We’ve heard of the Yankees “Core-Four.” Now, their cross-town rivals, the New York Mets, have something talented brewing of their own.
By Robby Sabo
Under normal circumstances, this night would’ve just been yet another disaster during this era of awfulness the Mets have provided their fans. New York finished 74-88 during this particular season.
However, this wasn’t any obscure Mets night.
On this night, Matt Harvey made his Major League Baseball debut.
Harvey, receiving the call from Triple-A Buffalo, fanned 11 batters in just 5.1 innings-pitched.
The kid was so dominant that this game in Mets history marked a new era for this franchise. An era who’s architect is Sandy Alderson. An era that is built on pitching. An era, that hasn’t yet fully began.
This era is one of the “Phenom-Five.”
During the late 1990s, the New York Yankees rattled off four World Series Championships. Despite the many ignorant people out there believing money was the pure cause of the success, the magic potion lied in the farm.
Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada were all home-grown fellas who came up through the system and formed this nucleus for outrageous success.
The name of “Core-Four” was bandied about and eventually stuck.
This, despite the fact that Bernie Williams was just as important as any of these other guys, but I digress.
Now, with baseball now firmly planted in a different era – as witnessed by the speedy, defensive, and bullpen-happy Kansas City Royals from a season ago – Alderson has constructed a future starting rotation to die for and fully relate with this new age of baseball.
These five guys aren’t just young prospects, they will be the heart and soul of this organization for years to come.
Pitching, pitching and more pitching has been the philosophy for the team that calls spacious Citi Field home. It turned out to be a calculated, patient approach by the front office who allowed this embarrassment of riches at the pitching position to formulate.
What started with Harvey in 2012, soon went to Zack Wheeler in 2013, Jacob deGrom in 2014, Noah Syndergaard in 2015, and Steven Matz any day now.
While even the casual onlooker can argue that this Mets club doesn’t have a lineup worth a big-league lick, and a bench that more closely resembles a Minor team, they simply cannot argue that this rotation will always keep them in games and in pennant races, despite the offensive futility.
Furthermore, the troubles this lineup faces without David Wright, Daniel Murphy and Travis d’Arnaud (until yesterday), are so worrisome that most couldn’t believe Alderson hadn’t yet pulled the trigger on trading one of these young power-arms.
The conclusion is easy to spot. Alderson does not want to trade any of these five studs.
Instead, he’ll lick his offensive wounds right now and pray that injuries heal quick, a positional prospect rises fast, or somebody of value falls in his lap.
In any event, this club is still a first-place team at 32-29, a half-game ahead of the struggling Washington Nationals.
Much like the Yankees enjoyed having their “Core-Four” at the turn of the century, the Mets will bask in the glory of their “Phenom-Five” for many seasons to come.
Here is the Phenom-Five:
1. Matt Harvey, RHP, 26-Years Old
He is the ace, the anchor, and the heart of not only the rotation, but the entire franchise.
He is the face of the organization, and wouldn’t have it any other way.
The thing that makes Matt Harvey as special as he is, is his complete willingness to completely take over and assume responsibility of situations. If he’s not pitching like the man, he’s going to be ticked off at himself to such a ridiculous point.
Despite enduring his worst stretch as a professional his last four-starts, Harvey is still the guy.
During his rookie season he made 10 starts. He finished with a 2.73 ERA and 70 strikeouts in just 59.1 innings pitched.
He then topped off that brilliant stretch in 2013 with a 2.27 ERA with 191 strikeouts in 178.1 innings. Due to this crazy season, he was given the ball at the All-Star Game for the National League, hosted by Citi Field.
It seemed the only thing that could’ve stopped this guy from rolling along was an injury, which is exactly what happened.
Not surprisingly, he bounced back early this season until this recent rough patch.
Many Mets fans are worried about this guy right now. Anywhere you turn, whether it’s the radio, newspaper or local news, Harvey’s issues are being discussed with anxious an panicky adjectives and verbs.
Fear not.
The brilliant thing about Harvey is his makeup. It’s his work ethic and bulldog attitude that carries him through tough times like these.
Although he’s yet to experience it, I ask you this: is there anybody else you’d take over Harvey to start a due or die October ball-game?
2. Jacob deGrom, RHP, 26-Years Old
If Harvey is the No. 1 guy, then reigning NL Rookie of the Year, Jacob deGrom, is No. 1-A.
Thus far through 2015, it’s been deGrom who’s carried the mantle as the ace of the Mets staff. His 7-4 record, 2.42 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 78 innings has allowed Mets fans to point to deGrom as the man.
In reality, the Mets have two aces.
Just as Harvey showcases his arrogant, bulldog-like qualities, deGrom does the same in a very different manner. His qualities are more relatable to pitching genius.
Harvey has filthier stuff, there’s no question about that. His fastball touches 97, 98 miles per hour on a great night and his slider disappears from righties within a blink of an eye.
deGrom, on the other hand, is a masterpiece out there on that rubber.
His stuff is still superb, but the way he changes speeds and works the edges marvels everybody in the ballpark.
Having Harvey and deGrom as a one-two punch for many years to come is not only fantastic, it’s downright silly.
3. Steven Matz, LHP, 24-Years Old
The tough part about putting this rotation in order comes at the No. 3 spot.
Based on merit, it would go to somebody else. But based on talent and managerial want-to, it goes to lefty Steven Matz.
Not even in MLB yet, many feel like Matz is going to end up being the best of the five. As a 6’2” 192 lanky lefty, Matz was a second-round choice for New York during the 2009 entry draft.
Unlike Harvey, Matz’s fastball only tops out around 93 miles per hour. However, it’s extremely lively and his control is spot-on. His secondary pitch is a slow high-70s curveball which breaks like a bandit.
Scouts say his change-up has come a long way, and it’ll be the make or break pitch for the kid.
Furthermore, Matz is a local kid from East Setauket, NY. The organization is so floored and so ready for Matz that they’ve reportedly been shopping Jonathan Niese and Dillon Gee will reckless abandoned.
After all, his stat-line this season of six wins, 2.30 ERA and 81 strikeouts in just 78.1 innings at Triple-A Las Vegas (where the ball flies out of the park) is simply amazing.
4. Noah Syndergaard, RHP, 22-Years Old
The only reason Matz gets the nod over Noah Syndergaard for the No. 3 spot is based purely on having a lefty split the rotation.
Otherwise, the young 22-year old Syndergaard would the the No. 3 man.
No matter though, having “Thor” this deep in the order will be outrageous for the Mets.
The youngest of the group has already made six Major League starts. The results haven’t been too shabby either: 4.15 ERA, 34 strikeouts in 34.2 innings.
Even with Harvey in the group, Syndergaard arguably has the best pure stuff.
His arsenal includes a four-seam fastball that touches 98 miles per hour, and a devastating sinker that also nears 97 or 98. His curve is in the low-80s and change-up routinely hits 88.
What Syndergaard will need to figure out the rest of 2015 is how to actually pitch to big league batters.
These guys can all hit nasty fastballs. Thor will need to make working on his craft a priority. Improving command and composure on the mound will be his calling card should he reach elite status.
Syndergaard is a classic power and sinker ground-ball pitcher.
Alderson nabbing him along with Travis d’Arnaud for an aging R.A. Dickey will turn out to be the steal of the century. One that the Toronto Blue Jays will rue for a long time.
5. Zack Wheeler, RHP, 25-Years Old
Last but not least comes Zack Wheeler.
It’s unfortunate that this guy – who was acquired in the Carlos Beltran deal with the San Francisco Giants in 2011 – will be the No. 5 guy on this list purely due to that pesky Tommy John surgery.
Nevertheless, he will return just as the ace of the staff did.
Believe it or not, Wheeler has the most MLB experience of any of these guys. His 49 career MLB starts edges Harvey’s 48 by just one. Still, he just hasn’t been able to fully put it together yet.
This is not to say he’s been bad. He hasn’t. But when comparing to such talented arms like Harvey and deGrom, Wheeler will have some catching up to do when he returns at some point during 2016.
During a full season in 2014, Wheeler sported an 11-11 record, 3.54 ERA and 187 strikeouts in 185.1 innings pitched.
Aside from noticing the trend that all of these guys are a strikeout per inning, Wheeler’s young career ERA has been stuck in the mid-3s (2013: 3.42 ERA).
His pitch repertoire is similar to Syndergaard’s. Another four-seam guy, he hits 96 on the gun. He also sports a sinker that produces a ton of ground-balls, a curve in the low 80s and a change around 88.
The difference is his fifth-pitch, his slider which is thrown very hard compared to other pitchers in the game.
Expect Wheeler to be that fifth and final piece to make this “Phenom-Five” whole for the first time ever around a calendar year from now.
Target early June of 2015 for the inception of the New York Mets “Phenom-Five” in its entirety.