With pitchers and catchers starting to report for teams around the country, spring training is just about here. Everyone’s worried about getting back into form and getting ready for the long, amazing season to come.

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Well, everyone but one guy. Noah Syndergaard, AKA Thor. The New York Mets’ long-haired ace pitcher isn’t worried about getting back into form at all. He just cares about being better than he was last year.

Noah Syndergaard reported to camp Sunday and told reporters he — seriously — gained 15-17 pounds of muscle, wants to throw HARDER in 2017. — Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) February 12, 2017





So that’s insane, right? Not just that Syndergaard is becoming just as muscular as Thor, god of thunder, but that he wants to throw harder than he did in 2016.

Now keep in mind that Syndergaard is already an absolute beast on the mound. He throws the highest fastball in the majors (98.2 mph), and threw over 1,000 pitches of 98 mph or more in 2016. He finished the season with a 2.60 ERA and 218 strikeouts in 183.2 innings. But that’s not enough for him. Syndergaard craves more speed, more power, and apparently, he also craves deer meat.

Noah Syndergaard spent the winter eating bowls of venison and wants to throw harder this season. I have nothing to add to that. #mets — David Lennon (@DPLennon) February 12, 2017





This actually makes sense. Since Syndergaard put on 15-17 pounds of solid muscle this offseason (!!!!), he needed a diet that was full of lean, healthy proteins. Venison fits the bill exactly. Per serving, it has less fat, less saturated fat, and fewer calories than beef, but with the same amount of protein. He didn’t just eat a giant bowl of meat, though I don’t think it’s hard for anyone to imagine him doing that. He told the New York Post about one of his favorite offseason dishes.

“My go-to is the Bowl of Doom,” Syndergaard said. “It’s sweet potato and hash with bacon, and you have buffalo in it and venison sausage, avocado and scrambled eggs, and that is plenty. That’s primarily what my diet consisted of this offseason.”

The image of Syndergaard eating something called the “Bowl of Doom” fits in so well with the Thor image many people have of him. Eating a bowl of wild game meat with his long hair, giant arms, and his hammer, Mjölnir, hanging on his wall. That last part is true: Syndergaard actually has the hammer of Thor hanging on his wall, right over his bed.

Watch out, National League batters. Thor is coming for you, and he’s not afraid.

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Liz Roscher is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on twitter! Follow @lizroscher