No matter the situation, Matt Harvey wants the ball in his hand. It's an admirable trait to have an unyielding competitive streak running through his veins, and it's not something that can be taught. You either have it or you don't.
But as New York's 26-year-old star understands better than most, it's something that can oftentimes lead to frustration.
"I felt like I could have pitched last September," Harvey told Bleacher Report via phone early Friday morning during a promotion for Axe Hair. "But looking back, taking the entire year off was probably the best decision that we could have made. I have no regrets."
And to this point, neither do the Mets. Their elite trio of Harvey, reigning NL ROY Jacob deGrom and rookie Noah Syndergaard is as good as there is in the league.
To match his rotation mates' mastery, though, Harvey has had to take care of his hair nearly as carefully as his prized arm.
"I think it was more Syndergaard and DeGrom, and the way they're pitching with their long hair that got me motivated to team up with Axe Hair and do what I can to maximize my hair prime and keep up with those guys. I need to keep my hair looking good and feeling good to do that."
For the Dark Knight, keeping up with Thor and the DeGrominator on the mound hasn't been quite as difficult this season, as all three have consistently delivered impressive performances for the Mets in a 2015 playoff push. DeGrom, especially, has stood out for Harvey.
"Well, I think his pitching style and the way he's been pitching all year speaks for itself. He's been pretty impressive to watch, and as long as he continues to be 'DeGrominant,' we'll be OK."
"OK" is just how Harvey, who underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in October 2013, feels, noting that the wear and tear of 120 games does take its toll on a player. This is especially true for one coming off a missed season. He also offered some advice for those who have yet to undergo the procedure.
"If I could advise future Tommy John patients, I'd definitely advise them to take as much time as they possibly can. Even if you feel like you're ready to go after 10 months, those few extra months of rest really pay off."
Sage advice aside, he now faces more potential frustration in the not-so-distant future. With 154 innings under his belt already this year, he's quickly closing in on the preset innings limit—believed to be around 190 innings—that the Mets have in mind for him.
If this situation sounds oddly familiar, it's because we've seen it play out before. It was not long ago—2012—when Washington made the controversial call to shut Stephen Strasburg down in mid-September as he reached the team's innings limits in a return from the same procedure.
"It's a tough thing to talk about," Harvey said of innings limits. "As a competitor, you can look at that situation and feel for [Strasburg]. He's a competitor who wants to be on the field with his team, and you can appreciate that."
Strasburg didn't hide his frustration with the team's decision, and it's one Harvey hopes to avoid.
"You deal with it if it gets to that point, but hopefully it doesn't. Hopefully there's a way to keep moving things around and keep rolling into November. Keep our heads down, try to keep winning and get as far ahead of the Nationals as we can."
While their situations are different—Harvey had far more time to recover and build his arm back up than Strasburg did—the possibility of being shut down and/or restricted still exists. And you can't necessarily blame the Mets for being overly cautious with their biggest star, considering how big a part of the team's present and future he is.
But if there's a lesson to be learned from Strasburg's situation, it's that you never know when you're going to have a chance to make a playoff run again. The Mets have to find a happy medium between protecting one of their most valuable assets and seizing the opportunity in front of them.
Shutting down or shackling Harvey would not only put New York's playoff hopes at risk, but also threaten to erase much of the positive energy flowing from the fans at Citi Field—which has become as difficult a place for the opposition to find success as there is in baseball. Even after being swept by Pittsburgh over the weekend, the Mets own baseball's fourth-best home record (42-21) heading into Monday's games.
"Whenever we take the field at home, there's a buzz, an excitement flowing through the stadium and we just want to keep it going. We definitely feed off that excitement whenever we can put on the home jerseys and go out and play in front of our fans, who have been unbelievable. It's pretty special."
Harvey added that the team doesn't feel like it's under any pressure to atone for the franchise's past postseason and pennant race failings, but you have to go back to the days of Bobby Valentine to find a comparable buzz and excitement surrounding the Mets.
That feeling was magnified by the team's trade additions in July. Yoenis Cespedes, Tyler Clippard, Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe not only plugged some holes on the roster, but they have added a new dimension to the clubhouse.
"It's been pretty unreal, it's something you can't script up. It's been awesome having the new guys. They definitely bring some experience, smiles and laughs to the clubhouse," Harvey said. "It kind of took us to a whole new level. We're having more fun and are more relaxed. Juan Uribe might be one of the best (and funniest) teammates I can ever recall having."
With David Wright nearly ready to get back on the field after dealing with a back injury that has limited him to only eight games this year—the New York Daily News reports that Wright has targeted this weekend's series in Colorado for his return—Mets mania may hit a peak.
"As a starting pitcher, all you can do is put your head down, keep trying to put up zeroes and win as many ballgames down the stretch as you can," Harvey said. "Whatever happens down the line, whatever decisions they make, you deal with it when it happens."
What's going on at Citi Field right now is palpable, and to do anything that would risk putting out the fire is a mistake. Harvey is critical to the Mets' pennant dreams, and this city and fanbase don't deserve having to wonder "what if" again.
If it were up to Harvey, they'd never have to.
Unless otherwise noted, all quotes acquired firsthand by Rick Weiner. All statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.
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