And right when this Mets team outright pushes fans away like a cheating girlfriend, they throw Matt Harvey at you to reel you back in. Matt Harvey’s debut performance last night was an absolute hit. For a change, a Mets player exceeds expectations. Matt Harvey was what the Mets need more of and hopefully a sign of things to come for this organization.
Besides the record breaking 11 strikeouts for a Mets pitcher debut, what impressed me most about this kid was the poise he exuded from the minute he stepped out on the mound. From the very first pitch, Harvey meant business. He did not let the moment get the best of him, never a nervous moment.
The poise he showed was that of a veteran ace type pitcher. There was never any fear, just the calmness, composure, confidence, and comfort level you want to see from every player. Matt Harvey pitched like he belonged, not like a minor leaguer trying to make the majors. What a treat.
“When I was warming up, actually, I looked around and kind of took everything in, and at that moment, I really did believe I was meant to pitch in the big leagues,” Harvey said.
He pounded the zone all night and had the cojones to pitch inside, a rarity. As a die hard Mets fans, watching that makes me giddy. Can anyone say hope?
He did only pitch 5.1 innings with a high pitch count of 106. But it wasn’t because he was wild and walking guys. He walked three batters. He got a little gassed at the end walking two of the final three batters he faced. I’ll credit this high pitch count to the eleven strikeouts this time around.
His next start can’t come soon enough. Can we now get an ETA about that other kid, Zack Wheeler?
Harvey shines as Mets end skip at 6 [New York Times]
