Is the time now for Matt Harvey to be the Mets Ace?

(Howard Simmons/New York Daily News)

Last season was yet another long season for Mets fan. However there were bright spots: Johan Santana's no hitter (the first in franchise history, R.A. Dickey's had a great season that ended with him winning the Cy Young, but perhaps the biggest bright spot for the Mets future, was the pitching performance by rookie Matt Harvey. Harvey had an ERA of 2.73 and struckout 70 batters in only 59 innings, but due to poor run
support he ended with a 3-5 record. Nevertheless the Mets seemed to have found a cornerstone to solid rotation for years to come.

After Harvey's first start of the 2013 season the future might be now for Harvey and the Mets. Harvey had 10 strikeouts in seven innings and only gave up one hit and walked one batter.

Game Day stat: @mattharvey33 has 3 games with 10+ strikeouts in his first 11 starts with the #Mets. Only Dwight Gooden had more (4 games).
— New York Mets (@Mets)

The Mets pitching staff is lacking an ace this year as R.A. Dickey was traded in the off season and Johan Santana has a tear in his pitching shoulder and is out for the season and possibly longer.

The Mets selected Harvey as their first round pick, number 7 overall in 2010 Major League draft. After a solid college career at North Carolina, Harvey had a successful stint in the minors for over a season and half before being called up to New York last July.

Harvey is quickly growing his fan base as David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays and former Mets ace Dwight Gooden both tweeted this week that they are impressed.

Matt Harvey is my new favorite pitcher outside of current and former teammates!! He's nasty
— David Price (@DAVIDprice14)

A lot of people have been asking me to comment on @mattharvey33 ... The only thing I'm going to say right now is... I like what I see!
— Dwight Gooden (@DocGooden16) April 5, 2013

The major league season is long and is not even a week old, but if the Mets can get consistent run support for Harvey this year, then his first full season in the majors could be a memorable one.

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