Jacob deGrom

New York Mets: The Randomness of a 60-game Season

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New York Mets, Jacob deGrom

The New York Mets have started reporting to Citi Field in hopes of Spring Training resuming on July 1. If the players sign off on a 60-game season, with a 10-team playoff, the season will be full of chaos.

The Mets played two different seasons during 2019. Their worst 60-game stretch has them as the fifth-worst team in the NL, and their best stretch has them as the fifth-best team in the NL. The Mets’ best stretch came with their backs against the wall, and every team will have their back to the wall in 2020.

With such a short season, any team can emerge from the pack to surprise the league, and a predicted contender could easily go through a bad stretch they cannot survive.

Win Early and Often

The Mets would benefit from playing with a sense of urgency from game one. Ideally, the Mets would love to have control of their destiny for the entire season. The reason they never made it to the top of the Wild Card picture is that they depended on other teams to lose so they could move up in the standings.

A key emphasis for the Mets is to pitch Jacob deGrom every time he can get at least four days of rest. If all five starters make their start, he will only make 12 of them. Allowing deGrom to pitch after three games of rest and an off day, allows the Mets to squeeze out an extra 2-3 starts. They would push everyone in the rotation back a day, but the Mets need their best pitcher on the mound as often as possible.

The Mets bullpen is set up well for a short season. There are plenty of live arms and pitchers who can pitch multiple innings. In this modified season, relievers will be called upon early, as they would during the postseason. Their closing situation still remains a question because the Mets do not have games to waste if Edwin Diaz cannot figure himself out.

Each team has plenty of questions to answer and holes to fill during a short Spring Training. The Mets’ roster depth sets them up well to find answers to their questions quickly.

New York Yankees analysis: Who is the best NY pitcher, Gerrit Cole or Jacob deGrom?

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The New York Yankees have had a bountiful number of outstanding pitchers in their glorious past stretching back more than a hundred years. Pitchers like Whitey Ford, Red Ruffing, Lefty Gomez, Ron Guidry, Mariano Rivera, and a multitude of others.  This offseason the New York Yankees wanted to add to that list with their next great pitcher, Gerrit Cole.

Cole landed the most lucrative contract for a major league starting pitcher.  The Yankees will shell out $324 million over the next nine years for his pitching prowess.  The Yankees wanted him so badly they sent Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman, Manager Aaron Boone, pitching coach Matt Blake and an ace, in the hole, Cole’s childhood idol, New York Yankee Andy Pettitte to California to snag him.  They showered him with gifts, including a personal touch with bottles of he and his wife Amy’s favorite wine.  But did they get the best starting pitcher in the New York market?

Some might say the best is the Mets Jacob deGrom.  For those that believe that they have a good argument and they might correct.  For those that believe Gerrit Cole is the best starter, including this writer, we have an equally good case, for both of these arms are among the best to pitch in modern baseball.

Probably the main reason there could be a good argument, either way, is because of the hitting lineup that backs him up.  The Yankees most certainly have a more potent lineup than the New York Mets. And for Gerrit Cole, his Astros lineup was near equal to the quality of the Yankees. We will leave the Astros cheating debate out of this debate.  The stronger, the lineup the better the pitcher’s stats will be.  So this is a debatable area of discussion.  But looking solely at the stats Gerrit Cole is far superior to deGrom.

So let’s look at the stats.  Cole was 35-10 and deGrom was 21-17 in the past two seasons.  Cole with a 2.69 ERA and deGrom at 2.065. So with deGrom’s better ERA was Coles wider margin of wins because he had the bats behind him?  That’s questionable.

Where the New York Yankees Gerrit Cole gains the advantage in being proclaimed the best New York starter is in the postseason where he has outperformed deGrom.  deGrom in 2015 pitched in three postseason games for an ERA of 2.88. Gerrit Cole in seven games pitched to an ERA of 2.60.  Cole in his ALDS appearances shines with an ERA of .079.

My main reason for believing Cole is the better pitcher going forward is that Cole has just gotten better and better with each year he pitched. In the past three years, he has gone from a winning percentage of .500, 750, and .800.  deGrom in the past three years has trailed off, indicating his best years may be behind him.  I am not discounting his two Cy Young Awards, but after all, they are against National League hitting.  deGrom’s winning percentage has dropped in the past three years, from .600 to .579.

In a New Post survey conducted back in March, they queried 32 MLB executives asking them if salaries were equal, which would you prefer, Gerrit Cole or Jacob deGrom.  Most all the executives said you’d be just fine with either.  However, when pinned down, they gave the edge to Gerrit Cole 19-13.

Those same executives cited many of the same reasons as to why I go with Cole as well.  His age, his stuff, his American League experience, his stats, and his postseason success.  However, deGrom is not without his admirers.  They cite his experience under the bright lights of New York, of which Cole has had none.  His athleticism, his ability to repeat pitches, and four from this group cited the college shortstop deGrom’s natural skills.

deGrom has had more rest than Cole not playing in the postseason last year, but that could be outweighed by Cole not having to hit and run the bases.  No matter who you pick as the best New York starting pitcher, it is beyond extremely close as to who is best.  If this baseball season starts, the entire baseball world will be watching these pitching greats.

Below is a short video highlighting the best pitchers in spring training, including the New York Yankees Gerrit Cole and the New York Mets Jacob DeGrom.

New York Mets: Is Jacob deGrom the greatest draft pick in team’s history?

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New York Mets, Jacob deGrom

MLB.com, the league’s official page, recently reviewed the best homegrown players in the National League East division. The list is filled with stars: an up-and-coming Brian Anderson for the Miami Marlins, the great Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves, and aces Stephen Strasburg (Washington Nationals) and Aaron Nola (Philadelphia Phillies.) The New York Mets‘ representative is none other than Jacob deGrom.

And there should be no question about it. The Mets have some great homegrown talent – Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Noah Syndergaard, Amed Rosario, Dominic Smith, Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo and Steven Matz fit the bill – but the deGrom is a class above the rest.

However, we started wondering, is deGrom the greatest draft pick in the history of the New York Mets? That is a heavy statement, since the team exists since the sixties. Lots of drafts have come and gone.

The Mets have had some great selections

Stars such as David Wright, Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden, to name just three, were picked in the first round by the New York Mets. There is stiff competition. But I would give the nod to deGrom since he was drafted in the ninth round, as a shortstop!

MLB.com’s beat writer for the Mets Anthony DiComo explains it better: “That makes deGrom, on a pound-for-pound basis, perhaps the greatest pick in franchise history.” And I would strongly agree.

Tom Seaver, arguably the greatest pitcher ever to put a Mets uniform, was actually a pick made by the Atlanta Braves.

The story of deGrom and the Mets is legendary. DiComo wrote that “the Mets plucked a skinny shortstop named Jacob deGrom out of the ninth round in 2010. Encouraged by the velocity and athleticism deGrom showed from the mound late in his college career at Stetson University, the Mets took a chance on him as a pitcher despite his limited experience at the position.”

“All he’s done since is win two NL Cy Young Awards and an NL Rookie of the Year Award, represent them at three All-Star Games, lead them during the ‘15 postseason and sign a long-term contract that could make him a Met for life,” he said.

It’s hard to argue against a 2.62 lifetime ERA in 1,101.2 frames. Jacob deGrom might as well be the greatest draft pick in New York Mets’ history.

New York Mets: Steven Matz dismisses notion that short season will affect deGrom’s three-peat chances

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New York Mets, Jacob deGrom

Steven Matz is a key cog in the New York Mets‘ rotation, a unit that will have to endure the loss of Noah Syndergaard for the next year, at least. Thor was supposed to slot right behind ace Jacob deGrom and in front of Marcus Stroman. Now, Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello will complete the group.

Matz, who is a homegrown Mets’ player like deGrom, believes that a shortened season (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) will not change anything regarding the ace’s chances of winning a third straight Cy Young award in the National League.

While deGrom is notorious for being locked in at all times when he pitches, fewer games would mean that the margin of error dimished. But Matz strongly disagrees with that notion: “No, not really. Everyone will be in the same boat,” Matz said, via the Mets, about deGrom winning another piece of hardware. “He’s still going to go out and dominate. Everyone is playing by the same set of guidelines. It doesn’t matter if the season is short or long, he’s just going to be himself and that will be pretty good.”

How do the Mets can replace Thor’s production?

Jacob deGrom may not feel added pressure because of the amount of games that will be played in 2020 or the possibility of earning another Cy. What he might feel, though, is extra responsibility of carrying the New York Mets’ rotation after Thor’s injury.

But Matz says that any of the current rotation members should think about having to replace Syndergaard, and instead they need to focus on showing their best version on the mound.

“Everyone has to continue to be who they are,” Matz said. “Nobody needs to step up, everyone just has do what they are capable of. Sure, losing Syndergaard is tough, because he’s a great pitcher, but we have guys who have done this before. Everyone on the staff has the feeling that when they go out to the mound they want to dominate.”

The Mets’ southpaw is getting ready for the hypothetical start of the season from his Nashville home.

New York Mets: The Variables of the Pending Season

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After MLB owners approved the plan to continue the baseball season, the war between the league and the players union is ready for its first battle. Out of all teams, the New York Mets find themselves in a unique situation compared to the rest of the league.

Outside of health concerns, the battle of salary negotiation is going to be the biggest fight in the process. Union chief Tony Clark and legendary agent Scott Boras both agree that being paid a pro-rata salary would be the agreement whenever games resume. The sacrifice stands at 30-40% of wages, which the owners claimed as feasible, according to the owners.

According to Boras, his clients are not willing to budge from the agreement. If salaries receive a blindsided cut, it will extend the baseball drought longer. Should the union have a legitimate legal case, the damage could wipe out the rest of the season. But Clark is just as poor as MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. This situation serves as a prologue to how next year’s discussions on a new collective bargain agreement will play out.

The Mets Effect

The only Boras represented Met is Michael Conforto, and luckily 30-40% of his $8 million salary is $2.4 million through $3.2 million. That number is no worry for the organization, especially with the rest of their high priced talent.

The conflict comes from Wilpon ownership and General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen. First, the Wilpon’s have continuously lost money from the Mets franchise over the last few years. The revenue from SNY, which the Wilpons also own, covers the losses from the organization.

Due to the revenue from SNY, the Wilpons call it untouchable in any team sale discussions. Since revenue should grow from SNY, since fans will not attend games, they might squeak by and suffer minimal damage to their finances due to the lack of fan revenue. But you can never be sure with the Wilpons.

Agent to GM

Van Wagenen plays a role more connected to the players. Not too long ago, he was the co-head for CAA Sports Baseball Division, which happens to represent the most players (6) on the current 40-man roster. Should the Mets look to cut more money from the players, Van Wagenen would have to side with ownership since they write his paychecks.

Four of those players make less than three million, including Brandon Nimmo and Robert Gsellman. Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom are the two high priced/talented members of CAA. Van Wagenen also negotiated the current contracts Yoenis Cespedes, and Robinson Cano collect. Cespedes already lost money in the offseason due to an injury on his ranch.

Van Wagenen does not make any final decisions, but he knows both sides of the fence. His voice will be heavily relied upon to fix and issues between players and ownership without it creating a media storm. Not to mention, he has to figure out the best pieces for a potential 82-game season at the same time.

Van Wagenen is a master agent and earned the GM job because he knows how to handle strenuous situations. He will be able to take any negative that comes out of the meetings and make it a positive. Few GMs in baseball have that ability.

New York Mets’ former captain David Wright tells amazing stories involving deGrom and McNeil

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New York Mets, Jacob deGrom

The New York Mets‘ Cookie Club, hosted by Dominic Smith and J.D. Davis, had a special guest on Wednesday’s episode. David Wright, the former captain and club legend, participated in the show and told amazing stories about current stars Jeff McNeil and Jacob deGrom.

If you are a fan of the New York Mets, you probably know by now that deGrom, the team’s ace and one of the faces of the franchise, is one competitive dude. However, according to Wright’s story, he has inner fire.

“Jake is a different type of intense. The fire that burns within him is amazing,” Wright said, per SNY. “And it’s not like outwardly where — you’re not gonna see him break a lot of stuff. Although, I do have a great memento from Jake.”

Wright continued: “He got beat up a couple of starts. … And he came in after like the second or third poor start — which is shocking, that he’d have that many poor starts — and he ripped his jersey off, and buttons are flying everywhere. And he just threw it in the middle of the ground. I’m being serious, but from afar I’m trying not to laugh. So then he tries to pull off his Nike shirt, and he’s like trying to ‘Hulk Hogan’ it, and he’s going and he’s going and he’s going, and it won’t rip! So finally he just sits in his chair and he looks at me and goes ‘I give up.'”

The Mets’ ace wants to “beat and embarrass you”

The former Mets’ captain claims he still has the jersey, and wants deGrom to put his signature on it.

“The fire that Jake has is from within, like he takes it personal,” Wright said. “When he’s on the mound, it’s like a mano a mano thing. Not only does he want to beat you, but he wants to embarrass you. That’s a different level.”

Now, to McNeil: the New York Mets great remembers that the Squirrel’s mouth got him in trouble while he was in the minors.

“I was with McNeil in St. Lucie,” Wright said. “They asked him to come into the front office of St. Lucie. … and they’re like, ‘dude, you gotta cut out the obscenities that you’re yelling out after striking out. There’s like 12 people in the stands, and they can hear everything that you say. Let’s pump the brakes a little bit, guy.'”

New York Mets News/Rumors: Ex-Yankee A-Rod closer to buying the Mets and deGrom basketball

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New York Yankees, Alex Rodriguez

Yankee Alex Rodriguez to buy the Mets?

The New York Mets may be getting closer to getting a buyer.  Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez, who have a net worth around $700 million, have made a move that shows their interest in purchasing the Met is serious.  They have hired JP Morgan Chase to find investment partners.  Alex loves New York and grew up a Mets fan, Lopez is from the Bronx.

A Hedge fund group was to buy the team, but the deal fell through in February.  Hedge fund titan Steve Cohen was to purchase the club in a deal that valued the club at $2.6 billion. Cohen would get 80% ownership, but the Wilpon family would maintain control of the club for five years, with the Wilpons continuing to hold the positions of CEO and COO.  Cohen already owns an 8% stake in the franchise.

Alex Rodriguez certainly has experience in the baseball world to manage the front office of the Mets.  Alex started in baseball with the Seattle Mariners going on to the Texas Rangers and eventually being acquired by the New York Yankees.  He was a Yankee until retiring from the game in 2016.  With 22 years in baseball, the deal would be similar to in nature to former Yankee Derek Jeters investment in the Florida Marlins.

Jennifer Lopez is the fiancee of Rodriguez, and the superstar duo has kicked the tires and shown an interest in buying the club ever since Jeter invested in the Marlins.  The couple is working with managing director Eric Menell, JP Morgan’s co-head of North American media investment banking.  The 44-year-old Rodriguez and company would have to assume a present $50 million annual loss the Mets are presently experiencing.  According to the New York Post who tried to reach both Menell and representatives of Rodriguez, neither responded for requests for comment.

Jacob deGrom the basketball player

New York Mets superstar pitcher Jacob deGrom may very well have been a start basketball player than the ace of the Mets.  In high school in Florida, he was known as a basketball player but also played on the school’s baseball team.

It’s not unusual for athletic high school boys to participate in multiple sports while determining if they have a future in any one of them.  His time playing basketball continued when he entered Stetson University in central Florida.  He started in baseball as a shortstop in his but in his junior year at Stetson, he switched to pitching.

Recently Nick Pugliese who was a teammate of deGrom’s at Stetson were playing around throwing some hoops.  Pugliese who is a few years older than deGrom had never seen Jacob in basketball game action.  As they were fooling around, deGrom admitted, “Well, I played a little bit of basketball,” deGrom said in his soft, quiet tone.  When Pugliese saw some of the shots he was making, he felt like he was being hustled. Pugliese played for the Angels until he was released.  He now pitches for the Fortitudo Baseball Bologna in the Italian Baseball League.

New York Mets: Jacob deGrom on missing baseball and lost time

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Public health and the wellbeing of millions of Americans is more important than anything in the world, and that’s for sure. However, we can’t hide that we miss baseball, and we would like to see the New York Mets take the field this year. That is not a given, in fact, because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that has killed thousands of people around the world.

Everything has happened so fast that it feels like the blink of an eye. Suddenly, the Mets were playing spring training games, then play was halted, and after that, there is a growing feeling that watching baseball again this year is a longshot.

For the New York Mets’ ace Jacob deGrom, the situation is no different. He, like the rest of us, badly wants baseball to return.

“The weirdest day for me was when it was supposed to be Opening Day,” deGrom said on Monday in a phone interview to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. “I hadn’t been home all that long and I was like, ‘Wow, I’m supposed to be pitching today.’ I just miss the competition. I miss being around the guys.

“I was kind of like, ‘Ah man, I really wish we were playing.’ But at the same time, it’s hard to even think that way because people are losing their lives over this. The whole situation, nobody wants to be in this. We’re not able to play the game, but there are more important things.”

The Mets’ ace is losing a season of his prime

For deGrom, it hurts to realize that this break is robbing him from a season of his prime, which is important at the time of personal accolades like Hall of Fame eligibility and other recognitions. So far, he has had a Hall of Fame-worthy career, with a 2.62 ERA with 1,255 strikeouts in 1,101 2/3 innings.

“You’re only good for so long,” deGrom said. “And I felt really good this spring, so that definitely crossed my mind. I guess now, I’ve just got try to stay good for a few more years.”

The Mets’ ace is working to remain in shape while at his home in DeLand. He is riding a back in a 12-mile round-trip trail near his house, and while he stopped throwing bullpens, he plans on resuming this week.

“I feel like I could ramp it up pretty quick right now,” deGrom said.

“We miss the game as much as the biggest fans,” deGrom said. “That’s why we play this. We want to be out there competing in front of the fans. That’s what we do this for. I just hope that everybody stays safe, and hopefully things get back to normal and we’re back out there doing what we love, and competing in front of the best fans in baseball.”

New York Mets’ spring training standouts: Jacob deGrom

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New York Mets, Jacob deGrom

Picture the scene: New York Mets‘ training camp. Jacob deGrom, who threw curveballs only 2.9 percent of the time in 2019, hung one to J.D. Davis in a simulated game back in the start of the month. The slugger hit it out of the park and just like that, the two-time Cy Young award winner says: “THAT’s why I don’t throw it.”

DeGrom has accumulated 16.0 fWAR in the last two seasons. He was clearly the league’s best hurler of 2018 and 2019, and he is still at his peak, at 31 years old. Yet he still has the drive to improve, to get better and add more weapons to his repertoire.

The Mets’ hurler started a couple of games in the abbreviated 2020 spring training, with very good results. Of course, for a pitcher of his stature and caliber, spring training stats matter less and getting in physical and baseball shape should be, and are, the priorities.

The Mets’ ace had a good spring

His stats were good, nevertheless: in his two starts, deGrom pitched seven frames and only allowed a single run, which was earned. He only allowed two baserunners, both via base hits. No walks appear on his stat line, and he punched out five rivals. He was pumping 97-98 mph in the radar gun.

Speaking about his curveball experiments, the Mets’ ace said to the New York Post that he has been “putting some work in-between [starts] on it and it’s been good in the pen. In the game, it seems to pop up. It’s something I’ve been working on to have another weapon.”

Just imagine deGrom, who already throws an elite four-seam fastball, slider and changeup, with yet another trick in his sleeve. It would be unfair to opposing hitters.

For now, it is unclear whether deGrom will incorporate the curveball more. Heck, it is unclear if we are going to see an official baseball game in 2020, with the current coronavirus crisis. But one thing is true: in Jacob deGrom, the New York Mets have arguably the major league’s best pitcher, healthy and hungry for a championship.

New York Mets: The Effect the Delay Has on the Mets Starting Pitching

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New York Mets, Jacob deGrom

Before Coronavirus forced the MLB to put a halt on their season, the New York Mets were flexing their biggest muscle throughout Spring Training. Their starting pitching, headlined by back-to-back Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom, was close to unhittable.

All six starters the Mets could have featured all looked regular-season ready. After the Mets closed their facilities on Tuesday as a COVID-19 measure, it left the players to work out on their own. The season likely will not start until May, which forces the pitchers into unchartered territory. They face a second offseason but still have to keep themselves in shape if the season starts up again.

Starting Pitcher Battles

The biggest battle was between Steven Matz and Michael Wacha. Both hoped to emerge as the fifth starter while the other would be a reliever. Matz had the upper hand when Spring Training ended, but now he has to build up momentum again when the season resumes. It will be interesting to see the different ways the Mets players adjust to a sudden layoff with restrictions on where they can be.

One positive to take away is the extra time Dellin Betances, Michael Conforto, Yoenis Cespedes, and we guess Jed Lowrie have to rehab. All four of their injuries are severe ones to heal. They also were likely to all miss opening day. The extra eight weeks, at least, should give them all ample time to get themselves ready to go when baseball makes its triumphant comeback.