Bartolo Colon sends message to struggling Mets
The Mets commemorated the 10th anniversary of Bartolo Colon’s only career home run in MLB with a fairly simple social media post: “10 years ago today,” it read, “the impossible happened.”
What’s less possible than a pitcher hitting a home run?
How about a 52-year-old baseball player making a comeback?
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On May 7, Colon replied to the Mets’ original post with a tantalizing thought: “I might have more in the tank.”
The replies to Colon’s thought revealed a Mets fan base deeply in need of fun amid the team’s 14-22 start.
“Throw we Mets fans a bone and make this happen,” one X user wrote, tagging owner Steve Cohen. “We deserve some joy… no?”
“Come play 1st base for us,” wrote another X user.
“Can you still start?” asked another.
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This isn’t the first time Colon has teased his baseball skills deserve a comeback on social media.
Nor would Colon be the oldest player to attempt a comeback after a long layoff. Rafael Palmeiro was 53 when he played for the independent Cleburne Railroaders in 2018, and hit .301 in 31 games. A 53-year-old knuckleballer named Vincent Towns was the first player chosen in the Atlantic League draft in April.
Colon won’t hit another home run for the Mets. But the reaction to his latest suggestion landed harder because of the team’s struggles.
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The Mets rank 14th in the 15-team National League in runs per game (3.67). Their pitchers are allowing a mediocre 4.33 runs per game. Those figures look even worse considering the Mets boasted baseball’s highest opening day payroll at $357.6 million.
For all the talk around the Mets possibly firing manager Carlos Mendoza (which they haven’t), or the injuries to Francisco Lindor, Luis Robert Jr., Jorge Polanco, Kodai Senga and others, the Mets need to change the story of their season.
Kudos to Colon for offering a moment of levity.
