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| PC - Scott Cunningham |
4 starts so far this season.
2-1.
0.31 ERA?
One earned run in 29 innings, on an improbable Jazz Chisolm HR off a 100 MPH fastball several inches above the strike zone?
And the way he's pitching? Hoo-weeee!
Bob Gibson's 1.12 ERA record from the year of the pitcher in 1968 could truly be in jeopardy.
Could Jake deGrom possibly end up with a sub - 1.00 ERA for the season?
Unlikely, but I can't say he couldn't. Can say he could.
50 Ks and 3 walks in 29 innings this season - utterly insane.
Bret Saberhagen has to be impressed.
A sick 15.5 Ks per 9. Less than 1 walk per 9.
Assuming he clocks in at 33 starts, he is on a pace for OVER 400 strikeouts.
And if it wasn't so early in the season, where he was restricted on innings in his first 3 starts of the season to 20 innings as they eased up his pitch count, he'd have MORE than 50 Ks already.
If he continues to average 50 Ks every 29 innings - who's to say he can't - and he throws (let's say) 235 innings, he fans 404.
And who the heck ADDS velocity yearly, at his age?
EVERY other pitcher in baseball is happy to not LOSE velocity at his age.
The only guy I can remember adding speed was that guy they made The Rookie movie about, Jim Morris, who was a low 90s pitcher who hurt his arm, quit baseball in 1989, taught high school for years, then on a dare from his players, tried out for the majors at age 35 in 1999 and was throwing 98 in the tryout. And made the majors, Great movie, by the way, with Morris played by Dennis Quaid.
I've written some articles here in years past that the best way for Jake to get more W's is to keep the pitch count down and go deeper into games. Minimize the chance that the pen will have planted game-destroying roadside anti-Jake win devices.
He sure did that Friday night with his complete game. Amazing that he did it while fanning 15 and throwing just 109 pitches.
It may not have been intentional, but I was happy he pitched to contact more the last 2 innings, to keep his pitch count down enough to stay in and get the shutout.
He was not far from a perfect game.
I think he could challenge David Cone's 20-3 Mets' season record. If he gets a strong pen and goes deep into games, maybe Doc Gooden's 24-4 season from 1985 is within reach.
Why not?
And he is hitting .545 - 6 for 11, and he is a career .199 hitter (also improving) and just 109 Ks in nearly 400 plate appearances, or pretty much the same K rate as a batter as Pete Alonso.
SIMPLE. HE'S BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE.
Hall of Fame? Getting more likely, start by start.
JAKE THE GREAT.
The irony is that when people talk current "great" pitchers, you hear names like Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer and somebody across town on the Yankees, but rarely does the quiet and highly professional Jacob deGrom get the same level of accolades from people outside the NY Mets universe. As you say when you cite his achievements, he's not only showing better pitching than Doc Gooden, but he's also showing better pitching than Tom Seaver. Not very many people can say that.
ReplyDeleteI saw all these guys you mentioned... and more.
ReplyDeleteMy 5 all-time pitchers in my lifetime?
1. Bob Feller
2. Sandy Koufax
3. Bob Gibson
4. Whitey Ford
5. Tom Seaver
That’s some 5 Mack. Jake is just as good as any except for the lack of Longeveity so far.
ReplyDeletePedro belongs in that top 5, though. I’d take him before anyone there but Koufax - Seaver and Pedro to me would be a toss up.
If Jake pitched for the 1950s Yanks like Ford did, he’d already have 150 career wins and rising fast.
Go check Gibson's and Feller's stats.
ReplyDeleteMack, Feller was something at the time. I wonder if he'd stand out quite as much now. Gibson? After he beaned Agee on the first pitch of spring training in 1968, I lost respect for him. He'd be elite today, no doubt. I think Pedro was better, if for a shorter period. Small park, faced the lethal Yankees, yet utterly dominant.
ReplyDeleteIn 1968, Bob Gibson went 22-9 1.12 in 34 starts...
ReplyDelete28 OF WHICH WERE COMPLETE GAMES