One of the most freaky events in the recent history of Major League Baseball occurred last night, and many people feel social media is to blame.
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Despite all of the trade rumors, the Mets still had to play in their game against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field last night. This helps the Mets in their quest for the National League East title and helps the Brewers in the long run with two good youngsters. Here’s where things got really weird.
At some point, Flores heard he had been traded and started to break down crying when he went back out to the field.
The centerpiece of the deal, from the Brewers’ perspective, was Wheeler – who underwent Tommy John surgery in March and likely won’t return before midseason in 2016.
The media, too, looked heartless, at least in the view of some on Twitter; we reported a trade before it technically was completed, and created a mess.
The trade failed to go through on a technicality, and the Mets apologised to Flores for the false alarm. Wilmer Flores shed tears at shortstop, thinking he had been dealt by the New York Mets. When I came up to hit I heard everybody cheering…. Unfortunately social media etc. got ahead of the facts, and it may have had an adverse effect on one of the players rumored to be involved.
“Everybody has got a phone; everybody’s on it. I don’t know why anyone comes [to the ballpark] anymore”.
As wonderful a game as baseball is, when you play it professionally you also have to deal with the business side of the game, which at times can lead to uncertainly and utlmately heartache.
“Someone came to me: ‘Wilmer’s crying, ‘” said Mets manager Terry Collins to ESPN after Mets fans gave him a standing ovation due to the impending trade. “It was an unfortunate situation; it’s something I’ve addressed personally with a player involved”.
In July 2011, the Brewers acquired reliever Francisco Rodriguez from the Mets for two players to be named later (left-hander Danny Herrera and right-hander Adrian Rosario). Word of the trade made its way into the Mets dugout, where Flores learned he’d be leaving the organization he’d been with since signing as a 16-year-old in 2007.
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Alderson announced that the trade, “has not and will not transpire”.
