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8/27/20

Mets360 - Jacob deGrom and how greatness doesn’t equal fairness



by Brian Joura August 27, 2020

Most of us have an inherent sense of fairness, where we want to see guys rewarded for the work that they do. This can manifest itself in many ways, both positive and negative. For me, it burns me up when someone gets preferential treatment because they were good on another team three years ago. How is that fair? Others get riled up when a player gets busted for steroids and then they have to watch a guy that they know is a cheater. And maybe the biggest thing that offends Mets fans is how Jacob deGrom can be masterful yet not get a win for his efforts.

 Currently, deGrom is on a streak of pitching that rivals anything the Mets and their fans have ever seen, even those who saw Dwight Gooden and Tom Seaver at their absolute best. In his last 70 starts, deGrom has a 193 ERA+, which adjusts for league and ballpark to put players on an equal footing. Seaver’s best in a single season was the 194 he put up in 1971 but he wasn’t close to that mark in either 1970 (143) or 1972 (115).

Gooden had a 229 ERA+ in his remarkable 1985. And if you give him his last 10 starts of 1984 (76 IP, 9 ER) and his first eight starts of 1986 (65 IP, 9 ER), he’s likely better than deGrom. But that’s a total of 53 starts, leaving him 17 starts shy of deGrom and his current streak. Gooden gave the Mets 417.2 IP in that span, compared to the 456 IP that deGrom has in his last 70 games. Gooden never really approached those other-worldly numbers again and deGrom, well deGrom just keeps on churning.

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3 comments:

  1. That Adam SmithAugust 27, 2020 at 3:01 PM

    Despite the lack of support, the bullpen implosions, mostly sub-par defense, the team’s overall mediocracy, and the Wilpons, I’m trying to enjoy, and I am enjoying watching the greatest pitching run (and perhaps greatest pitcher) that I’ve ever seen in nearly half a century of baseball fandom. 100mph heat? 94mph sliders? Three other plus pitches? Near pinpoint control? Mind numbing consistency? What Jacob deGrom is doing is unreal, and I’m pretty confident I’ll never see it’s like again. Especially in a Mets uniform. Let’s hope that under new ownership we can get the guy a ring or two to ease the sting of what will possibly be the most deceptive W/L record ever.

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  2. Brian JouraAugust 27, 2020 at 4:02 PM

    deGrom's been terrific and I chide people on my site for not appreciating him more than they do.

    But he's got a ways to go before he catches up to Pedro Martinez. From 1997-2003, a span of 199 starts and 1,408 IP, Martinez put up a 213 ERA+. Koufax's best single-season mark was 190 and Martinez was significantly better than that over an eight-year span.

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  3. Rds 900.August 27, 2020 at 4:13 PM

    Really don't understand the stats. Anyway you look at it, deGrom is special. One of the best pitchers of any generation.

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