Matt Harvey games have turned into events. Fans flocking to Citi Field and Tradition Field donning their Batman masks, holding up signs referencing The Dark Knight and how Harvey is the hero Gotham deserves. When Harvey pitches, we watch. It’s akin to the 1980s Mets teams, who had another hard throwing right-hander who brought the Shea faithful to their feet. Dwight “Doc” Gooden flashed such brilliance on the mound that even casual fans tuned in just to see how many strikeouts Gooden would compile that night.
While scouts and fans alike feel that Harvey is going to have a monster season this year, due to the fact that he’s two years removed from Tommy John surgery and has reestablished his killer slider. Much has been said about the fact that Harvey couldn’t rely on his slider for a bulk of the 2015 season; failing to find the spin he needed to control it. Even without that pitch, Harvey’s first year back from surgery was a monumental success.
In Friday’s NY Post, Joel Sherman pondered the question of what it would take to lock up Harvey long term, a question fans have been asking for most of the offseason. Would it be wise to trade Harvey, and try to bring back a big package of young, controllable talent? Look at what RHP Shelby Miller netted the Atlanta Braves this offseason. There was talk that Harvey is going to inevitably head to free agency, because he is a Scott Boras client and almost all of his players test free agency. Would it make more sense for the Mets to explore trading Harvey next offseason, giving the Mets a fully healthy year of Harvey to try and make there way back to the World Series?
Sherman posed a five-year, $119 million contract extension for Harvey. Sherman opined that the Mets would overpay for those five years, giving Harvey the records for years two and three of arbitration by a pitcher, and then paying him $30 million annually for the next three seasons. That way he’d become a free agent again at 33, in line for another big payday.
I like Sherman’s hypothetical contract for Harvey. The Mets would essentially be buying out Harvey’s prime years, and keeping the dynamic rotation in place. Jacob deGrom and Zack Wheeler would be set to become free agents in 2020, followed by Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard in 2021. Harvey’s theoretical contract would keep him with the Mets until after his 2021 season. It would be refreshing to see this group stay together for a few more seasons, this could turn into a historic rotation one thru five that could challenge for the National League Pennant each year. We’ve seen starting rotations that had two or even three dominant pitchers (90’s Braves) before, but to have a rotation as exciting and hard throwing as the Mets do, would only make sense to hold onto as long as possible. Not to mention the attendance figures the Mets should expect to see at Citi Field.
By signing Harvey to an extension it also gives the Mets some leeway with their other starters. Harvey is the leader of the staff, a symbol if you will, of excellence. The other starters feed off of what Harvey brings to the mound, and try to repeat and one up him when it’s their turn on the mound. If the Mets had Harvey signed for the said five years, they could look into potential trades of their other starters if a Hershel Walker type package became apparent and would help the team in the long run.
The five years the Mets would have Harvey would also buy the team some time to develop other starting pitching that they have in their system, or will draft in the years to come. If the Mets could groom another one or two solid starting pitchers, not necessarily an ace but a solid middle of the rotation type, it could help lessen the blow if the Mets were inclined to trade one of the current crop for a big package of players.
Holding onto Harvey would also signal to the fans that ownership is taking this potentially historic rotation seriously, indicating that they understand the fortunate situation they’ve been placed in by having these guys under team control, which has allowed them to spread their finances elsewhere in the interim.
Sherman described the Mets signing Harvey to a long-term contract before he hits free agency as a “Hail Mary pass”. When he broached the subject with general manager Sandy Alderson, the GM wasn’t quick to dismiss the notion that things couldn’t get done.
“We had one of those this offseason,” Alderson said, referring to the Yoenis Cespedes re-signing that took many by surprise.
It’s all fodder at this point. Let’s enjoy a healthy year of Harvey, who seems to be back to his pre-TJS version of himself. If that’s the case, Mets fans have a lot to look forward to this year. So grab your cape and a cowl, there’s a Dark Knight at Citi Field!
