See what I did there? Yes, I know I’m a geek.
I realize it’s only one start and there are many starts yet to go, but you can’t be a Mets fan and NOT be excited about Matt Harvey. Growing up in Connecticut, he is no stranger to cold weather, and he went out and pitched all Jack London style in the freezing cold on Wednesday night, racking up another 10K outing. When talking to the media afterwards he told them “jackets have no place on a baseball field” when asked why he shunned Terry’s insistence he put on a coat. That’s a MAN’S MAN right there!
When Ron Darling was asked which pitcher he thought Harvey most resembled, his answer was Justin Verlander. Not a bad guy to be compared to. Even Mike Francesa seemed impressed with Matt when he interviewed him on WFAN this past Thursday. 2012 AL Cy Young award winner David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays even tweeted his Harvey love:
Harvey has a presence on the mound that is rare. A big-bodied right-hander that is “dialed in” from the moment he starts taking his warm-up tosses (and most likely before that). He already has the respect of his teammates, and said that veteran catch John Buck told him he “goes to sleep happy knowing he (Harvey) is on the mound”. I also have to admit that having Matt here full time this year takes the still-sore sting of R.A. Dickey being gone a tad easier to bear.
Harvey is a perfectionist and expects no less of himself. Francesca said that he thinks Harvey “considers himself a winner” and with good reason. As I said, he eases the pain of pitchers lost to us (including Santana) and makes us even more excited to see him paired with Zack Wheeler either later this year or next season. All I know is I look forward to every time he pitches.
His next matchup? He draws Roy Halladay when the Mets play the season opener against THEM on Monday. No matter what the outcome is, this game should be one for the ages.
Matt Harvey shows Dillon Gee some swag
