(EDITOR’S NOTE : From time to time, legendary baseball executive Randy L. takes to CSTB to weigh in on the important issues of the day. In the wake of the Yankees’ Robinson Cano being plunked by the Mets’ Matt Harvey during the first inning of last night’s All-Star Game — and Randy’s rather impassioned tweets on the subject — our most esteemed guest editorialist offered, nay insisted on elaborating a day later -GC ).
Perhaps you’re familiar with the old saying, “it takes a big man to admit when he’s wrong”. If you agree with that statement, I think it’s safe to say that I am many times bigger than any of my cowardly, uneducated internet critics. I would like to formally apologize to Mets pitcher Matt Harvey, Fred & Jeff Wilpon, the entire Mets organization and their long-suffering fans for my ill-tempered and ill-advised Twitter remarks last night. Having heard Harvey’s profuse apology to Robinson Cano, I am willing to accept this unfortunate incident might’ve been an accident, much the way Roger Clemens once retrieved a portion of Mike Piazza’s broken bat and inadvertently flung it in the avowed heterosexual’s direction. Who are any of us to judge the intentions of these modern day gladiators?
I’ll admit that I reacted poorly. The World’s Greatest Sporting Franchise counts on me for cool, level-headed decision making, not the sort of knee-jerk reactions better suited for the sort of mouthbreathing, anti-intellectuals who populate sports radio and garish baseball stadiums in the borough of Queens. So with that in mind, at the risk of undermining my oversexed general manager, I’d like to remind the Mets and Sandy Alderson that if they’re interested in swapping a sure thing Hall Of Famer for the relatively untested Mr. Harvey, the offer’s still on the table.
I realize that Harvey disgraced himself in myriad ways this month ; posing naked in a pornographic magazine. Bailing on his teammates when they needed him most. Participating in a tiresome, “viral” video skit. And most shameful of all, nearly injuring a second baseman who has brought joy to the hearts of so many New Yorkers. But I’m in a conciliatory mood. Perhaps with the right sort of grooming, Matt Harvey could someday be worthy of wearing the uniform that revived the careers of Dwight Gooden and David Cone before him.
That said, I’m not merely here to talk business. Citi Field turned out to be an adequate host venue for last night’s dull exhibition Midsummer Classic, and were I wearing a hat, I’d take it off to our crosstown rivals. Despite my earlier fears, Con Edison never turned off the power. There were no reports of food poisoning from any of the Mets’ overpriced concessionaires (though granted, it’s still early and I will continue to monitor the newspapers). And most importantly, the reception afforded last night’s MVP, the ever classy Mariano Rivera, could not have been more gracious and heartfelt had I personally scripted the outcome (except for the part about some non-entity earning the save — how’s the early dementia working out for you, Leyland?).
Though there are many things that divide the Yankees and Mets —- championships, sophistication, solvency — last night demonstrated that when we all come together as New York baseball fans, everyone wins. The Yankee Universe got to see a wonderful moment in Mariano Rivera’s storied career. And Mets fans will someday be able to tell their grandchidren that at least one interesting thing occurred in the financial albatross that is Citi Field besides an Amway orientation meeting.
So with that mind, Fred and Jeff, let’s continue to explore ways we can help each other out. A-Rod for Harvey. Waldman for Cohen. Marakovits for Burkhardt. Clearly, I don’t know the meaning of the word, “untouchable” — though I would be very happy if someone would teach it to Cashman.
I LOVE NY,
Randy L.