Mets David Peterson talks ace goal, overcoming fathers death when world caved in on me

Mets southpaw David Peterson throws some curveballs in a Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.Q: Do you believe you can be an ace?A: I do.That is the goal for me.

That’s kind of the long-term goal when I started.You get in, you want to establish yourself, you want to be in the rotation, and then you continue to make those changes.

I don’t want to be whatever starter you put a number on.You become the fifth starter when you start and then you move up, and ultimately yeah, you want to be the guy that sets the pace, you want to be the guy that sets the example as to how we’re going to be as a starting rotation.

Yeah, that’s definitely a goal for me … to be an ace.Q: From a year ago to now, how has David Peterson evolved?A: I think the biggest thing was the hip surgery.Being able to have my hips working properly and not be restricted and obviously be pain-free has been a huge difference.

I think that’s had a connection to everything else.I think once that kind of got cleaned up and I was able to get used to a new range of motion in my hips and being able to fire ’em better and be more efficient with my lower half, I think has only helped me be more efficient through my core, be more efficient through my arms.

There’s nothing really arsenal-wise that’s changed, just continuing to try and refine and polish my arsenal, but I think it all starts there with the physical stuff of being pain-free and just being able to move more efficiently and use the strength and the power that I have more to my advantage.Q: Describe your mound mentality.A: My goal is to go out there every fifth day every time I get the ball and then give my team the chance to win.Some of the things I focus on are getting ahead of hitters, being aggressive and attacking guys.

When I can get ahead early in the count, I think the numbers prove that when pitchers get ahead, they have a lot more success.And so I think for me just watching the game but also talking to some guys along t...