3 Startling Statistics from New York Mets' Season Thus Far

As we near the halfway point of the 2013 MLB season, it's time to reflect on some startling statistics from the New York Mets' rough season so far.

It's been quite an interesting campaign. New York is still well below .500, but Terry Collins' club has been playing more inspiring baseball of late. The recent additions of Zack Wheeler and Eric Young Jr. may have something to do with that.

As New York begins to gear up for the 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field, let's take a look at three startling statistics from the Mets' 2013 season to date.

Matt Harvey Has Just Seven Victories This Season

Simply amazing.

No, we are not discussing the 1969 Mets here. What is simply amazing is that Matt Harvey has only seven wins this season. That's incredible, because he is probably the best pitcher in the National League right now.

The 24-year-old right-hander has taken MLB by storm this season. His stats are mind-boggling so far, and he leads the senior circuit in ERA (2.00), strikeouts (132), WHIP (0.85) and batting average against (.184). Is it any wonder that he is the leading candidate to start for the National League in the 2013 All-Star Game?

Not at all. He should start. 

The University of North Carolina product has had nine no-decisions and could easily be 14-1 this year. He looks like the second coming of Tom Seaver.

Marlon Byrd's Offensive Line

Heading into Sunday's action, two National League outfielders had the following stats:

Player A: 15 HR, 37 RBI, .249 batting average

Player B: 12 HR, 40 RBI, .259 batting average

Those statistical lines are pretty close. Player A is Justin Upton of the Braves. Player B is Marlon Byrd.

Surprised?

Mets fans are very pleasantly surprised. Signed to a minor league contract as a journeyman 35-year-old outfielder this spring, Byrd has been New York's biggest offensive surprise of the season. Sure, he strikes out too much, with 69 K's entering Sunday's action, but all major league hitters whiff too often.

A former All-Star with the Cubs in 2010, Byrd has given the Mets some desperately needed power (he's tied for the team lead in home runs) from the right side and has also added five assists from right field defensively.

Byrd also leads the Mets with 15 RBI in June.

“I’m just working hard, getting the mechanics right, sticking to my approach, trying to get a good pitch to hit,” Byrd told Peter Botte and Stephen Lorenzo of the New York Daily News.

That hard work has really paid off.

No Offensive Fireworks at Home

No one ever said that the Mets would remind anyone of the 1927 Yankees.

Not even close.

However, New York holds the dubious distinction of scoring five runs or less in 28 consecutive games at Citi Field heading into Sunday's action—a single-season franchise record.

How long has it been since the Mets "exploded" for at least six runs in a home contest? You have to go all the way back to back to April 24, when Jordany Valdespin belted a walk-off grand slam home run to lead New York to a 7-3 triumph over the Dodgers.

That's brutal.

No wonder the hapless Mets are 12 games under .500.