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Pedro Martinez: Matt Harvey Can Be Better Than I Ever Was

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Pedro Martinez believes that Mets ace Matt Harvey can be great.

Really great.

So great, in fact, that he has a chance to be better than the Hall of Famer was in his illustrious career.

Now that's some high praise.

LISTEN: PEDRO MARTINEZ WITH MIKE FRANCESA

The eight-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner spoke glowingly of Harvey while promoting his new book, "Pedro," on Fox 5 in New York.

"I think that he has more talent than I do, and he has better chances to do better than I did," the iconic pitcher told the television station. "Because if he goes back to what I did -- and it says it in the book -- I became a patch of a lot of pitchers that I saw in the big leagues. I took the time to study everybody, pretty much.

"So I'm expecting Harvey to do the same thing: to study the game, to study the atmosphere around him, to study mechanics; to study all of those things to become the best he could be, and the best he could be could be better than I was."

Harvey is off to a brilliant start for the Mets after missing all of 2014 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

He's 5-0, having won all five of his starts to begin the year, and has pitched to a 2.41 ERA. In 33 2/3 innings pitched, the 2013 All-Star has struck out 34 and walked four.

The 26-year-old will look to improve to 6-0 on Friday night when he takes on Cole Hamels and the lowly Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

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