Moments after Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson announced that the heralded prospect Steven Matz would make his major league debut on Sunday, Alderson’s cellphone began to ring. Looking down to see who was interrupting, he quipped, “An unknown fan calling about the six-man rotation.”
Alderson and Manager Terry Collins spoke to the news media for about 30 minutes before Friday’s 2-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds, both quite aware of the criticisms being launched at their team after a 1-7 trip in which they scored 11 runs.
“In all my years doing this, I haven’t seen an entire team slump like we have slumped in the last seven days,” Collins said.