MASERATI.
They are unreal when performing. But push them up to the red line too often and the cars need quite a bit of time consuming work. And bucks. Put it on my Master Card, please. Or may I pay with Dogecoin?
Jake deGrom is a low mileage, highly stressed Maserati who, mostly after his early minors TJS, threw 323 innings in the minors and, so far, 1,210 MLB innings, with his 32nd birthday a month away in mid-June.
Total? 1,533 innings.
Tom Seaver, a Ferrari with the reliability of a Subaru, before he turned 32 had one minor league season in 1966, in which he threw 210 innings, and then major league seasons in which he threw about, 3,075 innings.
Total? 3,285 innings.
Tom Seaver the Workhorse didn't break down.
Jake has, having thrown far fewer career innings.
Is there a long term solution? I think yes.
Jake needs to not run the Maserati at the red line so much.
Drive it more like a Ferrari with Subaru reliability.
Thor loved to red line it, and the last few seasons, he had 1) a lat tear and then 2) TJS.
Red line velocity is great until the piston blows.
More subtlety may result in a few more deGrom runs allowed. So far this year, he has 40 innings, 65 Ks, and a 0.68 ERA. Other-worldly.
He could become more hittable (but still superior) by throwing more softer, varied stuff. But it may keep the pistons known as his right arm and side healthier and out of the IL service shop.
He can still throw 101 - he has my permission - just pick his spots, not throw it 99-101 60% of the time.
Maybe the Mets' hitters can get their heads out of there...well, you know the region of the anatomy to which I refer...almost every time Jake pitches.
That would take the pressure off him, and allow him to not press the pedal to the metal on every pitch.
Bartolo Colon as a Met had far inferior stuff. Yet succeeded.
The Big Sexy threw almost as hard as Jake earlier in his career. But he adapted to his age-related limitations.
I believe the premier pitcher of our era, Clayton Kershaw, is throwing not as hard as earlier on, likely due to his back, but still quite effectively.
I'd rather see Jake similarly adjust and go 17-8, 2.50 over 225 innings than "Maserati it" and end 2021 with an ERA of 1.00 over 90 innings and 7-3.
How about you, you Ford Pick Up Truck Drivers?
Whaddya think?
Should Jake be a Tortoise, or Hare?
4 comments:
I like your plan, Tom. I find it interesting that many people at various sites who blasted Luis for "coddling" Jake by taking him out after "only" 77 pitches in an early April cold-weather start are now blaming the same guy for somehow not protecting him enough.
Bill, to some folks, their illogical positions are quite logical, logically speaking
Jake to the IL. Come back healthy, finesse is OJ
Not OJ....OK
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