ATLANTA — Mets manager Terry Collins publicly apologized Thursday for his treatment of team media relations vice president Jay Horwitz, who he called “a puppy dog” a day earlier. Collins stressed how after a win over the Royals Wednesday, the last thing he wanted to do was discuss injuries and vented a bit against Horwitz. So Thursday, after apologizing, he discussed injuries.
Go figure.
“Before we get started, I want to publicly apologize to not only you guys for yesterday but to Jay,” said Collins in his pregame meeting with the media. “I was out of line for saying what I said at the press conference.”
Collins spoke Wednesday postgame about Yoenis Cespedes’ wrist injury and mentioned the slugger went for treatment and exams. There were no questions regarding Noah Syndergaard, so he did not address the pitcher’s elbow concerns. Horwitz suggested to Collins that he deal with the matter. Collins said he took out the righty because of elbow discomfort and then left the press briefing, after his puppy-dog dig.
“I’m so tired of talking about injuries. Can’t even enjoy a win when you’ve got issues. He was just doing his job and I wasn’t doing mine,” Collins said. “So to you guys, sorry, that were there, to Jay certainly. I called him this morning. We’ve got to move on. … It was my fault. Certainly very unprofessional. That’s part of my job, to handle those things.”
Collins would rather his rotation guys pitch less in a game than work fewer games. He was asked specifically about Steven Matz.
“We’re going to keep track, keep very close reins on him for sure. If we can, I want to avoid those guys missing starts,” Collins said of Matz in particular and the rotation in general. “If I’ve got to watch their pitch counts and keep them down so they pitch every fifth day or sixth whenever, depending on days off, I’ll do that. I’d rather do that than have to skip them.”
Assistant GM John Ricco revealed the Mets’ planned workout for Cuban third baseman free agent Yulieski Gourriel is “scheduled next week. … Not sure where it would be,” Ricco said.
Left fielder Michael Conforto banged his knee into the padded wall down the left-field line making a catch in foul territory to end the fourth inning.
“He bruised his knee when he crashed into the wall,” said manager Terry Collins.
“I kind of went in there knee first and it locked up,” said Conforto. “But it loosened up pretty quick after that and it feels okay now. As I started to walk back it loosened up. … It loosened up pretty good in the game. I was running around pretty good. We’ll see how it feels [Friday].”
Jerry Blevins gave up a single to Freddie Freeman who scored on Adonis Garcia’s homer off Addison Reed. It was the first run Blevins surrendered in 21.0 innings. … The Braves have come from behind to win in six of their last seven games … The Mets had won seven straight in Atlanta before Thursday … In his last five starts, Harvey has a 2.25 ERA — but just one win.
Lucas Duda, on the disabled list with a lower-back stress fracture, has not begun any baseball activities.
“He hasn’t gone outside,” Ricco said, noting the lefty slugger is “still riding the bike and still working on the core strengthening program.”
But so far, it’s what the Mets expected.
“We were told this could be, it’s got to heal. This could be a drawn out process … Just talking with my own personal view, I’m not surprised he’s still at this point,” Ricco said. “The doctors originally said it might be six weeks before he starts to feel it. It really depends on how quickly he heals and all they can do at this point is continue to strengthen the area around the back and the core muscles and once he can do all that without pain he’ll get checked out again. He’s not there yet.”
Duda went on the DL May 23.
