One Absolute Pleasure

I said the same thing about R.A. Dickey after the 2012 season, and I’ll say it now. No matter what happens in the Cy Young voting over the winter, Jacob deGrom had a Cy Young worthy season. He did everything he could. Absolutely everything. If voters want to side with Scherzer’s 300 K’s and his 0.02 lead in FIP, let them. I don’t think he should get it, and I’ve tried to leave my Mets colored glasses at home on this argument but even if you factor in arguments like “playoff pressure” and “his ERA is close enough to where wins is a tiebreaker”, none of those boxes are checked for Max. But either way, it doesn’t detract from the fact that deGrom, wins or not, had an incredible season … historic in its efficiency and in its baffling lack of victories.

Mickey Callaway on Jacob deGrom: "I've never seen anything like it, so I don't really think I can describe it."

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 27, 2018

The Mets 3-0 victory featured eight shutout innings against the Braves by Jacob … all of which came while either tied or up by a run, which has basically been most of his season. He did this against a team that had something to play for with a very good lineup. And he did it with CB Bucknor behind the plate for crissakes. Bucknor could have completely screwed deGrom over somehow just like his lineup has done all season. But after a slow start (slow for Jacob being two hits in the first two innings), deGrom gave up nothing the rest of the way. Nothing. No hits, no walks, and he finished with ten strikeouts (including his 1000th career K.) There’s really nothing more I can say that I haven’t said before, except that Cy Young or no Cy Young, it’s been an absolute pleasure to watch deGrom pitch in 2018, and I was lucky enough to be present for no less than six deGrom starts (which is a huge step up from all the Chris Flexen and Rafael Montero we saw last season), and tonight was the pinnacle of all of that. It was the saving grace of this abysmal season, and that’s saying something.

(Also: While I don’t think deGrom will win the MVP award this season, I’m glad we chanted “MVP” for him. He deserved to hear it.)

It’s in the voters’ hands now.

Couple of other things I want to bring up:

Jeff McNeil had another hit tonight and made two sparkling plays in the field. People call him our “new Daniel Murphy”. But I haven’t seen McNeil made a soul crushing mental error yet. I think he could turn out to be Murphy without the agita.

Dominic Smith let a fastball go right down the middle in the sixth inning. I’m on the Milk Bar cookie line saying out loud to myself: “If you’re going to let that pitch go by then just walk back to the dugout now.” Of course, next pitch he makes solid contact with a curve ball to drive in the first run of the game. I know nothing about baseball.

Finally, kudos to the guy in the Ricky Bones jersey at the game tonight. If you’re reading this … bravo.

Today’s Hate List

1. I’ll hate the Braves tomorrow after they beat up on Jason Vargas.
2. For now I’ll just say:
3. They can beat the Dodgers in the first round if Foltynewicz and Newcomb have good starts.
4. But I guess after almost hitting deGrom three times on Wednesday …
5. I can put Newcomb on the list tonight.