The New York media did former Tennessee Vols baseball standout Blade Tidwell dirty

Former Tennessee Vols RHP Blade Tidwell learned this week how brutal the New York media can be. 

New York Post baseball writer/reporter Joel Sherman noted in a column this week that Tidwell, a pitcher in the Mets' farm system, is viewed by the "industry" as a back end of the rotation type of starter -- which is a bit of an insult to a young pitcher who was selected early in the MLB draft.

From the NY Post: And while the Mets like their pitching group (especially Scott), the rest of the industry is more tempered. Some like Scott’s upside or that of Blade Tidwell. But mainly the feeling is these are back-end types. That has value but will not prevent a go-for-it Mets team beginning next offseason from bulking up at the top of the rotation.

Tidwell was selected by the New York Mets in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft. The former Vol was widely viewed as a first round talent, but he fell to the second round due to concern over some shoulder soreness he dealt with during his final season with the Vols. 

The Tennessee native finished last season with Double-A Binghamton, recording a 4.72 ERA across eight starts. 

That's not a sparkling ERA. But to put that ERA into context, two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom had a 4.80 ERA across 10 starts with Double-A Binghamton in 2013. It's about development at that level, not necessarily gaudy numbers.

Tidwell, who will turn 23 this summer, still has the "stuff" to help anchor a starting rotation in the big leagues. That doesn't change because of Sherman citing doubts from the "industry" (whatever that actually means).

The former Vol would be wise to use Sherman's words as motivation to get to the big leagues this season. The New York media can be tough. But if players use the criticism as motivation, it can be a tool that helps take their game to the next level.