(above, Yoenis Cespedes shown loafing his way into a steal of second over the weekend)

While his NY Post colleague Joel Sherman proposes Steven Matz as a late innings replacement for the struggling Bobby Parnell, Phil Mushnick — having already weighed in on the matter of jewelry — takes issue with Mets OF Yoenis Cespedes’ failure to run to first base Friday night after a dropped third strike by Pirates C Francisco Cervelli :

Cespedes gave the runaway ball a not-interested look, then began walking to the dugout. Cervelli chased the ball down, jogged to Cespedes and tagged him out. Cespedes didn’t even bother to force a throw to first or force anything that could have happened had he done so.

Of course, Gary Cohen and Hernandez were appalled! No, they weren’t.

“Gotta run, don’t ya?” Cohen casually asked, to which Hernandez as casually answered, “Yes, I agree.”

That was it. No big deal. Case closed.

.

Just to be super clear, Cespedes’ refusal to bust it down the line was clearly noted by the club’s highly respected play-by-play announcer. The equally respected analyst who sits to his right —one of the most beloved figures in Mets history — concurred. But apparently, that’s not nearly enough for Phil.

What would Mushnick have the SNY announcers do? Petition Sandy Alderson to waive Cespedes on the spot? Personally visit the clubhouse and strangle him with his allegedly fearsome gold chains?

Keep in mind, this is the same Yoenis Cespedes that nearly beat out an infield single the following evening (an umpire’s safe ruling was overturned by video replay) on a routine grounder late in a close game. Perhaps he could tell that he was in serious danger of losing Phil Mushnick’s respect. Or, just maybe, he actually plays the game hard and Friday’s lapse is not entirely reflective of his character as a person or player so there was NO NEED TO TEAR HIM TO FUCKING SHREDS. Sheesh.