SAN FRANCISCO —There were no trades at the deadline for the Mets but Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler both pitched last night, and that’s all you need to know about your build-around future, Mets fans.
Wheeler struck out 11 for Double-A Binghamton and Harvey, in his second major league start, wasn’t quite as dominant as his first, when he struck out 11 Diamondbacks, but he still was mighty impressive last night in a 4-1 loss to the Giants and Tim Lincecum at AT&T Park.
“The future’s bright here,’’ manager Terry Collins told The Post in regards to the two young pitchers. “Wheeler is light’s out and Harvey showed again tonight that he knows what he is doing out there.’’
Harvey went six strong innings, struck out seven, giving him a Mets’ record 18 strikeouts over his first two starts. The big right-hander allowed just four hits and three runs, two earned. His changeup was better last night, but his slider was not quite as effective as his first outing.
A little tighter defense and Harvey might have come out a winner, but hat’s life with these Mets.
“I don’t like to lose,’’ Harvey said. “In my eyes, if we scored one run, I should have done my part and gotten zeroes.’’
In the Giants’ two-run second, newbie center fielder Jordany Valdespin broke back on Buster Posey’s single that dropped just in front of the diving Valdespin. Then Marco Scutaro’s double skipped past Justin Turner at third. With one out and the bases loaded, Ruben Tejada threw away what should have been a double-play ball, and that’s how the first two runs scored.
A year ago, the Mets were able to trade for Wheeler. This year, there were no big deals for general manager Sandy Alderson’s club.
Trader Jack McKeon once put it in perspective as to why he was not able to swing a trade, telling a rival general manager, “I’ve got enough garbage of my own, why would I want your garbage.’’
Essentially, there was nothing out there that interested the Mets enough to trade away Scott Hairston, who has been a success.
“If we’re just going to get marginal talent,’’ Alderson said, “then we have a choice to make.’’
The choice was to hang on to Hairston. Ironically, before the game, Mets players were playing the 1940’s board game “Shoot The Moon’’ in the clubhouse. These Mets are shooting for 80 wins.
Alderson said the Mets need to put up as many wins as possible in an effort to change the perception, even though they are 12 back of the Nationals.
Though the Giants walked away with Hunter Pence yesterday, the Mets were not able to do anything on the trade market. All that makes the development of the likes of Harvey and Wheeler that much more vital for the Mets.
Essentially, it’s Star Young Pitchers or bust for the Mets.
Harvey is ultra-competitive and the Mets need to get as many of those types of players as possible in the major leagues, players who are focused on winning, nothing else.
Alderson was a little irritated about the subject of no trades in his conference call with reporters.
“I thought we would talk on this call about the fact that we didn’t add anything,’’ he said. “And now we’re talking about why we didn’t subtract, which is interesting to me. As I said, we’re about changing impressions, changing perceptions. And you do that with wins and losses, primarily.’’
He is dead right about that, but the Mets are 50-54, in third place.
Before you can change who you are as team, you have to change players and bring in winning players. The Mets players are not wanted in a big way and Alderson said it’s more important to change the impression of the team through wins than just taking a flyer on a marginal prospect.
“I happen to think those impressions can be more valuable than a low-A prospect, below the top 30, from some organization in the American League,” he said.
Like it or not, Mets fans, that’s the deal.