This Week In Mets Quotes: LaTroy Hawkins's nuts, Travis d'Arnaud on possibly getting called up, and Noah Syndergaard on doing his job

Man Getting Hit by Baseball

“#NoBueno DIRECT HIT Did not get any glove on the ball!!! long bus ride to SD #ICE #Mets #LGM Not a good feeling” —LaTroy Hawkins [Twitter]

Wait, did The Post actually feel that the word ‘nuts’ was more acceptable than the word Hawkins used. Also, ouch.

“It was a direct hit — no cup,” said Hawkins, who remained in agony after the game. “When I lifted my leg, I could feel my [nuts] in my throat, but I thought I could get through it. I feel like I got kicked by a mule, and it hurts.” —LaTroy Hawkins [New York Post]

I think Cubs fans remember Dusty Baker breaking their star young pitchers

“That’s obviously the hottest part about sitting in this chair: taking them out of the game when they’re pitching good. They’re mad. Fans are mad. You [reporters] are mad. It’s a big story. Everybody’s angry. And in four years, when they’re still pitching, and they haven’t had an injury, nobody says, ‘Jeez, nice going.’” —Terry Collins [Wall Street Journal]

d’Arnaud’s canned quotability is definitely up to major league level

“I know John’s baby was supposed to be born Aug. 1 or something like that. [The delay has] given me time to hone my skills and feel a lot more comfortable behind the plate, and when I’m hitting, too. I just didn’t have my timing and was trying to do too much. I finally got my game back and my approach back the last two weeks.” —Travis d’Arnaud [ESPN]

Wonder at what point it goes from surreal to slightly annoying

“Having someone come up and ask for your autograph is pretty surreal.” —Noah Syndergaard [Wall Street Journal]

I imagine coaching Syndergaard is akin the coaching Forrest Gump got when he played football

“I just throw until they tell me not to.” —Noah Syndergaard [Wall Street Journal]

Yup, definitely still picturing Gump, in a good way

“Every time I take him out after five innings, he says, `Is that it?’” —Pedro Lopez, the Binghamton manager [Wall Street Journal]

Well you’re going to have a lot of fun playing for the Mets then

“To give it a little bit more of a challenge. To make it more fun.” —Noah Syndergaard regarding why he always to played for the ‘weaker’ team through Elementary School [Wall Street Journal]

Do all scouting reports end with backhanded optimism like this?

“Ike needs to reinvent himself as a hitter. I know he’s not chasing as much lately. But my concern for him is that every pitch, whether he’s taking it or at the point of contact, he never looks balanced. He can hit the ball on the screws and still look like he’s early or late. I would not bet on him lasting on that. If he can keep doing what he’s doing and have a 10-year career, God bless him.” —Scout [ESPN]

Actually, I think I prefer the backhanded optimism

“[Wilmer Flores] has got pretty good hands and he turns the double play fine, but his range is not good at all. Murphy has definitely got more range, and that’s not saying a whole lot. I really don’t think on a championship team [Flores] can play second. He’s an RBI guy. He can drive in runs. But can he drive in enough to overshadow it? There are going to be so many times over the course of a season at second base you’re going to go, ‘Oh, my God.’ Is it going to get any better? I don’t think so.” —Scout [New York Post]

Oh, my God. Is it going to get any better

“Paco is tough on lefties. I got a good pitch to hit and put a good swing on it. That’s all you can do right there — just try centering it. I did. Puig made a great play on it. … The whole inning I was hoping to get an AB right there after having a tough defensive go of it when they got a three-spot. So I really wanted to hit. You center it, that’s all you can do. I can’t get upset about not getting a hit. I hit the ball hard. I had a good at-bat. I was happy about it, other than the result. That’s baseball.” —Daniel Murphy [ESPN]

Ask Jon Rauch, you wouldn’t like Harvey when he’s angry

“Maybe one start or a week, I think at that point I’ll feel like I finished a full season. But if it was two weeks or three weeks, kind of like it was last year, that’s a different story. Obviously I’m not going to be happy to miss any starts.” —Matt Harvey [ESPN]

I always wonder what batters are allowed to say to umps, and I think this might be perfect

“I got a full count, bases loaded, and am looking for something I can make a good swing on. No chance at that pitch. That’s what I said [to Fairchild]. I just said, ‘No chance.’” —Juan Lagares [ESPN]

Say what you want about Tejada and Duda but you got to feel for them as their future financial security must have seemed so much more certain just four months earlier

“Right now, there’s not a spot for [Duda.]” —Terry Collins [Wall Street Journal]

“I like DHing,” Duda said. “That’s a position, too.” —Lucas Duda [Wall Street Journal]

“Everything happened pretty quickly. I have to work a lot and come back ready to make the team.” —Ruben Tejada [Wall Street Journal]