This report comes from the New York Post’s Page 6. That’s a gossip page, so give it whatever weight you feel is appropriate, but we should probably acknowledge that this is the sort of story where gossipy reporting is more likely to tease out the truth than official statements and on-the-record quotes.
Anyway: the Post reports that Matt Harvey’s suspension-inspiring Saturday absence from Citi Field was preceded by a Friday night of Cinco de Mayo partying. Specifically, the Post has a source in a club that says Harvey and his boys showed up at 1am, ordered a bunch of champagne, tequila and vodka while sitting at a private table and stayed until 4am.
Harvey’s story is that he played golf Saturday morning, had a nice lunch, took a nap and then texted in sick with a migraine that afternoon. The Mets, it seems, weren’t buying that, and sent some goons to go figure out what, exactly, Harvey was up to. I have no idea what Harvey was really doing, but even if he went straight home after the club I’m struggling to see anyone hitting the links for a morning of golf after doin’ bottle service until the wee hours of the morning. But what do I know? I’m not a professional athlete.
On one level, eh, Mickey Mantle did this stuff back in his day, only with bottles of Cutty in bars instead of Armand de Brignac Champagne at clubs. Another difference then was no one was telling tabloids about it or, if they were, the tabloids weren’t writing about it because it was a different time. A more significant difference then was that, for the most part, Mantle showed up at the park the next day, for better or for worse, and likely didn’t tell his team stories about it all that they didn’t believe like Harvey apparently did. Oh, and he was Mickey Frickin’ Mantle, not a guy more than two seasons removed from his last bit of effectiveness and a 5.14 ERA.
Whatever the case, Harvey’s suspension ends today and he’ll pitch for the Mets later this week. If he pitches well and shows up on time from now on, this will all be forgotten soon. If he struggles or if these problems continue, it’ll be a story that never goes away.
For what it’s worth, my biggest takeaway is confusion at how, in the age of social media and gossip and stuff, a very famous person can go to a club and not expect someone to say that they saw him there. But go with that “I was out golfing and had a migraine” story, Matt.