Coming back home
Leiter: ‘No other organization would make sense’
PORT ST. LUCIE — At 9:15 Sunday morning, Steven Matz threw a bullpen session, trying to correct the mistakes that were pounded out of the ballpark on Friday, when the Mets’ lefty could not get the ball down and surrendered four home runs to the Nationals.
Pitching coach Dave Eiland watched closely. Quietly standing off to the side was someone who knows a lot about pitching and lefthanders and the fearless mindset that is needed to succeed in the major leagues — Al Leiter.
On Sunday, Leiter came home to the Mets.
On March 4, the Mets announced Leiter and John Franco would work with the Mets and general manager Brodie Van Wagenen as baseball operations advisers, brothers in arms again, but Sunday was Leiter’s first day of real observation around the team.
Leiter knows the last thing Matz needs now is a former pitcher chirping in his ear, so he will not force any thoughts on Matz. He’ll watch, take mental notes and some in a notebook that he carried with him later in the day on the backfields as he and Franco watched relievers Jeurys Familia, Justin Wilson and Edwin Diaz pitch in a “B’’ game.
Leiter walked off with Van Wagenen after the three relievers were done with their one-inning assignments. From there, it was off to the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, where the Mets were hammered by the Nationals, 10-5.
Leiter is ecstatic with his new position and the fact that his voice will be heard by Van Wagenen and Mets decision-makers.
It’s one thing to talk baseball on TV, it’s another to have a seat at the big table, having input on the decisions made about the team he loved growing up, the team he pitched for from 1998-2004, posting a 95-67 record.
“I’ve been kind of yearning to get back to where I spent seven great years,’’ Leiter said in the dugout outside the Mets clubhouse at First Data Field. “I grew up a Mets fan, I lived the dream by getting the chance after nine, 10 years in the big leagues to get back to New York and play for the team you rooted for. The TV stuff has been fun, but I’ve been itching to want to get more involved with baseball operations.’’
Leiter also will watch his son, Jack, pitch his senior year of high school for Delbarton, in Morristown, N.J. Jack has committed to Vanderbilt. Scouts gather for all his starts.
Leiter, 53, has been friends with Van Wagenen a long time and that is how this opportunity presented itself.
“No other organization would make sense,’’ Leiter said. “It’s the right thing.’’
It sure is. The Mets could learn from Leiter’s passion and knowledge of the art of pitching.
Over his 19-year career, Leiter became a disciple of the late sports psychologist Harvey Dorfman. Leiter is a big believer in the mental side of pitching, and when he talks to the young minor league pitchers, and maybe some major league pitchers, he will make that point. He also will try to convince pitchers to pitch with total conviction. When you are on the mound do not show any weakness. Be the boss.
“I’m ready,’’ Leiter said of this new challenge. “And I’ve always been very curious.’’
He said the timing is perfect. “I don’t know of any rotation with greater depth,’’ he said of Jacob deGrom & Co. “The one through four is pretty hard to beat.’’
Matz, the fourth starter, is having a rough spring, posting a 10.97 ERA, but spring numbers all get tossed soon and Matz was keeping the ball down during his Sunday morning bullpen session. He has to take it to the game.
“I’m not worried,’’ Matz told The Post, saying the next few days he will be working with video to get his delivery right. “I just need to drive the ball down down instead of flying open and getting on the side of the ball. When I’m up in the zone they can just eliminate the low pitch and I throw the ball up and bam.’’
In baseball, there is always work to do.
Al Leiter is excited to be back to work with the Mets.