May 14 2019 11:10 AM
A lot can change in a season. After control issues and two full seasons trying to find my way back from Tommy John surgery, I entered the 2018 season as the least among the Mets generation of exciting young starters. In fact, I was such a question mark, they had me open the season at Las Vegas, while the four from the rest of the generation joined veteran Jason Vargas in the Mets rotation. "I'm no bullpenner!" I told the Mets.
"Then you're no big-leaguer!" they answered.
But two things are inevitable. The first is that injuries will happen. The second is that Matt Harvey will self-destruct. So after only one start in exile, I got called back, joined the rotation, and haven't left.
What was remarkable was that I just got better and better as the season progressed. Until my second half ... well, my second half was as good as deGrom's. I know deGrom had an historic season wire-to-wire, but it's just the truth. In fact, it was me, and not him, who led the majors in giving up the lowest percentage of hard-hit balls (24.8%). How's that for a hard hit to the balls?
When I'm working right, I have a fastball-curve combination that hasn't been seen from a starter in Flushing since, perhaps, Dwight Gooden. That's saying a lot, I know, but it comes with its caveats. But hell, I don't have to brag about myself any more. You saw my 2018 second half yourselves.
How do I follow up on that? Can I string together more than three months of Cy Young-quality pitching. Will the word "elite" ever accompany my name, or am I more of a sometimes guy?
I think 2019 will go a long way toward answering these questions. In the meantime, there's you. Have at it.
