said Rosario would get "tired."  

The 21 year old kid had not played this many games so Collins was warning media to go easy on him when he benches the kid. 

Ridiculous. 

Besides his age, athleticism and extreme almost kid-like enthusiasm, Rosario can jump right into 162 games.  He comes from a 12 month per year baseball friendly land.  If he avoids hobnobbing with Matt Harvey and gets to sleep on time, there is no need (nor likely desire) for him to "rest" so that Collins can keep his vets happy.  (the one point Sherman did properly identify). 

Pick up an older baseball card and you'll learn that 21 year olds played 155 plus games a year, even coming from shorter minor league, high school and college backgrounds.  

No, this is Collins' lost club house circle the wagons strategy.  

It is why we see old legs on the field, desperate, not to win, but to keep them supportive of Collins as young players sit either on the bench or at Vegas. 

Recently, this was not lost on strong club house presence Jay Bruce:

“He’s got so much to learn in a positive way,” teammate Jay Bruce said. “He’s got all the tools, all the talent and I hope we all just continue to let him play and develop and just become who he is.”

Did you hear what he said?

He, himself ("I") is hoping that "we" (plural) continue to let him play. 

Who is "we"?

Why the necessity of support of "we" with "all"?

Jay Bruce knows that it is not Terry Collins, by himself, making such decisions, but it is Terry Collins and others making the line up. 

Though fans may not like hearing it, pouting and brooding El Potencia has an input in the line up, just as the whining Cabrera does, too.  Got to keep The Almighty happy and minimize the whiner, lest he infect others.  Therefore, even as Keith Hernandez agonizes, Conforto is used to protect El Potencia, by batting fourth.  Keith insists it should be the other way around, with Conforto protected by Cespedes, who should be in the clean up slot.  Conforto is our best hitter.  

When you're playing this melodrama out in a billion dollar industry, you've long lost control of your team.  

Jay Bruce knows that a player needs the psychological base line of being able to work through slumps.  

It drove Michael Conforto nuts last year; he was not allowed by Collins to work through the inevitable slumps.  I loved the way Keith Hernandez addressed it this year.  A player with a terrific swing and a future needs to be allowed to work through the inevitable slumps and learn how to minimize them.  

Hernandez put a lot of thought into this and even quoted Pete Rose (someone who knew how to put the bat on a ball) and said that a full time player will experience about 9 small or mini slumps over the course of 6 months in the season.  He must learn how to minimize, not eradicate, the slump.  This mentality is crucial.  If one thinks he is going to completely eradicate the slump (often brain fatigue being a strong factor), he is likely to exasperate the slump and maybe destroy his career.  This is why hitting .400 over the course of a season is next to impossible.  

Jay Bruce was a team leader and a vocal supporter of Michael Conforto's talent and it was no surprise that he was among the first to seek out Rosario after a misplay cost a game.  

Jay Bruce' body language, alone,  could school Joel Sherman. 

This is the team first mentality that we've sent out for a not-top-30 prospect from A ball.  

But, be pleased, we still have Granderson, Cabrera and Reyes to take valuable playing time away as well as our endless shuffle at first base delaying Dom Smith.  

Jay Bruce:  we could have sought to extend his contract but that would mean Sandy Alderson would have to humble himself and do that which he says he would not do, even though it would have been in the best interest of team.  

This is not to say that we cannot sign him, but we've lost the chance to even get a draft pick so that ownership can save $. 

 Jay Bruce was a strong "pro team" voice in the club house, where the divide in this team is strong.  I hope he did not speak up too often to the dismay of El Potencia.  

We've now one less voice and a lot less home runs.  

Just in case you hear this one, please consider: 

We did not have to trade him to promote Dom Smith.