It was the start after the trade deadline. August 3, 2014 was the date, a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Citi Field.
I happen to be in attendance to watch my favorite pitcher on the 2014 New York Mets, 40 year old Bartolo Colon. He was facing the soon to be World Series champion San Fransisco Giants and their soon to be World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner. Like most August games the last few years for the Mets it was just pride on the line, and the day ended with none. Colon got shelled giving up 6 runs on 8 hits while Bumgarner shaped a glimpse of what the rest of the season through the World Series would entail for him, total dominance. He pitched a complete game two hitter, FINAL SCORE: GIANTS 9 METS 0.
I’ve been to many bad Met home games but this was probably the worst.
The reason this game comes to mind at such a positive point in this young season is because of what was being said by all the fans around me. It was at that point in the season, (the trade deadline) or right before it, that the whole fan base and media was calling for Colon and his 14 million dollar contract to be traded. It was that start where you heard things like, “well there goes all his trade value, right out of the park like that Hunter Pence home run.”
I happened to be of the opinion to keep him. The reasons for trading him were valid. The Mets are well known to have a lot of pitching depth. Prospects Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero waiting in the wings. A contender could have taken off his semi big contract for last season and this as well. But for me I always thought that if the mets were gonna be good next year (2015) they needed someone with experience. Plus they are the Mets, so injures.
Through five starts I think it’s pretty obvious to say Sandy Alderson made the right choice not trading Mr. Colon. Besides the 4-1 record, the sheer entertainment he brings everytime he takes the hill, and the plate is enough to make every start of his a much watch.
