July 10

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Why Matt Harvey Shouldn’t Have an Innings Limit

Posted by on July 10, 2013 in Mets | 2 Comments

Credit: Chris Trotman/ Getty Images

I have to start off this article saying this.  I’m a former Division I pitcher who played at a big program.  I went through the same riggers of college as Matt Harvey.  So, I know what I’m talking about when it comes to the wear and tear on the body.  This article is going to convince people that an Inning cap is not the way the New York Mets should handle Harvey.

First, let’s talk about Harvey’s current season.  He has probably been the most impressive pitcher in the MLB for the first half of the season.  He has slowed down a little recently, but is still putting up great numbers.  He is currently the favorite for the Cy Young Award this season.  This brings me to the point, why would you shut down a pitcher when it could cost him this prestigious award? Knowing Harvey’s personality, he will be very upset with the team if they cost him the Cy Young because they shut him down in fear that he “might” get hurt.  You never know when you may get this opportunity again so why shut him down for a reason that has no evidence that it actually prevents injury.  In fact there’s more evidence to say that it doesn’t work.  We saw a few years ago with Stephen Strasburg that it doesn’t always work.  You need to know your pitcher and let him decide if he can go on.

Next, the rigors of college are actually more than the MLB.  Let me explain.  When you get to school in September you start practices right away.  Your throwing 2-3 bullpens a week on top of throwing 2-3 innings of intersquad that same week.  You do that from September till the end of November.  Then your expected to keep throwing bullpens from November till you get back from winter break.  By the beginning of January you will probably have thrown around 60-70 innings worth of bullpens since September.  Once you get back, you will be expected to throw 3-4 innings, while building up to 6-7 innings by the time the season starts.  So, by the time the season starts you will probably have thrown around 110-120 innings already.  From the beginning of the season till the end you will throw anywhere from 180-210 innings.  So, you’re up to 290-330 innings before you go away for summer ball.  You will probably have around 2 weeks off before summer ball starts.  Once it does start you will throw around 100 innings there.  When that’s done, you will have 2-3 weeks before it starts all over again.  So, in one school year you looking at 390-430 innings.  That’s a lot more innings then you will ever throw in the majors.  Capping off Harvey at around 250 innings because he has never thrown that many in his career is nonsense.  He did that kind of work load and more in college.  He can handle it and be fine doing it.

I don’t know what the Mets will do, but I hope they let Harvey decide.  He’s a competitor and wants to be out there as often as possible.  He still has some work to do, as we’ve seen in his last few starts, and can fix them with seasoning.  He won’t get that seasoning if he is shut down early.

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