Scott Boras: Mets handled Matt Harvey's workload well

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Agent Scott Boras reversed course Wednesday when he praised the Mets for their handling of Matt Harvey's workload, about three months after a public dispute left the pitcher at the center of a controversy.

"For Matt to perform at the level he performed, knowing what he went through, I think certainly the Mets' plan in September paid dividends for everybody,'' Boras said at the annual general managers' meetings.

Boras struck a far different tone than he did in late August, when he said Harvey's surgeon, James Andrews, mandated a hard cap of 180 innings. Boras expressed concerns about injury risk should he pass the limit. Harvey initially was noncommittal when asked about his availability for the postseason but later changed his tune.

The Mets contended no such limit existed in Harvey's first season since rehab from Tommy John surgery sidelined him for 2014. He logged 216 innings, which included strong work in the playoffs to help the Mets win their first pennant since 2000.

In late August, Boras, Andrews and general manager Sandy Alderson conferred about Harvey's workload. In September, the Mets spaced out his starts and abbreviated them.

"The key thing here was once it hit mid-August, everyone knew that the Mets had a great opportunity to be in the playoffs,'' Boras said. "And we wanted to structure a plan where he could pitch effectively.''

He said Harvey benefited from the extra rest in September, guarding against a regression in performance, especially after eclipsing 200 innings for the first time. "I think because he got rest periods, dramatic rest periods where he wasn't throwing every five days in September, he had a chance to do some conditioning in between,'' Boras said.

Boras disputed the notion of ill will in the fallout of the public dispute.

"In the media they said it was contentious,'' he said. "For us, we had a meeting and I think there was a misunderstanding where Matt never, ever said anything about not throwing in the playoffs.''

Harvey, 26, logged 1781/3 innings in 2013. He blew past that previous career high while earning NL Comeback Player of the Year honors.

He went 13-8 with a 2.71 ERA in 1891/3 innings in the regular season. In four playoff starts, he went 2-0 with a 3.04 ERA. In Game 5 of the World Series, he talked Terry Collins into pitching into the ninth, an ill-fated decision. Nevertheless, he allowed two runs and struck out nine.

For Boras, Harvey's performance validated the efforts to limit his innings. "Frankly, it allowed him to perform at probably his best levels because instead of throwing 250 innings, he threw 210,'' he said.

Boras also struck a different tone about the Mets. In recent years, he chided them for a payroll in the bottom third of the league, likening them to shoppers in the fruits and nuts aisle of a grocery store. This year, he wasn't cracking jokes.

"The Mets have a pennant at the end of their aisle,'' he said. "So that kind of allows them to go where they want to go.''

Boras, Marlins duel.The Marlins' feud with Boras escalated Wednesday. Team president David Samson said he'll be left out of talks about Jose Fernandez's contract or workload.

Samson pledged to exclude Boras after he complained about the handling of another of his clients, outfielder Marcell Ozuna, who was demoted to Triple-A last year after going 1-for-36. The lost service time kept him from becoming eligible for salary arbitration this offseason.