Matt Harvey returns to Citi Field as a member of the Reds on Monday night...
Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |
There's Matt Harvey the pitcher, and there's Matt Harvey the personality. During his time with the Mets, the two often blended together. And toward the end, when injuries had robbed him of most of his arsenal -- and he refused a minor league assignment to get his act together -- the fanbase really turned on him. And then he was traded to the Reds.
But what about his Mets legacy? What about the fact that the trajectory of his career might have been changed forever because he threw caution to the wind and pitched deep in to the 2015 postseason? When you think of Matt Harvey the Met, what is the first thing that comes to mind?
Matthew Cerrone (Twitter | Instagram | About Me).
I think of the 2013 All Star game and the hype and sensation that he became. The Dark Night. The hope that he would lead a rotation and new generation of team in to greatness. And then I quickly think of how that all fell apart for him. And how, in large part, while his legacy here includes a lot of great and painful moments, it's the missed moments and moments that never happened that I feel most.
Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |
What's saddest of all is that Harvey's awesomeness in 2012 and 2013 was done for a team that didn't contend. He exploded on the scene and helped bring the Mets back to relevance, but the only year where fans got to experience Harvey in big spots was 2015. In the 2015 postseason, Harvey was The Dark Knight -- tormenting opponents, pumping his fist, and unleashing primal screams after strikeouts. And in a twist of irony, it might be 2015 that led to his ruination.
Do you think him throwing all those innings that season and postseason (after the Scott Boras/Harvey/Mets feud late that season) might have had something to do with his Thoracic Outlet surgery and eventual downfall?
Matthew Cerrone (Twitter | Instagram | About Me).
There's enough medical evidence and science to suggest Harvey throwing the most innings ever after a Tommy John surgery likely contributed to his TOS, but there's also no definitive way to prove it. I can say that I've heard plenty of people around baseball speculate that there is a direct connection.
The thing is, it doesn't change where we are and what could have been, which is still what I'm already left thinking about when I see him. The other thing is the question of whether any of it would have mattered? There's always the possibility his need to be great and be like Derek Jeter, with the magazines and models, etc., and his ability to succeed in New York City was always going to be doomed.
I'm not sure I totally believe that, but I'll go to my grave convinced that Matt has a ton of personal demons he has yet to work through. And evolving and maturing under the bright lights of New York -- for him -- may always have been impossible.
I guess we'll find out when The Dark Knight Returns premieres in four months when he inevitably signs a one-year deal with the Yankees.
Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |
Ahh...the Harvey to the Yanks thing, that most Mets fans felt was inevitable back in 2013 when he was an absolute menace on the mound and in the city. The expectation was that once Harvey hit free agency (if he hit it as the top pitcher he was at the time), that he'd bolt the Mets. And that's one of the main issues with Harvey's tenure in Queens. It always seemed that he might have one foot out the door.
I had a bit of a soft spot for Harvey, while still knowing that he was not well-liked in the clubhouse and that his after-hours shenanigans weren't great. But did anyone give a damn about the '86 Mets, their partying ways, and huge personalities? No. Because they won.
And if Harvey hadn't gotten hurt, things might have turned out a lot differently for the 2016 Mets, 2017 Mets, and 2018 Mets. At the very least, he wouldn't have been vilified, with lots of fans blaming his performance on his attitude instead of blaming it on the actual culprit -- injuries.
I think Harvey deserves to be remembered for what he did on the mound as a Met in 2012, 2013, and 2015, when he was one of the best pitchers in baseball and the best homegrown Mets pitcher since Dwight Gooden. And I think that should be reflected in any reception he receives if/when he takes the mound again at Citi Field as an opposing player.
What do you think?
Matthew Cerrone (Twitter | Instagram | About Me).
I agree. Sadly, I also know it won't happen. It's a shame, because you're right. His performance warrants respect, even if just a little respect and appreciation. But, at the end of even the loudest cheers, like with Doc, it's hard not to lean back on what could have been...