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.
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.