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Mets Pitchers And Catchers: Optimism Returns Along With Harvey

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBSNewYork) -- It's all about that ace.

There's a different vibe with pitchers and catchers set to report Thursday to the New York Mets' spring training complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Matt Harvey is back. So is the optimism.

The 25-year-old Harvey, coming off a yearlong rehab from Tommy John surgery, is undoubtedly the star of a loaded rotation that includes Rookie of the Year winner Jacob deGrom and third-year pro Zack Wheeler. That gives him some time to get comfortable back at the top of the rotation. And if he starts to dominate again, watch out. Some are already picking New York as their dark horse in the NL East.

Fans Excited For Pitchers & Catchers

Harvey arrived at camp 10 days early and said he was "pretty surprised with the outcome and how good things feel."

"I'm pretty on-point with my accuracy right now, which is surprising," Harvey said last week.

Harvey's torrid All-Star season in 2013 (9-5, 2.27 ERA, 191 strikeouts) ended with a partially torn UCL. After a long layoff, the Mets hope to keep him fresh for a potential playoff run by limiting his innings. He could start the season on the disabled list or get extra rest days throughout the course of the year.

"Whatever they decide, obviously that's what we're going to go with, and we'll see what happens throughout spring training," said Harvey, who had some very public disagreements with the team regarding his rehab last year. "My goal is to be ready for opening day."

Here's what to watch with pitchers and catchers officially reporting for duty:

FIVE SPOTS, SIX STARTERS

The Mets weren't able to move veteran Bartolo Colon at last year's trading deadline. They shopped Dillon Gee during the offseason, but apparently found no takers. Harvey, deGrom and Wheeler are all locks to make the rotation and Jon Niese's spot is secure as the only lefty in the bunch.

Barring a trade, Gee is looking like the odd man out heading to the bullpen.

"That's not what I want to do, but I'm going to do the best I can in whatever role I'm given," he said this week.

Gee, whose strong start was derailed by a back injury, went 7-8 with a 4.00 ERA in 2014.

YA GOTTA BELIEVE

DeGrom was the National League's top rookie last season. He's hoping to follow that up with a trip to the postseason.

"I think we should be able to make it to the playoffs next year, and hopefully get to the World Series," DeGrom said after winning the Rookie of the Year award in November, adding "Hopefully, if everyone stays healthy, we should have a real chance at winning something."

He's not alone. Reliever Jenrry Mejia thinks the Mets can make the jump from 79-83 last season to in the mix for meaningful games in September -- or October.

"We gotta believe," Mejia said, according to the New York Post. "If we don't believe in our own team, who is going to believe? We have to think about the playoffs and we'll be there and everything."

WHO'S GOT THE NINTH?

Bobby Parnell is also back from Tommy John surgery -- but will he reclaim his job as the Mets' closer? The right-hander hopes so, even though he expects to start the season on the disabled list.

"If I'm there at the beginning of the year and I'm hurting the team the first two weeks because I'm not ready and I'm not able to throw back-to-back days, what's the point of that?" Parnell, 30, said on Wednesday. "We got guys that can throw at the end of the game all day long back there in the bullpen."

One of those guys is Mejia, who converted 28 saves in 2014 after taking over for the injured Parnell. He's expected to push Parnell for the job should manager Terry Collins decide to make it a competition.

"Whatever job they giving to me I gotta be there to help my team," Mejia said at the team's annual Christmas party in December. "I can throw seventh inning, eighth inning, ninth inning whatever, I got to be ready to play the game that's all."

Jeurys Familia and Vic Black could also be options for the ninth inning.

"We got a great bullpen. I don't want to be a hindrance," Parnell said. "I want to be the guy at the end that's helping the team, not hurting the team."

THE YOUNG GUNS

Rafael Montero showed flashes with the big club (1-3, 4.06 ERA) in 2014, but ultimately spent the majority of his season in the minors, where he went 6-4 with a 3.45 ERA in 18 starts. He could work his way into the bullpen conversation with a strong spring.

Prospects Steven Matz (10-9, 2.25 ERA), Noah Syndergaard (9-7, 4.60 ERA) and left-hander Jack Leathersich (3-3, 3.31 ERA) are long shots to make their MLB debuts out of camp. But they're worth keeping an eye on as future arms in Queens -- or trade bait come July.

The team will also get a look at catching prospect Kevin Plawecki, who got an invitation to major league spring training after hitting .309 with 11 home runs and 64 RBIs between Double- and Triple-A.

CATCHING FIRE

Catcher Travis d'Arnaud made the best of a mid-season demotion, finishing 2014 with a .242 average, 13 home runs and 41 RBIs. Ten of those dingers came after he was brought back from tearing up Triple-A on June 24.

He'll be looking to build on that solid second half. If not, Plawecki could get a chance to fulfill the promise many saw in d'Arnaud when he was acquired -- along with Syndergaard -- from Toronto for Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey.

"I feel like I've learned that I've got to work on defense, consistency," d'Arnaud recently told the New York Post. "As far as offense goes, just keep things simple.''

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