The Dark Knight always returns, it is kind of his thing, and today The Real Deal, formerly projected-as-a-third-starter Matt Harvey returned to Citi Field to face the Mets.
If you are not familiar with Matt Harvey, imagine Tom Seaver with Jon Hamm’s looks. Now take that fantasy and make him the greatest pitcher anyone has ever seen. Congratulations, you’re in the Mets media. Now, open your eyes and realize he’s just a working stiff who takes the bus to work for a team that had a ZERO POINT ZERO chance of making the playoffs this year according to some website. That’s Matt Harvey.
Matt Harvey has arrived at Citi Field. pic.twitter.com/k5auIKJoCg
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 12, 2021
Pitchers with career records of 47 and 54 and an ERA of 4.12 do not get to date supermodels, and do not get invited on Late Night TV. One wonders if Matt got a good night’s sleep or if he visited his old favorite burrito stand, you know, the one that caused him to stay out late that one time and the Mets had to send security to his house and the Mets Beat just accepted the story. But that’s all in the past because it’s Bat-Time!
Here’s Matt long tossing where he belongs…in front of a cluttered-with-advertising outfield fence in Queens.
And Matt of course knows the importance of stretching!
Matt warmed up….
Fans gave Matt a standing ovation….
…and you can’t even see the netting!
And it’s on to the first inning. Let’s catch everyone up on how Matt has done since he left Queens.
Look at this beautiful screen grab!
And as predicted by the World’s Foremost Matt Harvey Expert, it’s a 1-2-3 for Matt Harvey!
On to the second and look who is AT BAT!
And Matt does his best Pete Alonso impression…sit down son.
But Matt is looking handsome.
Vulgar Pete leads off the second and UH OH…
Pete doubles. Dom Singles. Then…
It’s a triple. Then a single. And it’s 3-0!
Matt held the fort there and we’re on to the third…but first, here’s the face of a man who looks stunned.
Lindor leads off the 3rd with a single. Uh oh.
Conforto hit one of those 385 foot fly outs.
And so does Vulgar Pete
Lindor steals second and Dom knocks him in. Matt’s face tells the story.
And through three Matt is at 51 or 52 pitches.
In the 4th, a nice say 1-2-3 with two Ks for TDK. Sit down son.
Would this be the last we ever see of Matt Harvey at Citi Field as an active player? You can’t even see the netting!
It is nice out…will the Orioles do me a favor and hook Matt so I can go outside and do something else? No, they are jerks and let Matt bat. Boooo. On to the 5th where Matt will face the order for the third time. Uh oh.
And Joan Jett is at the game! Really.
Villar starts the inning with a single. We all know how this is going to go, don’t we?
Matt throws over to first base three times in a row, but Villar steals second anyway.
Lindor flies out to the track (another 385 foot out) and Villar advances.
Vulgar Pete steps in…the 3-2 is..high….and Matt knows he’s doomed.
And that’s it for Matt. Going…
…going…
…gone.
Dom Smith doubles to knock in the 6th run charged to Matt. And the 7th comes in as well on an infield hit.
The final line… 4 and a third. SEVEN runs, all earned. EIGHT hits. A walk and four strikeouts.
What we learned was You Can’t Go Home Again. The Matt Harvey that appeared today was Today’s Matt Harvey. Sometimes OK, sometimes not. The Orioles are off tomorrow, maybe Matt can hang out with the family and his burrito buddies tonight before catching up with the team. The Orioles play Matt’s favorite team, the Yankees, in Baltimore on Friday.
If you are new to the Matt Harvey recap posts, I do this for every start. Major leagues, minor leagues, spring training. See you next Bat-Time, same Bat-Blog.
