Last night in Buffalo, Mark Harvey – one of the Mets top pitching prospects pitched in what could be seen by many as an audition to fill the pitching spot that has been open since Dillon Gee underwent possible season ending surgery. Harvey acquitted himself quite well. In 6 2/3innings, Harvey let up 2 earned runs on 3 hits while striking out 4. Technically he only gave up one run but the Bisons middle reliever, Justin Hampson, allowed an inherited run to score.
Harvey threw 5 no-hit innings before surrendering a run in the sixth. He looked like he had very good command of the strike zone for the most part, and the majority of the balls that were hit off him were of the ground ball variety.
But this was against the Toledo Mud Hens – a team that is not known for being a great hitting team. There is a big difference between facing them and the Los Angeles Dodgers – the team that Harvey could next face if he is promoted.
Look I want to see Harvey called up also. He has to be a better option that Miguel Batista. But with that being said I remember back in the mid ’90′s when Jason Isringhausen – then one of the Mets top pitching prospects was rushed up mid season and pitched adequately at best. Who knows, maybe Harvey can thrive under that kind of pressure.
But us Mets fans also will have to be patient with Harvey if he is promoted. He is sure to suffer some bumps and bruises in the transition to the Major Leagues. We can’t expect him to be an amalgamation of Dwight Gooden and Tom Seaver coming out of the gate. Look at Mike Pelfrey. He was a highly regarded first round pitching prospect for the Mets. We all had extremely high hopes for him, and sometimes he lived up to those expectations – while many times he didn’t – and the fans let him know their displeasure with him for not living up to the hype.
Ultimately it is Sandy Alderson, Terry Collins and Mets assistant G.M J.P Riccardi to decision. They are ultimately the ones who will know if Harvey is truly ready r not – not us the fans.
And with that said… HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!
Mets alumni celebrating a birthday today includes:
Mets manager from the ’75 season, Roy McMillan would have been 83 (1929) .
Mets coach from the ’81 season, Deron Johnson would have been 74 today (1938) .
Whenever Mo Vaughn hears the word buffalo he makes sure to call his Jenny Craig sponsor !!!!
15 comments
srt
7/17/2012-7:48am at 7:48 am (UTC -4)
Saw the game last night. Have read varying opinions on whether or not Harvey is ready.
Here’s my take:
Yeah, he could probably use a few more starts in AAA to refine some of his pitches and his game plan. His fast ball, which usually is pretty good from what I’ve read, was not all that sharp last night. Conversely, his other pitches looked pretty good – better than some have been reporting. Wally when interviewed told him to mix in his pitches, stay focused and just pitch to his strength.
Too many walks last night but was able to get outs when needed. Mostly groundball outs, which was good.
I was on the fence until I saw the after game interview that Mr. N. Jersey posted here. What really impressed me was that interview. Mature for his age, he’s focused, and was honest about his outing. He admitted he had a problem with getting into a rhythm with his FB. Kept having to answer the same questions for over a dozen reporters over and over and took it all in stride.
Right now we need him to replace Gee in the rotation. IMO, even if he struggles a bit, he’s probably going to be better than anything Batista or Hefner can provide.
I say call him up. If he gets shelled after a few starts, you can always send him back down to work on his problems. I don’t think it’ll kill his confidence or ‘ruin his development’.
srt
7/17/2012-7:49am at 7:49 am (UTC -4)
Oh, and watching that game…..looks like Bay is in mid season form. Sigh…..don’t know what they’re going to do with him when he returns. He should be platooned – I don’t care how much money he’s making.
Stickguy
7/17/2012-7:58am at 7:58 am (UTC -4)
platooned at best, in a short “try out”, with a quick ax to lop him off the roster.
I know that other hitters have come back from the seemingly dead, but he gives every sign of being shot for good.
Stickguy
7/17/2012-8:04am at 8:04 am (UTC -4)
MF had good points.
Is he 100% ready? No. Is he pretty close to being as good as he is going to be? Probably. And like MF, I don’t think that coming up and scuffling a bit is going to ruin him, mentally destroy him, or prevent further development (or any of the other hyperbolic stuff being thrown around by internet board “experts”).
Pitchers have been getting promoted when they still had some stuff to master since the dawn of BB time. And they can do it. If Harvey really needs to nail down his CU and FB spotting, then he will just have to do it vs. better hitters (and he will have to prove himself eventually against those guys).
So, if he really is close enough that 5 more MiL starts is going to change anything, he absolutely can finish doing it in the majors. The mistakes just travel farther.
Thus, getting called up really should be about whether he is likely to be the best chance for the Mets to get a win in those starts for the next 6 weeks or so. And being better than Batista!
Oh, no chance I consider starting batista. It is either Harvey or Hefner, and I am fine with either decision.
NJstuckinTX
7/17/2012-9:02am at 9:02 am (UTC -4)
Other than Trout, Harper or Stras… Who really is truly ready? He walks 4 batters and I read across the blog-o-sphere that he’ll never make the leap, he won’t be ready until next year, he’ll only be a number 5 starter… Heavens to Mercatroid, here, people! We are not asking for Koufax to come in a put the whole franchise on his back. We are looking to push an upper prospect in this system a little, see what he has and hopefully he gives us Gee like performances and that’s about that for this year. If he doesn’t excel, oh well, he goes back down, works on some pitches and he’ll be around come next year.
Bring the kid up. Lets see what he has and lets enjoy every bit of this team for what they are. Overachievers up until this point.
Stick
7/17/2012-9:19am at 9:19 am (UTC -4)
all very reasonable. And I think that the whole “oh my goodnesss, he might not be Roy Halladay yet, and calling him up while he is still working on fine tuning might lead to a bad game and ruin him forever and ever” is way overblown.
like you say, he comes up, does what he can, experiences what the majors are like (and gets immediate feedback on what he still needs to work on and improve). Then either develops on the mets, or goes back down for some remedial work (and no, that will not destroy him mentally).
Oh, and trout actually came up last year, and looked overmatched. Went back down, and came back a month later, had a few good games then tailed way off again. Overall numbers, not impressive. He then started 2012 in the minors, not coming up until 4/28. And obviously the early call up and struggles did not “ruin” him!
NJstuckinTX
7/17/2012-9:22am at 9:22 am (UTC -4)
All the more reason to prove my point! Thank you sir.
srt
7/17/2012-9:55am at 9:55 am (UTC -4)
Obviously, I’m with you guys.
We’re asking him to replace Gee in the rotation, not be the second coming of Doc.
Just call him up. Even if he struggles, I think the learning experience will be well worth it considering we’re looking at him to be in the starting rotation next season.
srt
7/17/2012-10:09am at 10:09 am (UTC -4)
OT:
This is the most amazing catch – by a Philly minor leaguer – I’ve ever seen. Still don’t know how he did this:
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/17/maybe-the-greatest-catch-youll-ever-see/
Stickguy
7/17/2012-10:41am at 10:41 am (UTC -4)
I hate the Phillies.
srt
7/17/2012-11:07am at 11:07 am (UTC -4)
hahaha – I’m right there with you.
Take solace in the fact that the Phillies minor league system right now is surely a bottom feeder one. Nothing remotely outstanding in the high minors.
Mr North Jersey
7/17/2012-11:06am at 11:06 am (UTC -4)
I am wondering what his coaches think about the decision to go with a new change up grip so close to possibly being called up.
metsilverman.com
7/17/2012-12:02pm at 12:02 pm (UTC -4)
Izzy was ready in 1995. He went 9-2 with the Mets and won 20 games on three levels for the organization that year. His only problem was an elbow that was simply going to be a problem in the majors or minors. And he was a lunkhead. It was a much wiser Izzy the Mets got last year, but I’d take that ’95 arm of his any day. I’ve got tickets Saturday and I could add Harv to the list of debuts I’ve witnessed that includes Izzy’s Gen K pal, Paul Wilson. At this point I’d just sign on for a win by anybody!
Mr North Jersey
7/17/2012-5:22pm at 5:22 pm (UTC -4)
Just came across this quote from Ricciardi regarding watching Harvey pitch last night.
“I don’t think this is a make-or-break start for him or anything like that,” he said. “I can tell you that I’m not up here to make that decision . . . If that decision comes, it wouldn’t be based, I think, on just [last night]. I’m just here to really see where he’s at . . . I wasn’t told that this is an audition for him, that [he pitches] well and he’s in the big leagues . . . We’d be foolish to rush him in any way, shape or form.”
http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo;JSESSIONID=1C40C7A113F396474787.3247?site=newsday&view=sports_item&feed:a=newsday_5min&feed:c=sports&feed:i=1.3842309&nopaging=1
Hazmet
7/17/2012-6:38pm at 6:38 pm (UTC -4)
“Last night in Buffalo – Mark Harvey….”
Who’s Mark Harvey and what did he do with Matt? :p