Tom Brennan - DEGROM OR WHEELER: WHICH ONE WOULD YOU PICK?
Imagine for a minute that up-and-coming Hoboken was awarded a major league franchise, and the Mets, wanting to welcome their new neighbors properly, generously allowed them to pick Jake deGrom or Zach Wheeler.
Hoboken Huskies ownership recognizes your extreme baseball aptitude, mostly from devouring Macks Mets articles daily, and decides to hire you as their GM at a very handsome salary.
Twice as much as a Wilpon GM salary. Living LARGE.
You get to make the decision. Which do you pick?
The leading candidate for the 2018 Cy Young award, initials JdG, who despite having won only 8 hairless games in 29 starts, has a 1.71 ERA and 239 Ks, and a 0.95 stellar WHIP?
Or the other guy, Wheeler, who over his last 14 starts is 9-1, 1.82 ERA, and a WHIP also below 1.00 and more than a K per inning?
Jake hits well, Wheeler a shade better. And, somehow, unlike Jake, Wheeler WINS when he pitches.
So, Mr. or Ms. highly compensated GM, and yes, I'm talkin' to you, which of these two righty gun slingers is your choice?
And why?
The beat reporters are waiting outside for their scoop.
I'm waiting, too.
C'mon...what's it gonna be?
Like all expansion teams, you go with the guy that can sell the most tickets the first year...
ReplyDeleteJake
If $$ is not an issue, my clear choice is deGrom.
ReplyDeleteIf $$ is an issue as it seems to always be for the Mets, then a deeper look has to be made into what is best for balancing the team as a whole.
Depends on which team's perspective you are looking at, I suppose. If I am in charge of the expansion team, I want DeGrom because he is the better pitcher, IMO.
ReplyDeleteBut, if I am in charge of the Mets, I give up Wheeler because I would prefer to have Jake on my team.
Jake it is, it appears. But, you have to admit, it is now a TOUGH choice, which is incredibly good fortune.
ReplyDeleteJake due to better long term health track record.
ReplyDeleteActually, after thinking about it more, I want to double down on deGrom as my choice regardless of $$ issues
ReplyDeleteBut for a reason other than has been mentioned so far.
My reason would be that, as the expansion team, I would want to cash in on deGrom's trade value and get 2 or more plus level players for my team.
The real point of the article though is valid. Wheeler has demonstrated a drastic turn in his career.
Hopefully this is his new norm.
Bob, I sure hope Zach's drastic change is a sign of GREAT things to come. But Jake has immense trade value, you are correct.
ReplyDeleteThe Mets tried to trade Jake for a top 10 prospect but no one bit on the hook
ReplyDeleteBut, did they really try??
DeleteDidn't appear very serious.
Tom, is this a retard test?
ReplyDeleteTexas Gus, hopefully in mid-2019, you will say, you know, it's really a toss up. Right now, despite Wheelers amazing 3 month run, he needs for it to continue to be a legit comparison to deGrom.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, the "retard" choice turns out to be the right choice.
Here is the question I have for you: who is #2, Thor or Wheels?
ReplyDeleteEasy answer for me...
ReplyDeleteWheels
Funny that in 2019, if your best performer of the 3 was Thor, with Wheels second and Jake 3rd, it wouldn't be all that surprising. We have 3 GREAT starters, hopefully 1-2-3 in next year's Cy Young voting..
ReplyDelete