Harvey (birth)Day goes swimmingly in Jupiter
By Anthony DiComo
JUPITER, Fla. — Consider this mathematical improbability: Matt Harvey was one of four Mets players to celebrate a birthday on Friday, receiving an early-morning cake in the clubhouse alongside outfielder Michael Cuddyer and catcher Johnny Monell. (The fourth, outfield prospect Brandon Nimmo, is in Minor League camp.) But his celebration did not linger. At age 26, there was much work to do.
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It certainly seemed like business as usual later in the day, when Harvey waited out a brief rain delay before setting a new high of 80 pitches in his 4 1/3-inning, one-run outing against the Cardinals. Though Harvey was less efficient than he would have liked, the most remarkable aspect of his outing was how unremarkable it all seemed. He was just plain old Matt Harvey, hitting 97 mph on a notoriously slow Roger Dean Stadium radar gun while keeping the Cardinals largely off the basepaths.
After giving up a leadoff double to Peter Bourjos, which resulted in a sacrifice fly, Harvey retired eight in a row until Bourjos reached again on a strikeout and wild pitch. Harvey struck out five in total, walking none and allowing three hits.
With a week until camp breaks, Harvey will start one more time in Florida, before making his season debut on April 9 in Washington. At that point, he will be 17-and-a-half months removed from Tommy John surgery.
