Maybe This Time: Will Matt Harvey Save the Mets?

Ever since I was a kid, my father has regaled us with tales of the greatest talents ever to grace the Mets – Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden, each a triumph and a tragedy in their own right.

Seaver, nicknamed “The Franchise,” is widely regarded as one of the greatest pitchers of all time. He led the 1969 Mets, a team which finished ninth in the National League the year prior, to an improbable World Series win. The trade that sent him to Cincinnati in 1977 is known as one of the great betrayals of the Mets’ fan base, who adore Seaver even now. Gooden earned his nickname “Dr. K” when he arrived in baseball with his 98mph fastball and a curve that fell off the table. He was the ace of an excellent 1986 Mets pitching staff that stole the World Series out from under the heavily-favored Boston Red Sox (or, as many put it, out from between Bill Buckner’s legs). Gooden, so talented and so young, fell from grace when he became addicted to cocaine. Drug abuse and overuse in his early career combined to reduce him to a more pedestrian talent, and he ended his career as a journeyman.

But the stories of these men persist: Seaver’s dominance, Gooden’s terrifying presence. My father’s stories always ended the same way: “You will probably never see a pitcher as good as either of these guys in their prime who pitches for the Mets.”

And then Matt Harvey came along.

I’ve seen players dominate at their position. I’ve watched Darrelle Revis, Patrick Ewing, and Mike Piazza all play for my teams in their primes. And I’ll say this without hesitation – no one, repeat: no one, has been better than Matt Harvey.

The term “phenomenon” barely begins to describe Harvey. He takes no-hitters into the 6^th and 7^th innings with regularity. He throws fastballs down the middle of the plate, and players like Joey Votto and Freddie Freeman and Justin Upton and Paul Goldschmidt and Bryce Harper can’t keep up. His slider makes hitters look silly, his change is dirty, his curve buckles knees, but oh, that fastball. It’s a thing of beauty.

And here’s the real kick to the shorts: he hasn’t played a full season of baseball yet. The guy is 24, he’s got 30-odd starts under his belt, and people are throwing the names Verlander, Smoltz, Cone, and yes, even Gooden andSeaver around. And I can’t help but agree. Why? Because I’ve watched him play. He’s not always perfect, and he certainly doesn’t win every time he goes to the mound. But his drive, his talent, and his cold, bulldog stare turn his numbers into something more than just a young pitcher having a great start to his career.

I feel that as a Mets fan I’ve been conditioned to expect the worse. Infield pop-ups give me heart palpitations, opposing pitchers terrify me when they come to bat with runners on base, and Mets bullpen appearances drive me to drink in order to dull the pain. But now, with our young hero on the cusp of a start in the All Star Game, I can’t help but think… You know what, Dad? I think this is the guy I’ve been waiting for in vain my entire life. Maybe this is the start of something better than what I’ve witnessed before. Seaver and Gooden were yours, but Matt Harvey… he’s mine.

Written by friend of the blog and lifelong Mets, Jets and Knicks fan, Mike Landes