Petey from Metsmerizedonline did an interview with Steven Matz yesterday.  Matz, the Mets first selection in the 2009 Draft, still has not thrown a professional pitch thanks to Tommy John Surgery in the spring of 2010 and then a series of setbacks in 2011.

Petey (Metsmerized): The big question is: how Is your arm now? With spring training just a little over a month away, are you on schedule to be able to pitch normally from the get-go? And with no limitations? Would you say that your velocity has returned?

Steve:  Yes it’s been a long road back. It’s been feeling good, and I’m going to continue to do everything I can to keep it healthy. God willing I’ll be ready to go come spring. My velocity was always something I worried about coming back from this surgery, but when I had a little taste of the mound before the set-back last season, my velocity was there.

Petey:  Considering you haven’t pitched in awhile, what would you say are reasonable goals for you to have for this season?

Steve:  Reasonable goals for me I would say, to come out of spring training and make a team. Then if I can make a team, try to stay healthy for the whole year.

Petey:  The existing scouting reports on your pitches are rather dated. Before your injury it was: fastball 88-92 mph with natural tailing action, curveball that lacked consistency, and a change-up that was a work-in-progress. If you could Steve, update us a little about your arsenal.

Steve:  I am not really 100 percent sure on what my stuff is like now because I had a real small taste of it before my elbow flared up again. I am really looking forward to this year. Hopefully I can be healthy, I am just going to go after pro hitters with my best stuff I got. It’s going to be a big learning year, I am not expecting to go out there and strike everyone out. I am looking to learn from my mistakes and just build off that.

Note that Matz’s goal is to make a team out of Spring Training.  His best shot will be Savannah.  If he can prove he’s healthy, I’d say he certainly has a chance.  The Mets ran a tandem starter set up for much of the first half of the year in Savannah last year to give more pitchers an opportunity to get more innings while simultaneously limiting workloads.  If that sounds like an oxymoron, it’s not.  Anyway, health first on Matz, then maybe Savannah.