It’s far too early in Spring Training to get excited about one start, but there is nothing wrong with being optimistic.

On Sunday, Dillon Gee pitched three strong innings for the Mets in a 6-4 loss to Miami.

Gee looked a little amped up to begin the game, throwing several pitches high in the strike zone, but things calmed down for the righty and he worked through the three innings allowing three hits and a walk while striking out one.

Gee worked with potential starting catcher John Buck and the twosome looked comfortable after things calmed down.

It was the 26 year old’s first start since July 7. After pitching a wonderful game against the Cubs, he felt numbness in his right hand. It was discovered that he had a blood clot in his shoulder that required emergency surgery.

Mets360 projected in early February that Gee would see improvements in several categories this season which included innings pitched, earned run average, strikeouts and quality starts, despite coming back from surgery and Sunday’s performance was a good start.

Of course, with Gee’s innings pitched total rising, his strikeouts and quality starts should also rise, but the fact that the projection shows more innings and a better ERA means Mets360 sees improvement and that is a good sign for Gee in 2013.

The right-hander from Cleburne, Texas is projected to make the team’s starting rotation and pitch near the backend, but his versatile pitch selection and added seasoning could see him with a more valuable role if Johan Santana spends more time on the DL then anticipated or if Jonathon Niese or Matt Harvey struggle.

Could this be Gee’s best season? Why couldn’t it be?

He has more experience pitching against MLB hitters. He will be given the opportunity to succeed in the Mets’ rotation and he’ll be pitching to Buck, who has a reputation as a strong game caller. Plus, his injury is completely healed and not even in the pitcher’s mind.

“I try to just put that behind me,” Gee said of the blood clot in an MLB.com article by Anthony DiComo.

“I can’t go out there and pitch timid. I felt great all off-season, so in my mind there’s nothing to be worried about right now — just getting better, that’s it.”

It sounds like Gee is ready to jump right back into things and show the team why he is a valuable asset in the rotation. He sounds confident in the fact that he is fully healed and that should result in Mets fans getting a full-season taste of Gee in 2013.

Wherever Gee falls in the rotation, he should be a reliable pitcher for manager Terry Collins and could become more valuable then some may expect.

His start last weekend showed that his injury is something of the past, his numbers are projected to improve in several categories and he’s moving towards his prime as a pitcher as far as age is concerned.

This will be Gee’s best season in MLB and the Mets are going to be thankful to have him when the results show up in the box score and on the ball field.

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