The New York Mets became a Major League Baseball franchise in 1962 and they have had their fair share of good starting pitchers. The Mets minor league system has developed starting pitchers such as Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Dwight Gooden. The Mets also had starting pitchers such as David Cone, Pedro Martinez, and Frank Viola give the people at Shea Stadium plenty of excitement over the years. The Mets bid farewell to Shea Stadium in 2008 in favor of Citi Field and the dominant starting pitching is in the process of returning for the Metropolitans. In 2012, starting pitcher Matt Harvey made his MLB debut with the Mets. Harvey would go 3-5 that season with a 2.73 earned run average. Last season Harvey was 9-5 with a 2.27 earned run average as he finished fourth in the National League’s Cy Young Award balloting and in the process he was the starting pitcher for the NL at the 2013 MLB All-Star Game. Harvey is sitting out this season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery, but he is expected to be ready for 2015. Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler is only 24-years old and he is 11-10 this season with a 3.49 earned run average as he appears ready to turn the corner and become a big time MLB starting pitcher. Then there is Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom.
Jacob deGrom
DeGrom is a 26-year old rookie this season for the Mets. But unlike Harvey and Wheeler, deGrom didn’t come to the Mets with tremendous fan fare. While Harvey was a first round pick of the Mets in 2010 and Wheeler was the centerpiece of the trade that sent outfielder Carlos Beltran to the San Francisco Giants in 2011, deGrom has simply flown under the radar since being drafted by the Mets in 2010. After being looked upon as a spot starter, deGrom emerged this season when the Mets were dealing with injuries in their starting rotation.
On May 15, deGrom made his Major League debut against the New York Yankees. In that game deGrom threw seven innings of one-run baseball and he took the loss as the Mets fell 1-0, but he served notice that he was here to stay. DeGrom didn’t earn his first Major League win until June 21 against the Miami Marlins when he went seven innings and did not surrender a run. This season deGrom is 9-6 with a 2.63 earned run average. But aside from the good ERA, deGrom has become a strikeout machine. In just 140.1 innings pitched this season, deGrom has also struck out 144 batters. DeGron has had four starts during his brief time with the Mets in which he has struck out at least 10 batters, including his last two starts. On September 15, deGrom struck out 13 batters as he received a no-decision against the Marlins. Yesterday against the Atlanta Braves, deGrom fanned 10 batters in what was more than likely his final start of the season.
DeGrom is near his innings limit for the season as the Mets are set to shut him down, but he has made a tremendous impact for an organization that desperately needs it. DeGrom’s season has also put him in the running to become the first Met since Dwight Gooden in 1984 to be named as the NL’s Rookie of the Year.DeGrom has contributed to a Mets pitching staff that has struck out 1,253 batters which is third in the National League. The Mets also have 97 quality starts which is sixth on the Senior Circuit and on every fifth day deGrom has been more than ready to give his club a chance to win.
For an organization such as the Mets that is looking to become a playoff contender in 2015, deGrom gives them more depth in the starting rotation. Along with Harvey and Wheeler, deGrom gives the Mets another front line starter as pitching appears to once again be ready to carry them into contention.
Source: Baseball-reference.com
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