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3/27/19

Tony Plate - The Mets Pay DeGrom

PC - Ed Delany

Loyalty among teammates is a good thing. It creates unity in a team. New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard voiced his opinion the other day about the Jacob deGrom extension talks. He suggested that the Mets quit all of the fuss and just pay the pitcher. He said that deGrom is a great teammate and he was surprised that the talks have taken so long. He felt that deGrom deserves whatever amount he is worth. Noah pointed out that aces of other teams have signed extensions this offseason such as Chris Sale of the Boston Red Sox and Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros. So, he felt that deGrom should have received an extension too. The Mets management must have been listening to Noah.

 So, the Mets and deGrom reached an agreement on a five-year, $137.5 million contract extension, according to reports. The deal is set pending a physical. deGrom's new deal has a full no-trade clause and he can opt out of the contract before the 2023 season-when he is due to make $30.5 million. The Mets have a team option in 2024 for 32.5 million. deGrom would have been eligible to become a free agent after the 2020 season if the two sides would not have come to an agreement.

deGrom needless to say was the best pitcher in the National League in 2018. His fantastic statistics enabled him to win the National League Cy Young Award. He received 29 out of the 30 first-place votes. deGrom was dominant. He gave up no more than three runs in his last twenty-nine starts which was a single-season record. He finished the season with a 10-9 record, a 1.70 ERA, 32 games started, 217 innings pitched, 269 strikeouts, allowing 10 home runs and 46 walks. The one vote that did not go to deGrom went to Max Scherzer who finished the season 18-7 with a 2.53 earned run average. Scherzer had won the Cy Young Award the previous two seasons.

deGrom has been a front- line type of pitcher and the ace of the starting rotation. He has had a superb earned run average during the last five years. deGrom needless to say has been consistent and reliable. The Mets had until Thursday to sign deGrom to a long-term deal or talks would have been postponed. It was a positive thing that both sides have been talking basically since the start of camp and sometimes contract talks of this type take time, however I knew that they were going to get this thing done by Thursday. I'm sure that both sides were glad that the contract talks did not carry over into the season, because it can cause a distraction. It proves that the team is committed to winning now.



6 comments:

  1. I was on the phone this morning with David Rubin and we both were saying how content we are with the leadership of our new General Manager. He has the ear of the owner, has built a credible 2019 team, and has structured a new deal with deGrom that stayed within the 2019 budget limits.

    I'm ready.

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  2. A fair extension for both sides, IMO.

    Despite the fact that Jake will be 35/36 by the end of it, he has relatively low miles on his arm due to the position change from SS to SP.

    I am good with the stability it will provide at the top of the rotation.

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  3. I'm sure that his opt out year date, which corresponds with Thor's move year, will be a chance for him to say back "extended him or I walk too"

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  4. A move that had to be made to back BVW who seems to be making all the right moves and has provided a real breath of fresh air and I love his envolvement in all areas of the team a stark contrast from the past. One area that's never mentioned is how guys in these positions keep their wives and families happy because there can't be much time left in a day for them....just curious.

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  5. I am ready for the Batman and Robin show.

    In 2018, the "show" debuted in Binghamton - Alonso (Batman) and McNeil (Robin) tore apart AA together.

    I think they will do the same this year in Queens.

    A much better team that 2018 is about to debut for the Mets in 2019. LGM.

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  6. He's had his TJS already, so there's that. Let's hope he pitches like Jake for the duration.

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