A ‘LOVE’ AFFAIR
Collins recalls good times with Harvey, wishes him best
ONE FATEFUL Sunday night in New York, Matt Harvey wanted to keep the ball, and Terry Collins would not take it away.
“He walked up to me in the dugout and said, ‘This is my game, I want to go back out there,’” Collins remembered as he left the field before the Yard Goats’ 9-7 victory over Binghamton at Dunkin’ Donuts Park on Tuesday night. “And I loved that. I love that in a pitcher. He never had an excuse. Not one time did Matt Harvey ever make an excuse. He wanted the baseball. He was pitching so well, I just said, ‘You know what, this is his time.’ Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. I don’t second guess what I did.”
That moment proved to be the zenith of both careers with the Mets. For Harvey, from Fitch High in Groton, Conn., who lost his shutout and the lead in the ninth inning as the Royals rallied to clinch the 2015 World Series, it was the beginning of a downward spiral that ended with his trade to the Reds on Tuesday night. The deal was finalized as Collins, now a special assistant to Mets GM Sandy Alderson, was chatting with The Courant before the Yard Goats played Binghamton, the Mets’ Double A affiliate.
“I love Matt Harvey,” Collins said. “I love him like a son. We went through a lot of wars. I saw a guy, when he got to the big leagues, within two seasons he made himself, if not the best, then one of the top three pitchers in all of baseball. So what happened the last few years, injury-wise and how it affected him, was really tough to see and go through for him.”
Harvey’s career in New York was derailed by injuries and numerous controversies. He always had Collins’ support, but Collins, 68, retired as manager after last season. The new staff, led by manager Mickey Callaway, demoted Harvey, 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA, to the bullpen and then asked him to go to the minor leagues to work things out. When he refused, the Mets designated Harvey for assignment last Friday. The Reds (8-27), with one of the worst records in baseball, sent catcher Devin Mesoraco to the Mets for Harvey.
“I just hope he just goes and catches his breath,” Collins said, “and doesn’t stop the work process that it’s going to take to get back. I told him last year, ‘Matt, your only problem is you set the bar so high, you expect so much of yourself that anything besides that is not going to be good enough in your eyes. You’ve got to learn to become a little bit different guy.’ I just hope he bounces back. … I just wish him the best.”
Collins’ baseball career stretches back to the early 1970s, when he played in the Eastern League at Waterbury and visited Muzzy Field in Bristol and Quigley Stadium in West Haven. “They didn’t have places like this when I played in this league,” he said, looking around Dunkin’ Donuts Park. He managed the Astros and Angels and, from 2011-17, the Mets, winning 49.5% of his games with the three franchises. As the oldest manager in the majors, though, he led the Mets to the World Series and to a wild card berth in 2016. After last season, the Mets (70-92) and Collins came to an agreement. He lives in Port St. Lucie, near the Mets’ complex and Florida State League affiliate, and travels through their minor league system on his own schedule. Collins’ suntan, popping against his thick white hair, is spectacular. “We’re in a situation in New York where we’ve got to find some players,” Collins said. “We’ve got to develop our own players, so I’m hoping I can help out.” Collins was very impressed with Anthony Kay, a lefty pitcher and a first-round pick from UConn in 2016 now at Class A Columbia. “He’ll be here soon, so will David Peterson,” he said. “They’ve got great stuff, they’re going to pitch in the big leagues.” Collins was looking forward to watching Binghamton first baseman Peter Alonso, who was hitting .383 going into play Tuesday night. “I’ve heard nothing but raves about him,” he said. And then there is Tim Tebow, the Heisman Trophy winner trying to make it in baseball at age 30. Tebow greeted Collins warmly at the batting cage, then launched a slew of balls out of the park. Tebow was hitting .244. “Hey, I played in this league and I didn’t hit .240, and I was a baseball player,” said Collins, who hit .218 in the EL. “He’s gotten himself better. When I saw him this spring, I said, ‘Wow, his swing has changed, his body has changed, he’s buying into it. He’s trimmed down, loosened himself up, he’s become more flexible. … He’s a tremendous leader for these guys to watch his work ethic. When Sandy told me he was going to sign the guy, I said I can’t come up with a better name of a guy who knows how to win.”