7
2013
Matt Harvey Brilliant In Mets’ Win
An article by 
Here it was, the fifth inning and Terry Collins was sending out Matt Harvey again. With his pitch count down, Collins had sent Harvey out for the fourth and was doing it again.
Harvey’s command was that good.
“I was very impressed (by his pitch count),’’ Collins said. “If he’s going to pitch 215 innings, he’ll be getting deep into games and pitching to contact.’’A lot of things will have to click for that to happen, notably his change-up. In today’s 4-1 victory over Miami, most everything did with his change-up being superb.
“Awesome,’’ was how catcher Anthony Recker described it. “He had solid command of everything. He was getting ahead of them. Everything was working well. He was definitely locked in.’’
Harvey threw 48 pitches, 35 for strikes. He struck out five and didn’t allow a hit. The Marlins’ only runner came on an error.
“If I’m going to pitch seven, eight innings, I need to have a decent walks-to-strikeouts ratio,’’ said Harvey, who spent a lot of time before this start studying video of his change-up.
“That was something I was looking at from the video,’’ Harvey said. “I was concentrating on staying back. I threw a lot of good ones.’’
Prior to the start of each inning, Harvey draws a line in the dirt with his foot pointed toward the catcher. He uses it as a guide to prevent from opening up his shoulder too soon and throwing across his body, something he said he did in his last start.
“I’m looking at pitches,’’ pitching coach Dan Warthen said. “What I want to see from him is to get ahead with strike one and locate all his pitches.’’
No doubting that today.
VALDESPIN PATIENT: Jordany Valdespin was robbed of an extra-base hit on a fly ball down the right field line in the first inning. What was impressive about the at-bat was not the near hit, but how Valdespin worked the count full after being behind.
“The more pitches I see, the better,’’ said Valdespin, who started at second base and made a running catch down the right field line on a foul ball.
Collins said Valdespin is showing more discipline, and noted his third at-bat when he was unhappy with a strike call, but kept his focus and didn’t give away the at-bat.
“He’s getting better at being aggressive, but working the count,’’ Collins said. “He fought off some tough pitches and hit the ball hard.’’
METS NOTEBOOK: Reliever Pedro Feliciano relieved Harvey and finished the fifth. It was his first appearance since his physical was flagged and it was learned he had a heart ailment. … Matt den Dekker homered for the Mets. … Jamie Hoffmann made a homer-robbing catch against the left field wall in the seventh off the bat of Chris Valaika. … Kirk Nieuwenhuis is day-to-day with a bruised left knee. Today he ran in the pool. He’ll do the same tomorrow. … Daniel Murphy hit in the cage. “I felt really good,’’ he said. Tomorrow he’ll take soft toss batting practice. … It’s always run to look at the stats during spring training. For example, Miami pitcher Jacob Turner has a 162.00 ERA in 0.1 innings. … Johan Santana is still mad at the world, refusing to even acknowledge a simple good morning. … Dillon Gee starts tomorrow against Detroit at Lakeland.
About the Author: John Delcos
I am an active member of the BBWAA and have covered Major League Baseball in several capacities for over 20 years, including ten in New York working the Mets' and Yankees' beat. I covered the Baltimore Orioles for eight years and the Cleveland Indians before that. I currently serve as an editor and senior staff writer for Mets Merized Online. Follow me on Twitter @jdelcos.
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Nice. Good to see the players perform well as they continue to get ready for the season.
It was nice to see Harvey, Valdespin, Recker & Brown perform well today.
Harvey’s change-up was lethal & enabled him to locate low-90 heat effectively & w/o risk.
Recker had a good day behind the plate and at the plate. Some day he may get a following… “The Recking Crew”
Andrew Brown finally launched a double into the RF corner – very nice. He’s got a very potent bat, but has been pressing a little too much early on. I really, really want him to make the club.
Den Dekker? Yeah, he had a good game, but I still have my doubts, despite the home run. Same thing with Duda. Both of these guys just appear lost at the plate, at times.
All-in-all, a good game, albeit against a Marlins B-type squad.
I wonder who will start on opening day 2014 Harvy or Wheeler with Niese inbetween them
and with Gee fourth and/or Montero 5th and Noah not far behind will be the best mets staff since Gooden,Darling,Bobby O, and El Sid and maybe the best staff in baseball!!
Why the knock on Santana, John? Was it necessary to put that in there? And you forgot Ike’s 2 hits.
At least John is upfront…
most reporters wont say what he just did….
they’ll just say he is a “clubhouse cancer” in a few months…
I am not sure the expectations are moving up any but the future is looking brighter in PSL. On the other coast, in Tampa, things are looking in the other direction. I like the position the Mets organization is in and still am optimistic about a .500 finish give or take. That would be an accomplishment considering we believe more help is on the way.
Harvey is the epitome of a stud. His mental outlook and desire is going to carry him a long way. He is going to be one pillar in the foundation of the Mets.
good stuff as usual from Delcos
What I like that Delcos noted was the bit on Valdespin. DiComo nor Rubin mentioned it that I saw and considering that he is trying to impress the Mets to take him North when camp breaks Collins comments plus the observations of Spins at bat adds to the ongoing story that is Valdespin.
He’s looking better at the plate for sure but he really blew that steal at 2nd. Recker threw a perfect strike in more than plenty of tme to get Pierre trying to steal. Spin was just waiting for him to slide in and still somehow missed the tag.
this is what happens when u flip flop people from SS to 2B to CF to RF back to 2B in less than a year
You’ve got a good point.
The time to give these kids exposure to different positions is in the minors. Not once we bring them up. Re: Murph in LF and 2nd, Duda in the OF, Spin all over – all though I do think Spin played a good amount of games at 2nd base down there.
Valdespin is going to make this team despite how may fans dont want him to. He’s electric and you don’t give up on players like this.
I would worry more about Collins and his doghouse tendencies, since if TC doesn’t like him, he ain’t surfacing.
Oh he’ll surface regardless,
Unless Valdespin punches Collins in the nose or some major newsworthy thing happens Valdespin is going north.
and if TC does not like him, he will be buried on the bench. It has been done before.
yup !
every manager has doghouse tendancies though…
remember ruben gotay?
in 2007, he played good defense, hit over .300…and still Willie wanted a veteran, and pushed for the castillo trade after veteran valentin was injured
I wonder if we stick with gotay at 2B…how things turn out…
If we stuck with Gotay at 2B? He would have stunk, just like he did everywhere else and we would still have Murphy at 2B or another FA 2B would have had to be signed.
Harvey was just dominant today.
Keith cautioning us that the league will make adjustments on him, and it will be interesting to see how Harvey responds.
My money’s on Harvey.
Same thing happened at every level. He’d get smacked around early on, make adjustments, and dominate the league.
DiComo with a write up specifically about Spin.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130307&content_id=42418512&vkey=news_nym&c_id=nym
Plain and simple, a player that can play 4 positions and shortstop in an emergency with all of spins talents ha to be on the team! He’s fearless at the plate, has power, probably tge fastest guy on tge team and had proven with his pinch hit home runs that he doesn’t fold under pressure! He’s only 24 years old right? He will mature in due time! That’s where the “captain” could really earn his money! Be a club house leader and teach this kid the way! He has potential to be an all star if he keeps progressing at the plate at the rate he is progressing! The kid is a way better outfielder in all catagories than duda! I think he even had more home runs per at bat than duda, so why is this even a question? At worst let the kid build some trade value! If u don’t like his attitude at the end of the year there will be a lot of teams that would love to take a chance on him!! When u watch him play u can see there is something really special there!
the problem here is we have a fan base that seems content with having 25 sucky players with great attitudes.
Valdy seems like another Jeff Kent/ Kevin Mitchell.
Both were highly talented, versatile players.
Mitchell went from 3B to LF…
Kent flip flopped between 2B and 3B…
Both had speed and pop…
Both had “attitude” problems
Both flourished away from NY
I see Valdespin possibly being another one of those guys…
Is Harvey still eligible for the ROY this year? Or does 10 starts disqualify you?
No he’s not. He went over the innings limit last year. I thought they shoul have pulled him so he could have a chance this year. There was no reason for him to keep pitching last year.
I disagree. Gaining the experience so he’d be that much more mature on the mound now trumps the chance to win some award.
I think it was less than 10 innings! How much experience do u think he gained? He already proved he was ready. Hahaha
He hasn’t proved a thing yet. Not a thing.
Youre saying he hasn’t proved he’s a major league ready pitcher??? Ok guy…..
Dillon Gee is a major league ready pitcher, too. But I’ll be real disappointed if that’s all Harvey turns out to be.
Super Side Note: Re: Piazza’s book…
so supposedly…Piazza called out the Wilpons for making him play injured through a meaningless exhibition game b/c it was sold out.
…and supposedly this has the Wilpons raging mad now at Piazza…..
This is the same mindset that got us in trouble with Reyes/Beltran in 09…Reyes in 2010…Looper in 2005…Pelfrey in 2011….
The common thread here is Fred and Jeff Wilpon…
When will folks wake up…
this is why I say….Vote with your dollar…
You do understand that by being here, you feed the machine as well, right?
Valdespin, Tejada, Harvey, den Dekker, Capt. Kirk, Flores, Parnell, Duda, Tapia, Montero, Niese, Gee, Murph, Lupo, Matz, Robles, deGrom, Edgin, Familia, Mejia, Ynoa, Gorski, Lagares, Puello, Aderlin…..say Thank You!