It has not been the best season so far for the home team in Flushing. It is 1983 all over again, really - that team went 68-94 and youngsters and castoffs abounded then too - but it also lead to bigger and better things. At least, that's what I keep telling myself.
The one thing they have beating us over the head with this year has been that the All Star Game is in Queens for the first time in nearly 50 years. And wouldn't you know it, the two bright spots for the Mets this year will be starting for the National League down in Citifield - David Wright and Matt Harvey.
David Wright has lived up to the huge
contract the team gave him over the winter, going 13-44-.304/.396/.507. I find this a breath of fresh air, since it seems every time the Mets
give someone money, they immediately get old, tank, get hurt, or some combination of the three.
I also found it a very good thing that Wright didn't make it past the first round of the Home Run Derby Monday night. Last time he participated in that glorified piece of batting practice, it screwed his swing up for months.
The real shining jewel of the season has been the maturation of Matt Harvey. I mean, we all knew he was going to be
good, but we didn't know he was going to be
this good
this soon.
He is 7-2 (and he should have about 12 wins and would if anyone on this team could hit) with a 2.34 ERA (4th) and a league leading 147 strikeouts. Not to mention his peripherals are magnificent - 10.2 SO/9, 5.25 K/BB, 6.3 H/9, 0.915 WHIP. He has all the makings of the man who threw out the first pitch tonight, Tom Seaver. It looks like I know what my next
jersey will be...a bright shiny pinstriped home #33.
The Mets now have 71 games this season to see who can play and who can't. I like what I have seen from Zack Wheeler. Jeremy Hefner has been a revelation the last 10 starts. Dillon Gee has comeback from a brutal start. Plus they have Rafael Montero and Noah Syndergaard waiting in the wings. The Mets have enough arms, now if they can just get a few more guys who can actually hit like they are supposed to (*cough*IkeDavis*cough*), this team will be formidable for next decade and we can send 5-6 guys to the All Star Game every year and not just two.
