8
2011
Looking Back At Last Year’s Mets First Rounder
An article by Craig Lerner
Okay I’m back from my 48-hour Post-MLB Draft Stress Disorder. Did you guys miss me? How about you Bayonne Met Fan, did you miss me?
Well shockingly enough, the Mets did not end up with any of the players I figured they would select in the first round on Monday. I never expected them to reach so far down to grab Brandon Nimmo who probably would have still been there with their second pick, Apparently, they loved Nimmo so much that they didn’t want to take a chance that he’d be gone by then, and you can’t fault them for sticking to their plan.
That said, Paul DePodesta must have been having a ball reading all these predictions about Jed Bradley and Taylor Jungmann and a host of other talents everyone had the Mets pegged for. Ha, ha, real funny DePo. He must be as good a poker player as new partner David Einhorn – nobody saw it coming.
So lets change subjects, shall we?
I know that I oftentimes never pass up an opportunity to to take a shot at our former GM Omar Minaya, but his record makes it so easy to make a joke at his expense, I find it too irresistible to pass on the opportunity.
But let me shock some of you Minaya enthusiasts that are still out there, and give you a half-hearted peace offering. The Matt Harvey selection from the 2010 First Year Player Draft is looking remarkably fantastic with every start the kid makes down in Port St. Lucie.
Quite frankly, I never expected this type of success. I wasn’t very impressed with his college numbers which were mostly mediocre at best, and after what we’ve had to endure with Mike Pelfrey, the thought of another sinker-baller irritated my stomach and bladder a great deal.
I happened across something worth reading in the NY Post of all places yesterday – not exactly where I usually go for intelligible reading. Dan Martin interviewed former Mets pitcher and current Cyclones pitching coach, Frank Viola, who had some impressive things to say about 22-year old Matt Harvey.
“Harvey is the real deal,” said Viola. “He’s got tremendous upside. They just don’t want to rush him. He’s got poise, composure and he knows he’s good, but he doesn’t have a chip on his shoulders.”
I usually don’t put a lot of credence in what anyone has to say when they’re hyping prospects in their own organization, but given Viola’s knowledge of the game and the art of pitching especially, you can’t ignore a comment like that coming from him.
Viola, in fact is the last Mets pitcher to win 20 games, doing it back in 1990, 21 long years ago. How is that even possible? That’s probably a good argument for another post, but maybe in Matt Harvey, we may not have to wait that much longer to see a Met win 20 games again.
“The best thing about him is that he has a game-plan,” said Viola. Kids do not have a routine. They don’t follow through and repeat. He’s so far ahead of the curve in knowing what he needs to do to get where he is going.”
Typically, the kind of comments you usually get from Mets scouts and coaches are mostly “the kid has great stuff” or how hard they can throw, but Viola never mentioned Harvey’s repertoire or how good his pitches are.
Instead “Sweet Music” talked about poise, confidence, composure, a willingness to learn, having an understanding of what he’s doing out there, and having a game-plan. It’s been a long time since anyone has said all those things about any Mets pitcher. A very long time.
It made me take a second look at Matt Harvey and I gotta tell you, I’m loving what I see. Harvey is currently 6-2 with a 2.44 ERA for those of you put stock in wins and ERA, but a more in-depth look is far more intriguing and tells a better story. His BAA stands at .235 and he’s doing it with a 3.55 K/BB and a 10.83 SO/9. I hope those trends hold up.
The North Carolina product holds right-handed hitters to a .219 batting average and overall his WHIP comes in at 1.20 to go with a 3.01 FIP. He is most likely one of the top three pitchers in the FSL and through seven weeks, Harvey has already copped the Player of the Week award twice.
There is a lot to like here, and after an overdue promotion to Binghamton, we’ll know even more about what is probably now the best prospect in the Mets pipeline. He looks like someone that will get here fast and maybe a mid season call-up in 2012 wouldn’t be out of the question. Not based solely on ”his stuff”, but because of all those other things Frank Viola referred to which are just as important when you consider a promotion for a top pitching prospect like this one. Hopefully, we can avoid another Mike Pelfrey type situation in the future. Usually, it takes more than just ”stuff” for a pitcher to succeed in the majors.
About the Author: Craig Lerner
I'm a data analyst and researcher for a leading news agency who loves life and is hooked on the Mets. I love following the Amateur Draft and have a particular fondness for the Mets Minor Leagues who I follow each day. Give me a cold beer, a summer day, and a Mets game, and I'm good to go.
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If Harvey is as good as everyone says he is, we should trade Pelfrey because he’s already overpaid and will want more in arby this winter. We can have a rotation of Johan, Dickey, Niese, Harvey, Capuano next season.
So, you want to make Harvey the next Pelfrey? Or Paul Wilson?
Why do you have the need to try to put words in someone’s mouth. The guy didn’t say a damn thing about turning Harvey into anytthing. Its no wonder you are pounded regularly here. You really are the idiot people make you out to be.
Harvey “the next Pelfrey or Paul Wilson”
Translation: Being rushed up too soon after a fast start through a level in the minors. Read carefully between the lines, fool. God, no matter what you change your name to, you’re still stupid & slow as hell. Don’t place him in the big leagues next season because you saw him dominate A ball. Let’s see how he does in AA before placing him on the 2012 roster.
Well, it’s about time you had a set to respond after being such a coward for so long.
First of all, I’m not Donal you stupid piece of shit. You talk about Donal & I as two different people only to say we’re the same at the end of your pointless rant? LMFAO. What’s the matter, fairy? Thought no one was gonna notice your little facade? Only one here that’s brain dead is you. Your act was good at first, but it’s getting very stale, repetitive & boring now. You’re seriously talking about Seaver and Gooden? Guys that were here DECADES ago when the game was completely different? If that’s the case, you need to watch ballgames more instead of following guys who will NEVER want you. You can change your name thousands of times, but you will still be the same moronic troll that follow people around who actually KNOW what they’re talking about.
Only attracted to guys with an IQ higher than 12, huh? Of course…someone gotta wear the pants and have the brains in the relationship, right? Because you lack BOTH. What happened to that good grammar & etiquette you had? Don’t tell me the troll is butthurt (pun intended). Not fun when you’re on the receiving end of being followed, are you? Me lonely? LMFAO. Never that, kid. I’m not you. I actually have a wife & a life, two things you clearly don’t have and probably never will. You mention Tim Lincecum? The same Lincecum who had a pitching coach/star pitcher for a dad? C’mon retard! You can do better than that! Challenge me.
Now that this trailer park loser is exposed for the fraud that he is, can he finally get banished off this site?
The Mets should try to trade Pelfrey regardless of how Harvey’s pitching.
Only if it is a BUYER deal, not a seller.
And that looks something like….
Pelfrey plus something else plus a kid for either an Ace or a Big Bat to replace Beltran.
The something else is probably any MLB player, Could even be Beltran although we would need some kids from them as well.
Could ba anyone of Turner or Pridie of even Murphy (though I would hope it didn’t cost that much.)
The kids could consist of anyone not named Harvey. Holt in the case of an Ace, F-Mart, Flores, Havens Et Al for the bat.
Pelfrey for Kids? The Kids will just never be worth it. Palfrey makes a good package not a good killing in the kid market!
Capuano in the rotation next season? Not happening. Also, no mention of Dillon Gee? Wow.
I don’t know why you hate him so much. He’s a good pitcher. Not the guy you throw out there for Game 1 in the playoffs, but a very servicable, veteran back of the rotation starter who can help himself with the bat, too. I would have no problem bringing him back next year if he stays the same solid veteran presence he is right now. Although, you’re right about Gee.
The only thing I hate is that he will not go to the bullpen as a lefty specialist. He only wants to be a starter. What do you think is gonna happen when/if Santana returns? You’re not moving Gee, Pelf (although he’ll be trade bait at the deadline), Dickey or Niese from the rotation. That leaves one person. Even now, people STILL think Capuano is the 18 game winner from 2005. He’s not. Add to the fact that he can be very hittable. You wanna keep him? Fine…but make him understand that there will be no room for him in the rotation when our ace returns.
Was he asked to go to the pen and refused? I feel like something like that would have made news, but I don’t remember it. In an ideal world, Pelfrey would be traded for prospects by the time Santana comes back.
But I’ll tell you what. If the Mets are making Wild Card noise when Johan comes back, I can very easily see Sandy and Terry making the decision to replace the 5th best starter, regardless of who he is. Right now it’s Pelfrey. Would it surprise you at all if Pelfrey’s spot was given to Johan?
I am unaware of him even being asked to go tothe bullpen, let alone him rejecting it. In fact, he already has a relief appearance this season.
Also, relieving and starting are 2 different things. Capuano may not be an effective reliever. He had problems his first go at it.
X have you seen Capuano’s stats third time round the lineup?
They are hitting over .300. This is very much the same thing that Takahashi suffered from. He could keep them guessing for two at bats and then they would tee off on him.
It makes far better sense to trade Capuano before Pelfrey for this reason and for the notion that so far we have been lucky that he has stayed healthy but how long do you wait before you try to cash in on that and miss out because he got hurt?
Harvey has an IL Perfecto going tonite after four innings.