PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Matt Harvey is ready to be a beast for the Mets from start to finish. A hopeful Terry Collins told The Post that if Harvey pitches 200 innings this season, he could win 17 games.
When the manager’s comments were relayed to Harvey, the big right-hander smiled.
“I’d like to add three to that,” he said. “That’s where my head is always going to be at — 20-plus is what I’m going to strive for every year.’’
Yes, Harvey is not afraid of a challenge, and he is shooting for the stars, something the Mets need to do to change their losing mindset.
Don’t worry about putting too many expectations on the back of this young pitcher, who turns 24 next month. He can carry the weight.
“Mediocre is not OK for me,’’ Harvey said. “It’s never been OK, and it will never be OK. That’s how I play, that’s how I was raised.’’
R.A. Dickey won 20 games last season for the Mets. Before that, you have to go all the way back to 1990 to find the team’s previous 20-game winner, Frank Viola. Harvey was 1 year old at the time.
Harvey knows it’s not about the talk, it’s about the walk. He figures to get about 200 innings this season, but he said he would prefer to be in the same neighborhood as Justin Verlander.
“I look at Verlander, 250 innings, but I don’t control that. I didn’t control last year’s inning limits, and I don’t control this year’s,’’ Harvey said. “I’m prepared to go as long as I can, and I pushed my body this offseason so I can approach 200-plus innings.’’
Harvey totaled 169 1/3 innings last season, 59 1/3 in the majors. Verlander, with his long postseason, compiled a whopping 266 2/3 innings. When Verlander was 24, he pitched 200 1/3 innings.
Harvey’s knows his job is to get ready for the season and show he belongs.
“Right now it’s all talk,’’ Harvey said. “None of this matters until I prove I can do that.’’
In his first season with the Mets, Harvey finished 3-5 with an impressive 2.73 ERA. He struck out 70 and walked 26. He knows he has much to prove. That is why he worked so hard this winter at Citi Field five days a week and arrived early to camp to put himself into the best position possible.
Harvey is going to locker next to Zack Wheeler and be alongside veterans Shaun Marcum and No. 1 starter Johan Santana. Santana figures to be the Opening Day starter.
“He’ll probably start,’’ Collins told The Post, “but we have to wait and see how everything goes this spring.’’
Harvey and Wheeler’s relationship is growing.
“We’ll be pushing each other,’’ Harvey said.
During Harvey’s bullpen sessions, he always finishes with a simulated inning against hitters he has faced, a mental exercise to success.
“So, for like a leadoff guy, I would go against [Michael] Bourn,’’ he explained. “I put him in the box or a Jimmy Rollins and pretend I’m pitching against them.’’
Harvey lives in Manhattan and is a huge sports fan. He is devoted to the Rangers and has become friends with goalie Henrik Lundqvist. He went to three Rangers games. The Rangers were 3-0 when he was there.
“The last game I went they put me up on the Jumbotron,’’ Harvey said with a smile. “I’m sitting at the Garden next to John McEnroe and then to get up there. I’m usually the one up top looking at the Jumbotron.’’
This is a rebuilding time for the Mets, but Harvey made it clear that is not how the players are thinking.
“We don’t look at it as two years from now, three years from now, like everybody’s been saying. We’re here to win now, and we’re going to do everything we can with what we have to win,’’ he explained. “Every time I take the ball, it’s ‘go time.’’’
Shoot the moon. Go for 20.