Um, are the Mets putting marketing Matt Harvey ahead of a smart pitching rotation?

matt harvey t-shirt

I have been reading that the Mets may save Matt Harvey for the Home Opener.  None of us know what the future holds, but the source on that is Sandy Alderson so it’s not like it’s a fat guy blogging in his basement making things up.

However, unless I really suck at counting, that creates a glaring problem to me and makes me wonder if the Mets are putting marketing ahead of trying to win baseball games.

mets april 2015 schedule

 

Monday April 6 – Starter #1

Tuesday April 7 – no game

Wednesday April 8 – Starter #2

Thursday April 9 – Starter #3

Friday April 10 – Starter #4

Saturday April 11 – should be Starter #1 on normal rest

Sunday April 12 – If you start Starter #2 here he is on short rest.  So you need Starter #5

Monday April 13 – Should be Starter #2 on normal rest.

 

If you save Matt Harvey for the home opener, it seems to me that you either need a spot starter on Sunday, or you start #2 on short rest.  Either is crazy.

Why not pitch Matt on Sunday, and then let the rest of the rotation pitch on normal turns.

Playing it out…

Monday April 13 – Starter #2 on normal rest

Tuesday April 14 – Starter #3 on normal rest

Wednesday April 15 – Starter #4 on normal rest

Thursday April 16 – Starter #1 on normal rest

Friday April 17 – Starter #5 (the guy who started on Sunday) on normal rest.  It’s even Matt Harvey T-Shirt Night, so it even makes marketing sense!!!  They should market THIS night as Harveypalooza, not shoe-horn him into the home opener which doesn’t make baseball sense.

Saturday April 18 – Starter #2 on normal rest

Sunday April 19 – Starter #3 on normal rest

Then on the 20th you can bump your 4 starter (who is really your “last” starter and only the 4 because you held Harvey back)

And then go 1-5-2-3 in turn on normal rest.

 

If you throw Harvey on Monday you screw with everyone’s routine AND you need the extra arm on Sunday.

 

Please point out to me where I suck at math or what I don’t get.  I keep looking at this and it makes no sense to me, so I assume I am crazy and this is a stupid post.  I really hope I’m the one being stupid, not the Mets.

As for the rotation, I would make Colon the #1 and give him Opening Day.  He led the team in win last year and he’s a veteran.  That way you don’t put that mental “Opening Day” pressure on deGrom or Wheeler.  Let one of those guys pitch the second game, and that same person gets the home opener.  Harvey should pitch on Sunday.

18 Replies to “Um, are the Mets putting marketing Matt Harvey ahead of a smart pitching rotation?”

  1. metspolice AdamRubinESPN Maybe they’re looking further ahead. What does MH 2015 record look like if he faces Scherzer six times?

  2. metspolice AdamRubinESPN Doesn’t even make sense for tickets. Home opener will be sell out anyway. Let Harvey pitch a different home game.

  3. DarrenJMeenan The Yankees started a worse player in Game 5 and messed up their pitching rotation so Jeter could play in the home opener?

  4. metspolice no, they ran him out there everyday at the end instead of maybe playing someone else who could have contributed more.

  5. metspolice Isn’t Harvey gonna be on an innings limit this season? Better to skip start early rather than during (dare i say) playoff push.

  6. “DarrenJMeenan: metspolice because… ticket sales and marketing.”
    Yep! Glad the commitment to fielding the best team is there.

  7. DarrenJMeenan metspolice but the Yankees were out of it, the Mets are contenders. Remember?

  8. metspolice DarrenJMeenan Been saying this 4ever. Must boycott stadium to ensure this strategy fails or else there will never b a winner.

  9. metspolice Thank goodness they at least have quality players at every position says NO other baseball person except Sandy.

  10. Either way, I get the back end of the rotation for my first game ever at Citi on the 15th. lol

  11. metspolice don’t use logic. That’s for those Ivy League types and men who don’t have wives.

  12. metspolice This is far too logical to actually happen, considering it’s our Mets we’re talking about…

  13. metspolice The home opener is the closest thing the Mets have to a playoff game, might as well hold back Harvey to try and win it.

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