Let's start for the beginning, I was 10 years old when Adam Wainwright dropped his curveball on former Mets Manager Carlos Beltran. I'm not going to sit here and lie to anyone. I loved the Mets growing up, my dad and me went to 20 plus games a year to Shea stadium. As a 10 year old, I was a casual fan. I didn't really know a lot about the Mets history, I didn't understand how special the 2006 team really was until they were gone, and thus, the playoff drought began.
As I went through middle school and high school, the Mets were laughable. There wasn't a lot to write home about from 2009-2011. As a young Mets fan, all I wanted was to feel excited and to have a sense of optimism for the future of this franchise. On July 26th 2012, I had finally got my wish. Matt Harvey made his MLB debut for the Mets vs Arizona. Harvey dazzled Mets fans, he set a Mets record with a 11 Ks in his debut. Matt even went two for two with the stick that day. Everyone loses their mind about what Steven Matz did in his debut, I would argue that Harvey's was better. Matt's grandpa just wasn't the cutest man on the planet that day...but I digress. This was the first time in my Mets fandom where I genuinely felt like we had something special. I had always heard stories of the great Tom Seaver and Doc Gooden. I wanted my own hero and I got him with Matt.
Harvey came on to the scene with thunder. In his first "full" season Matt went 9-5, 0.93 WHIP, 2.27ERA. Every time Harvey took the mound in 2013 was a celebration. Everywhere on Twitter and Facebook was covered in "Happy Harvey Day" posts. If you haven't see the clip of Citi Field chanting "Harvey's Better" on the day he faced Strasbroug I highly recommend checking out that clip below.That 2013 season is still my favorite individual pitching season I've ever witnessed. Matt was a stud. He was a bulldog, Nolan Ryan like. Here's my best, try to hit it. Matt also started the 2013 Allstar Game at Citi Field that year. Matt was a superstar on the rise in the biggest city in the world. Harvey was dating super models and throwing 99 MPH heaters on the black. Harvey was everything you could've hoped he would be.
Unfortunately, Tommy John Surgery ended Matt Harvey's CY Young level 2013 Season. With Matt having to go under the knife it meant we would not see him for all of 2014 too. I'm not going to bash my guy. I'm a Harvey fan boy through and through. Did Harvey have flaws? Yes. Will I acknowledge that? No. Anyway, here's a photo of me with my boy from 2014. The best part about the photo below is that Jacob deGrom was coming off his Rookie of the Year season right next to him and I couldn't care less. Anyway, on to 2015...
Let's get serious Mets fans. Matt Harvey came back in 2015 and sparkled. The Dark Knight had risen up from the ashes of Tommy John Surgery and was sooo fucking back. He pitched the most innings ever in a season following Tommy John Surgery. He put up a 13-8 record with a 2.71 ERA. It was recommended that he shouldn't pitch in the 2015 Playoffs by a doctor. Matt said "fuck that" and pitched his arm off. Matt was the winning pitcher on the day the Mets clinched the NL East in 2015. Matt's 2015 season was masterful. He was strong in the postseason and did everything in his power to try to win a championship for the Mets. He put his career on the line for the Mets. His game five start in the World Series gives me chills still. "No way are you taking me out of this game". I don't blame him. I also think Terry made the right call putting him back out there, but again, I digress. If the Mets would've won the World Series in 2015 and Harvey put up the same stat lines that he did in 2016, 2017 and 2018 no one would say a word. He should be respected and remembered. Matt brought a lot of Mets fans something we haven't had in awhile, Hope.
Matt Harvey has bounced around over the past few years. He was traded to the Reds. He then signed with the Angels and had a brief stint with the Royals before leading him to his current team, the Baltimore Orioles. Matt has been terrible the past few years. It kills me to say that, but it's true. However, I saw something in him over these past two spring training starts that I haven't seen in a long time in Harvey. He seemed happy. Matt Harvey was happy with how he performed. He's completely reinvented himself. He's featuring some new pitches, such as a 95 MPH Sinker. SHEEESH! His last spring start might've locked up a spot in the Orioles Opening Day Rotation (4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 5ks). I've said this on the podcast before but I would do anything to watch Matt have one more moment of dominance at the Big League level. He has worked his ass off and he deserves it. As Mets fans we should all be rooting for him. Let's all hope for one more Harvey Day.
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