Mets Hope O’ Meter: Matt Harvey Edition

For the many of you, who have waited with baited breath for the next New York Mets Hope O’ Meter update, I apologize for the extended delay. The reason that I haven’t penned another piece is simply because the Mets have no more hope.

But today- today is different. Today is one of the few days where the meter spikes from 0.00 to a strong and boisterous 9.67. Today Matt Harvey makes his seventh start.

That’s right. Hope springs eternal for the Mets faithful when Harvey takes the bump. The kid’s electric fastball has the ability to turn mustn’t watch baseball on its head and bring the beaten and broken base back to the ballpark. His record (2-3) may not blow away any Cy Young voters, but his 2.75 ERA and 10.75 K/9 ratio certainly aren’t anything that can be ignored. But the fact that he has more punch outs than Doc Gooden through 6 starts isn’t the most exciting thing about him. Watching the way he controls a game is what’s truly impressive about his early performance.

A lot of pitchers come into the big leagues with a live fastball and a decent bender, and many of them can’t get a clutch batter out to save their life (see Bobby Parnell). Every Mets fan knows the feeling of watch our last homegrown “ace” Mike Pelfrey wipe his brow and pace behind the mound anytime he got into a pinch. The guy had to use a mouth guard for the first few years of his career for heaven’s sake. He was a head case. Harvey on the other hand looks just as calm and poised with runners on 2^nd and 3^rd as he does with 2 out, no one on and the pitcher strolling to the plate. That, accompanied with his live fastball and three developing off speed pitches is what makes him so damn inspiring.

So, Mets fans clear your schedule tonight, you’ve got a baseball game to watch. Well, you’ve got around 2/3 of a game to watch; I don’t blame you if you can’t bring yourself to watch the end.