Klapisch: The world according to Ron Darling

It’s been 22 years since Ron Darling threw his last pitch in the big leagues, and at age 56 he doesn’t hesitate to call himself “an old fogey.” But after a decade in the SNY broadcast booth, Darling has turned himself into an expert about the present-day Mets and the game in general.

These days it’s razor-sharp opinions, not that once-unhittable split-finger fastball, that matter to Darling. When he speaks, Mets fans are smart enough to pay attention. So here’s what Darling has to say about the 2017 Mets, Matt Harvey’s comeback, working with Keith Hernandez and Gary Cohen and, of course, the requisite look-back at the ’86 Mets and life on the other side of midnight.

Q: You were recently quoted as saying you’re optimistic about the Mets’ chances this year. What makes you so hopeful, considering all their injuries in 2016?

A: It’s from being a pro athlete my whole life and knowing what makes them tick. I can’t predict the injury part of it; if everyone gets hurt again, my claim will obviously be bogus. But I see a perfect storm that breaks down like this.

(Noah) Syndergaard is building on a season that already puts him among the top five pitchers in the National League. (Jacob) de Grom is at a compensatory place. This is his time to shine and get paid for what he deserves as a pitcher of his talent. (Matt) Harvey is getting the opportunity to get back in the game, not just with the Mets, but to be the kind of pitcher he was in the past.

And as for (Steven) Matz, he has something to prove this year, making people forget his injuries. He wants to show he’s capable of making 30 starts.

Q: Is all that enough to put the Mets in the World Series?

A: I can see them in the post-season, that much I can project. But it’s difficult once you get there; that’s just baseball. Think of how much easier it’s been for the Patriots to get to the Super Bowl than for a great major league team to get to the Series. There’s no comparison between football and baseball in that regard. The Patriots won their division and it’s made their lives a lot easier.

Q: Harvey is obviously a big part of that projection. What do you foresee after such a serious injury (Thoracic Outlet Syndrome)?

A: There’ve been a number of pitchers Matt and (agent) Scott Boras have talked to about this, so he’s not really on his own. Chris Young had the same injury. He’s a smart guy and went about it in a cerebral way. He made it back (to the big leagues). Harvey can only improve from last year, if for no other reason than he was pitching without feeling in his hand. It has to have improved now that he’s had surgery to correct the problem.

Q: Can Harvey evolve, if necessary, into a pitcher who can succeed without great velocity anymore?

A: That’s every pitcher’s cross to bear at some point. Very few guys maintain their stuff throughout their careers. Matt might not be a 110-pitch guy anymore, but there’s no reason he can’t be a quality pitcher through, say, 90 pitches.

Q: When you critique Harvey or any Met player on SNY, do you still feel like a member of the Mets’ family? Or are you strictly part of the media now?

A: I’m lucky enough that I’m wearing a lot of hats professionally. When I’m at the MLB Network, for instance, my perspective is more global, I’m covering the entire industry. But when I’m on SNY I’m still a former Met. I can speak to accomplishments that other announcers might not. I’m proud to have played almost 10 years (nine) in New York and won almost 100 games (99) with the Mets. I’m about as far from a homer as you will get, but I do have to say the 30-year anniversary (of the ’86 team) was an unbelievably rewarding experience. We’re all getting older; it might’ve been the last time we could get together as a group like that. I cherish that time in my life, personally and professionally.

Q: There’s an entire generation of fans who know you only as a broadcaster. Have you been at it long enough to consider running the table like Vin Scully, working until you’re almost 90?

A: (Laughing). Vin just took it year to year, and just happened to never stop. That’s pretty much how I look at it: Keep your nose to the grindstone and be grateful. It’s almost like being a ballplayer. As soon as you lose your love for it, you have to be man enough to step away.

But as someone who’d been playing baseball my whole life, I didn’t realize until after I quit I had, still had such a passion for it. I mean, you’re bummed out, the reason you’re not playing is because you weren’t good anymore. You spend about three-four years grieving. So if you’re lucky enough to come back, you do. I realized I still love the game. I love following the players, I love the business angle and the industry as much today as I did when I first started announcing in 2006.

Q: Does maintaining the enthusiasm for baseball make it easier to relate to the current players?

A: I come at it from a different angle. I don’t try to relate to the players on any level other than baseball, because it doesn’t matter if it’s today or the year 2050, the game will start with strike one or ball one. It’s pointless to try to relate to players on a generational level. They’re the same age as my kids and I have a hard enough time relating to them. It’s strange: Sometimes I forget how young they are and that I was once that young. They’re so young but so great at what they do. I must’ve been like that; it makes me smile.

But otherwise, the socioeconomics of the game are different, the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) is different today, in terms of labor relations and strife with the owners. I come from a different era in the game. I’m an old fogey and it would be silly for me to try to think and act like a 25-year-old.

Q: Do you miss the '80s?

A: I do miss the clubhouse, walking into a room and 24 guys are waiting to get on you about your outfit. I miss the back and forth. You say something stupid and all 24 guys are all over you. It sure is different today. The modern-day player is 100 percent more evolved than our Neanderthal days and that’s a good thing.

Still, when you live a life there's inevitably one thousand things you’d want to do differently if you could. I don’t glorify or romanticize those days, nor do I belabor in penance. It is what it is. I just wish people would spend as much time talking about what a great team we were back then as the crazy stuff we did off the field.

Q: Speaking of crazy, what did you think of Lenny Dykstra’s tell-all book? He admitted the passages would offend even his friends.

A: It actually didn’t bother me – it was a consider-the-source kind of thing. There’s a place in my heart that cares about Lenny. He disappoints me occasionally, not because he hurt himself, we’ve all done that. It’s that he hurt other folks in the process (of writing the book). But I’ll always remember No. 4 hitting one out against Dave Smith (in Game 3 of the NLCS in ’86) or taking Oil Can Boyd deep (in Game 3 of the World Series). I think I’m actually one of the few people who did read the book. There’s a lot of Lenny-truth in it. For some reason it makes me chuckle, but I know the things he wrote hurt people.

Q: Are you concerned about Doc Gooden and his ongoing battle with addiction?

A: I don’t worry about Doc, he’s a grown man. I think you can only worry about someone if you have a place in their life and can sway their decisions. I’m not a formal religion type of person so I can’t say that I pray for Doc. But I do meditate and wish him the best. His inner soul deserves the best; his core is all gold. Unfortunately it’s been torn at. I just hope he makes good decisions.

Q: Same vein: What about Darryl?

A: I’m happy Darryl has found religion. Many of my friends who’ve suffered losses in their lives, religious beliefs have been a big help. I’m glad Straw has found someone to spend the rest of his life with. Look, we’ve all had 30 years to figure out how to grow up. I still make mistakes; my goal is to limit them, so I’m the least judgmental person when it comes to that. I hope all of us, Doc, Darryl, me, Lenny … we all find peace away from the field.

Q: You spoke of clubhouse chemistry back in the day. You seem to have found the same balance in the booth with Keith and Gary. What’s that like?

A: Well, for starters, we all came to the job in the right way. Gary was coming off radio, and even though he was somewhat familiar with television he was still kind of starting over. I was starting with no reason for hubris; I just wanted to live up to Gary’s skills. And Keith has become what he was with the Mets, a leader in the booth. When push came to shove, we looked for Keith to lead us. We do the same thing during the broadcasts. He’s unorthodox, but it doesn’t take away from what he brings. Gary and I can get a little serious. Keith always brings us back to the idea that we’re watching a baseball game.

Q: How does that impact the broadcasts?

A: Keith’s strength is that he has incredible honesty on the air. When he’s breathing deep and sighing because the game is running extra long, are you telling me the folks on the other side of the glass aren’t doing the same thing? His honesty is real. I mean, is there anyone in the game like him anymore? I’ve always admired the way he played the game at such a high level. I was a teammate of (Jose) Canseco, (Mark) McGwire and Straw, and maybe Keith couldn’t hit the ball 500 feet like those guys, but in terms of being a professional and a leader, Keith was the best I ever saw. He’s still that same person today.