Matt Harvey To Start The All Star Game

NYDN – Matt Harvey will be the National League’s starting pitcher in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game at Citi Field, according to a source. The Mets‘ ace is 7-2 with a 2.35 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 19 starts this season. National League manager Bruce Bochy will formally announce Harvey as his starter later on Monday. Only two other players in All-Star Game history have made their first All-Star Game start in their home stadium: The Giants‘ Carl Hubbell in 1934 and Esteban Loaiza of the White Sox in 2003.

I’m not gonna sit here and tell you starting the All Star game is a huge deal. I think it means more for a pitcher than it does a position player but at the end of the day its still just a couple innings in an exhibition game. But the fact that he’s only the third dude in history who gets to make his first All Star appearance in front of his home crowd is pretty cool. And I’ll be completely honest – this fanbase hasn’t had much too root for in recent years, so as pathetic as it sounds to be excited for a guy pitching in the All Star Game, thats where we’re at as Mets fans. I realize thats pretty lame and everyone is gonna say “this is such a Mets fan thing to get excited about.”  But you gotta start somewhere. And thats exactly what Harvey represents for the Mets and Mets fans. A start. The beginning of the turnaround. Just as the Mets unloaded all their albatross contracts and their dead weight, Matt Harvey arrived as a bonafide, can’t miss, Ace. And following behind him is Wheeler, Syndergaard, and Montero. Alongside a solid arm like Niese, maybe a budding surprise in Hefner, and a guy like Gee who’s still showing flashes, the future is actually bright. Still zero offense except for Wright but thats easier to find. Matt Harvey represents the rock solid foundation to build a pitching staff around. And thats the hardest part of building a winning ball club.

Until of course he bolts to another team in free agency. Because we all know thats where this is headed.