Dark Knight of the Soul for Mets Matt Harvey

by Kristie Ackert

WASHINGTON --  Matt Harvey has looked at videos and tried to draw off the success from his past. The Mets have talked to doctors and former pitchers. There have been superstitions and pep talks. Together they have searched everywhere to try and figure out what is wrong with the Mets’ one-time ace.

But has anyone looked to the stars? With Harvey taking the mound for perhaps his biggest start of his young career, trying to bounce back from his career-worst start last week, we asked Long-time Mets fan and Bay Area sports Astrologer Andrea Mallis what the stars hold for the right-hander.

“It’s a dark night of the soul for the Dark Knight,” said Mallis, who is known as @virgoinservice on Twitter and on her website  virgoinservice.com.

In her transplanted home in the Bay Area, Mallis has done the birth charts and forecasts for Bay Area athletes like Barry Zito, Tim Lincecum, Alex Smith and Stephen Curry in the past.  In her bio, Mallis says she has worked with athletes, managers, coaches and even parents of athletes.

For her  beloved Amazins, she has done birth charts and forecast just because, well she loves the Mets. While she certainly offers a different insight into Harvey’s struggles, here are her possible answers.

“It’s a crisis of confidence for Harvey, as Neptune (the planet of confusion) makes a difficult aspect to his Mars, a crucial planet for an athlete,” Mallis said. “It is very ego denying, similarly Barry Zito had a similar planetary transit when he signed with the Giants after stellar years with the A’s, he had several disappointing seasons.

“It looks likes this season with the Neptune Mars aspect is in effect, there is no way out but through this for him,” Mallis continued. “Mets (and Mets fans) might want to manage their expectations.”

“Success is not favored, as this transit is very disillusioning, enervating and dispiriting.”

Mallis offers these insights with no joy.

“I love the Mets, I want to help this guy, it’s hard to watch him go through this, it’s probably the first time in his life he has struggled through a period like this,” Mallis said. “It should be noted he is young and hasn’t even experienced his first Saturn return, a time of success and good fortune that happens around 29-30 years old.”

But for this season, Mallis said that if Harvey were a client of hers, she would recommend that he “throttle back,” and channel his energy into something creative or charity and not continue to fight himself.

“That is hard for a fiery Aries,” Mallis said, “but it’s probably what would be best for him.” Astrology and baseball run in cycles. This too shall pass. Neptune squaring his Mars is when physical energy and enthusiasm is drained. Less is more during this cycle, as disorientation and frustration reign. This is not an easy time to assert yourself and push yourself forward in competition. If you do compete and lose, do not dissolve into despair, but instead contemplate the experience for the lessons it can bring.”

Mallis added that: “Patience is needed, not an Aries strong suit, but remember,

If the baseball gods and goddesses brought you to it, they will bring you through it.”

Luckily for Harvey, Mallis said, this transit only occurs once or twice in our lifetime and luckily for Mets fans, there are other Mets players whose stars are aligned.

While David Wright’s forecast shows he will be struggling with health issues for the next two years, there is a window this fall for the Sagittarius.

“If the Mets make the playoffs, it will be during David’s optimal time this year,” Mallis said. “So that’s a bright spot.”

And nobody’s stars are shining brighter for the Mets than Virgo Noah Syndergaard, Mallis said.

“Thor’s star is on the rise, with Jupiter, planet of good fortune in Virgo,” Mallis said. “It’s a time very full of abundance, success and happiness.”

For the Mallis, a die-hard Mets fan, she hopes that the stars balance out and the Mets are celebrating that abundance, success and happiness this fall and not suffering a dark night of the soul.

To have Andrea guide you with your game, her web site is www.virgoinservice.com, email is andrea@virgoinservice.com and voicemail is 510-874-4911. Find her on Facebook and Twitter @virgoinservice