Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:

It’s been said before, but Harvey does such a nice job making in-game adjustments, all while staying aggressive and in his own rhythm. He’s a pitcher’s pitcher and a joy to watch every fifth day. I hope one day I get to see what he’ll be like on a team that can field and score runs for him. It’s going to be a wonderful thing. Until then, he’s going to have to live with doing what he’s doing, which often feels like he’s playing on a team that wants him to lose. I know that isn’t the case, obviously (see Wright, Murphy, Parnell and Byrd) but with the level of stumbling and bumbling going on behind him, at bat and on the bases these days, can anyone blame me for thinking this? I doubt it. And, I think he knows it, because he looked totally pissed off when asked to leave the game.

Also, Byrd’s throw was incredible, no doubt. However, as awesome as it was, Chicago’s third base coach should never have sent the runner, Darwin Barney, who did an equally terrible job running the bases. Barney was totally unaware of what was happening, which is why he was out by a mile.

Anyway, I’ll take what we can get. Thankfully it all worked out. Happy Harvey Day, everyone! Have a great night!

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

Earlier this week, Jon Niese threw an extended bullpen to work on his delivery and arm slot.

The adjustments seemed to work, since he allowed two runs in 7 1/3 innings yesterday, while earning his third victory of the year.

“I tried to keep my arm in that good arm slot and it worked out today,” Niese said after Thursday’s game. “I’m just glad [Dan Warthen] and I were able to get that good work in the bullpen and figure out what was going wrong mechanically. Fortunately, I was able to fix it.”

Niese pitched beyond the fifth inning for the first time since April 28 and it was the first time he’s pitched into the eighth inning this season. The Mets are now 4-5 in games started by Niese in 2013.

“He threw some 93 mph fastballs today. He hasn’t done that all year. His cutter was very good. That’s why he got the groundballs,” Terry Collins explained.

Niese is the veteran of this rotation, and a big part of this team’s future. Yes, every pitcher goes through ups and downs, but Niese was totally ineffective and seemingly rattled by his poor start this year. So, it was a relief to see Niese get beyond that yesterday, make the adjustment and pitch at the level he’s capable of pitching. The Mets really needed this effort from him yesterday.

Niese now needs to repeat this delivery in his next start, but also go to his curveball more. He had a good curve yesterday, but – when Niese is at his best – he’s using it almost as much as his cutter. It has served as an effective weapon because the opposition is forced to adjust mid game, but he has gotten away from using it this season.

If he does this, I expect Niese to have sustainable success the rest of this season…

Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:

The fist pump that is viewed as cocky and disrespectful when a team is losing is typically seen as confident and enthusiastic when the team is winning… just ask the 1986 Mets, who are treated like heroes despite one ring and a reputation for on- and off-field fighting, sex, drugs, showboating, arrests and curtain calls.

How do you think today’s beat writers, radio hosts and columnists would treat that team’s behavior today, at 15-23 and 6 games out of first place in mid May? It would be hilariously awful. It would be like raw meat in a lion’s den.

In 1986, it was a different media environment with totally different goals, which is probably why that team was allowed to be admired. Today, we’re all media. Fans talk sports 24-7 online, on air and around the water cooler. Demand for more and more content is strong, the rules are few and traffic and activity is all that matters.

So now, when a confident and cocky young player, like Jordany Valdespin, is perceived by even a few people as being controversial (regardless of whether what he did was right, wrong or a problem), local media and fans are going to perpetuate the controversy, because it’s a demand-driven business where controversial topics get clicks and make for compelling radio.

“The whole incident is stupid. It’s gotten way too much attention,” David Wright told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. “This thing should have been over, and now it’s turned into a life of its own. To read these reports how we don’t have his back and how we don’t care about him is absolutely ridiculous. It couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s ridiculous.”

It’s the nature of the beast, though, which is why I blame Mets management (and not necessarily fans and reporters) for the situation involving Valdespin (who is being framed as cocky, immature and selfish) and Terry Collins (who is being framed as disrespectful to his team’s fans). I don’t know Valdespin and Collins personally, so I’m not going to call out their character based on leading questions and anonymous sources. This whole story could be true. It could be way off base. In either case, it doesn’t change the fact the Mets (and Yankees, Knicks, etc.) need to better consider the media’s motives when building a team of young men.

It stinks that it has to be this way, because I’m ordinarily a fan of the emotional, enthusiastic player. However, the media here doesn’t necessarily care if you’re good or bad anymore, they only really care if you’re controversial and can help create a story. The Jets and Giants are the most perfect example, actually. The Giants are a successful organization, but I rarely hear much about them. The majority of local football coverage is on the Jets, who are almost always a constant circus.

The Royals don’t have to think this way. The Padres can basically do whatever they want. The Indians don’t have to deal with this level of coverage. These teams combined don’t have as many reporters following them as are standing in Sandy Alderson’s or Brian Cashman’s clubhouse every day.

I have the privilege of having clubhouse access to Citi Field. I rarely go in. However, when I do, there are always more reporters and media in the room than players, because New York is home to two major, all-sports radio stations, several newspapers and dot coms, and four local and multiple regional sports television networks, not to mention hundreds of fan blogs and the occasional national outlet asking to enter the room.

“We’re not playing good and there’s nothing else to write about,” Collins said this week on WFAN, when asked about Valdespin. “I’m aware of that and that’s what happens here. … The only way to move on is to start winning.”

This is true: if the Mets (or Yankees) win 100 games, these sort of stories will mostly be ignored. However, no team can guarantee success, regardless of who they sign, trade for or develop. They can only guarantee that New York’s media will continue to push on a story until it bleeds, because they know it will sell and people will read and listen… which is exactly what we’ve seen this week with this Valdespin and Collins story.

Andrew Wharton, MetsBlog.com:

I had no idea April showers brought May slumps, but over the last two weeks we’ve seen the Mets offense sputter. Actually, that’s putting it mildly.

We all know about Ike Davis and his struggles and we are quick to lament Lucas Duda’s frequent downturns, but with everybody focused on a select group of players and mainstream headlines, how has the rest of the team performed recently?

The simple answer: poorly. The above graphic shows how Mets regulars (I use the term very loosely) have performed over the past two weeks. More specifically, it normalizes their individual OPS+ according to the league average, which is 100, for this particular split. What we are left with is a visual of how hitters have performed compared to the rest of the league.

This essentially confirms the eye test: a few players doing well, while the rest of the team stinks up the joint. To make matters worse, the top two performers are platoon players. This means their numbers would likely drop significantly upon everyday exposure, leaving just David Wright and Daniel Murphy as the two lone hitters performing above league average.

Many lineup staples — Davis, Duda, Ruben Tejada and John Buck — have been downright horrible this month, and you don’t need me to tell you that’s not a recipe for winning. Small sample size or not, the Mets have been horrendous at the plate over the last two weeks, and quite frankly the team’s offense is even starting to ruin “Matt Harvey Day.”

With very little offensive help on the horizon, outside of Travis d’Arnaud, it’s going to be interesting to see how Sandy Alderson reacts between now and next spring. With Johan Santana, Jason Bay, Frank Francisco, and Buck’s contracts coming off the books, I’d like to think he’ll have the flexibility to overhaul this roster. If the Mets want to compete in 2014, they cannot afford to go through extended stretches where they hit this poorly.

Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:

I can’t speak to whether talks have been ‘serious,’ or, ‘silly,’ but people close to the team tell me Davis could realistically be demoted by the end of June. They expect him to turn it around, because he’s done it before, and they’re willing to give him a chance to do it again, which is what Carig’s report essentially reveals. However, the way I understand it, while the Front Office will certainly give Davis until Memorial Day to turn things around, I sense they’re completely confortable with the idea of eventually sending him to Triple-A. It just won’t be today or tomorrow…

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

Davis has been completely ineffective at the plate this season. What’s worse, Ike is just 4-for-37 with runners in scoring position with five walks and 16 strikeouts in 43 plate appearances, and hitting just .150 with men on-base overall.

He continues to look confused and lost with the bat. He’s ahead of breaking balls, behind on even mediocre fastballs and is using an inconsistent approach to find any way of breaking out of this season-long slumber he’s been in. He showed signs last week of busting out of it, but he has regressed again into the malaise which has dominated his season.

The main issue with benching or sending Davis to the minor leagues is that they don’t have a great replacement. Sure, they could use Ike in a platoon, move Lucas Duda or Daniel Murphy to first base, or call up Zach Lutz. However, none of those options are adequate or sustainable solutions, and any of these options will hurt the infield defense.

Demoting Davis could also send a mixed message to him and his teammates. Last year at this time, Davis was just as awful, but the organization came forward and assured him he would not be sent to Triple-A. So, I wonder what sending him down this time would do to his psyche? In either case, something has to change; either Ike has to come out of it or the Mets need to demote him and find another solution at first base.

Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:

It’s already difficult, since the Mets essentially play the same four or five teams all Spring (with big-name players rarely traveling). What’s worse, they spend a crazy amount of time packing up and traveling by bus, when compared to a situation like Arizona, where a large group of teams all train with a few miles of one another. I enjoy visiting St. Lucie, and I would greatly miss Vine & Barley, but I’m totally for all of these remaining teams breaking deals and uniting to build some sort of Florida version of what goes in Arizona. Of course, I’m not paying for it to happen, and I’m sure it’s easier said than legally done, but it would be a terrific experience and something I hope to see happen one day.

Andrew Vazzano, SNY.tv

Hey, is that some power from the Mets offense? Of their 11 hits, five of them went for doubles. Very nice to see the team score runs not on the long ball, but put together a few good innings as a team.

Oh, Ike. What’s left to say about you? You are completely lost at the plate. Sure, you were facing Adam Wainwright to start the day, and he made you — and a few other Mets — look silly with his nasty curveball, but you’ve been lost for a while. Your days are numbered.

Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:

In a report for USA Today, columnist Bob Nightengale traveled to St. Louis to talk with Mets players and management. Nightengale wanted to learn more about Jordany Valdespin and the team’s reaction to him being hit by a pitch after “showboating” after hitting a home run.

In the report, Mets reliever LaTroy Hawkins discussed his teammate’s perceived reaction and told Nightengale:

“What were we supposed to do there?” We were down six runs, he hits a home run and he acts like it’s a walk-off. This isn’t Little League. What, now we’re supposed to get into a fight for that? We’re supposed to throw at somebody because he did a bonehead thing? Now, if they throw at him for no reason, that’s a different story. We protect our team. But to do what he did put us in a bad spot, a real bad spot. He showed absolutely no respect. If you’re going to pimp it (against Jose Contreras, a respected veteran, in a blowout), you’re going to suffer the consequences. I have no problem defending my teammates, but some things, you just can’t defend against. He’s created a lot of unnecessary tension around here. … Sometimes you have to look yourself in the mirror. He’s got to ask himself, ‘What can I do to gain the respect back from my teammates?’ And he’s got to come up with that answer on his own. For some reason, he doesn’t want to do things the right way. He wants to do it the hard way. Hopefully, he’ll figure it out, because he’s got a chance to be a damn good ballplayer.”

He does. And, I’m glad his teammates recognize it. I know the current front office does, and Omar Minaya certainly did. However, the old time baseball guys in the organization, from Wally Backman to Terry Collins to other coaches and instructors, have all expressed concern to me and others about Valdespin’s effort, focus and respect for the game. I say this now, because most of these people have gone on record as saying so in the last week.

I hate unwritten rules. I think it’s silly to have them in what is, essentially, a kid’s game. Get over yourselves, gentlemen. You throw and hit a ball for a living. So what if Jose Contreas is embarrassed by a rookie’s antics? Hey, Jose and LaTroy, here’s a tip on avoiding the situation: Don’t let up a home run to a notoriously flamboyant rookie. How about that?

“I don’t know why people say, ‘This is why we do it, and you have to know how to play by the rules,’ and all of that nonsense ” Bobby Valentine said this morning on NBC Sports Radio’s Brian Kenny Show. ”Valdespin did what he did, yet it’s proper and just for a guy 60′ 6″ away to hurl a hard object as hard as he can to hit him and do bodily harm. …It’s ridiculously out of whack.”

Valentine also pointed out how Babe Ruth was notorious for circling the bases and pointing his bat at the opposition, while smiling and laughing, yet he’s never heard tales of Ruth being thrown at in retaliation for his behavior. “It’s one of those crazy things that we’ve allowed to happen,” Valentine explained.

That said, it’s clearly important to these people that everyone be a carbon copy of the most behaved players before them and that isn’t going to change. It is what it is, I guess. If this is how it has to be, I’m glad people like Hawkins, David Wright, Collins and others are doing their best to ‘educate,’ ‘guide,’ and encourage Valdespin to be a more well-behaved baseball player so he’s allowed the opportunity to show what he is or isn’t capable of on the field.