Max Scherzer can finally feel like a Met, arriving at the club’s spring training complex on Friday before throwing a bullpen on Saturday, preparing for his team debut next month.
“I feel weird coming into the parking lot and coming in on the home side,” Scherzer told reporters on Saturday. “But that’s what you gotta do. Come in here, get acclimated with everybody…and just get familiar with the complex.”
Scherzer’s arrival also marked the end of labor negotiations with league owners, which intensified for weeks leading up to this week’s agreement after a 99-day lockout. Scherzer was heavily involved in those negotiations, and went it was finally over, Scherzer celebrated in a fitting manner.
“I drank a lot,” Scherzer laughed.
Through those arduous negotiations, Scherzer didn’t have his Mets debut on his mind, rather keeping the focus on getting the best possible deal for the players, even if that meant the lockout stretching far beyond the scheduled date for Opening Day.
“Never really thought in those terms,” Scherzer said. “Was always thinking about what was best for baseball, making the game right and functioning properly. That’s where the focus was.”
Now that those negotiations are over and baseball is back, Scherzer’s focus can return to making his Mets debut. When his name is called to take the bump for the first time, he estimates he will be able to turn in a full and typical workload.
“We gotta realize that we got baseball back,” Scherzer said. “The fans here want to talk about baseball. I’m out here getting ready for the season, and the whole time during the negotiations…ramping up as well. I was able to get some live BPs in to the point where I feel like I have a pretty good shot to get to 100 pitches by Opening Day…that’s what the players are excited about now, is our mission to get to Opening Day.”
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