PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) - The scoreboard failed to display velocity of Matt Harvey’s pitches Friday during his second spring training outing for the New York Mets.
“Obviously, it’s nice to go up there and throw 97 to a hundred, but you’ve got to figure out how to pitch and pitch with what you have that specific day,” Harvey said. “It’s only a matter of time.”
Harvey gave up one run and two hits in three innings - a long home run by Reid Brignac.
“We’ve got to get Matt to pitch. The velocity will come,” Mets manager Terry Collins said, adding Harvey’s speed was slightly up. “At the velocity he’s even at now, that’s going to be fine if he locates it.”
Harvey’s season ended last July due to thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, which resulted in the removal of a rib.
“I think with any surgery you can’t expect to go out there and do too much,” said the 27-year-old Harvey, who is receiving treatment for a stiff neck but is near full health. “I think the strength is there, and I feel great in between starts, not getting sore at all and doing my long toss. It’s just a matter of time before things click and timing clicks. Overall, it was a definitely and definitely much better than the first.”
Tim Tebow started in right field and went 0 for 4 in his second big league spring training game, leaving the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner hitless in seven at-bats. He has reached base once, when hit by a pitch on Wednesday.
Tebow grounded out to first base and struck out in his first and last at-bats. Third baseman Colin Moran made a diving stop of his grounder, then threw to first for the out in the fifth. Shortstop Anibal Sierra snagged Tebow’s seventh-inning chopper while shifted up the middle.
“I thought I saw the ball a lot better and felt quicker to the ball. Two days ago I was excited and trying to take big hacks,” Tebow said.
The outfielder warmed up with slugger Yoenis Cespedes, tossing various balls back and forth down the left-field line. Cespedes alternated a two-pound ball with a softball and baseball while throwing, creating some errant moments for Tebow.
“I just thought we were going to be warming up,” Tebow said. “I didn’t know we were going to be going through all those different drills.”
His early highlight was fielding a shallow fly to right field hit by Jake Marisnick. He battled the wind, cleanly fielded the ball and threw accurately to third.
Tebow said he was warned during morning stretch that it could be a tough day facing the sun.
“All things considered, I thought he did a nice job,” Collins said.
NOTES: RHP Zack Wheeler made his first start for New York since Tommy John surgery two years ago, giving up one run and two hits against the Braves in Kissimmee. “I want to see improvement,” Collins said of Wheeler. … Cespedes and 1B Lucas Duda homered in the Mets’ 7-6 split-squad loss to Houston. New York lost 5-2 to Atlanta.
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