Terry Collins is about to manage his first All-Star Game on Tuesday, when he’s handed the reins of the National League squad.
In different circumstances, he might already be looking forward to the experience in San Diego. But considering how things have gone for the Mets lately, the manager’s focus is solely on his own team.
“All’s I’m trying to make sure is Jeurys Familia will be on the plane,” Collins said of one of the Mets’ two remaining healthy All-Stars, before Saturday’s 6-1 loss to the Nationals at Citi Field. “Because for all I know, today he’s going to step on a shoelace and break his wrist when he falls down.”
The reply drew laughter, but it’s easy to understand why Collins’ reward for guiding the Mets to the World Series last season hasn’t gone exactly as planned so far, with both Noah Syndergaard and Yoenis Cespedes out of the game due to injury.
Familia and Bartolo Colon are still in line to participate in the Midsummer Classic.
Familia — along with fellow first-time All-Star Syndergaard — received a gift from injured captain David Wright in their lockers on Saturday. The bottles of Johnnie Walker were accompanied by a note from the third baseman.
“It meant a lot,” Familia said.
Hopefully, the closer remains intact for the game.
As for Colon, Collins defended his decision to put the 43-year-old on the team as an injury replacement for San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner.
“I told him, ‘This is not a gift,'” Collins said, comparing him to a pair of Cubs starters that have also had ups and downs. “He’s earned the right. OK, he had a blip. Jon Lester’s had one; [Jake] Arrieta had a couple. It comes with the territory. It should be a good story in San Diego.”
And what’s the story going to be?
“What he’s had to endure to still pitch at 43 years old and have success, I think everybody’s enamored by it,’’ Collins said. “He keeps going out there, a guy who doesn’t really like to hit … and has his hat fall off with his wild swings. He’s a great, big guy. I think people relate to him. He looks like the common guy when he’s playing.”
Alejandro De Aza entered Saturday with four hits in his previous 43 at-bats, while Wilmer Flores is the Mets’ hottest hitter.
Still, there was De Aza in center on Saturday, with Flores out of the lineup again.
Collins pointed to the numbers against right-hander Max Scherzer, Washington’s starter on Saturday, and De Aza delivered two singles and a walk.
“Right-hand hitters, Max eats them up,” Collins said, pointing out that Flores was 0-for-10 with seven strikeouts and a walk against Scherzer, while De Aza was 12-for-49 versus him. “This guy, with his breaking stuff [and] his arm angle, he’s really tough against right-handers.”