Record Doesn’t Matter For Pitchers Jacob Degrom is Your Proof

Jacob Degrom is the league’s best pitcher if it wasn’t for his record the NL CY Young award would be given to him as we speak. Voters are skeptical to give Degrom the CY Young award because of his 8-9 record at the moment. These judges or voters are probably related to the judges that thought Canelo won on Saturday night. The voters that think the record is a big deal for the pitcher are the same people that think home runs are more important than runs batted in. Your job as q pitcher is to put your team in position to win the ball game, and the reality of the situation is that sometimes the offense just doesn’t get it done. Not getting done for Degrom is putting it lightly. We were going to write the article or piece on the  NL CY Young and the candidates but we don’t think it’s a question who’s the best pitcher in the NL in 2018. Degrom has struck out 250+ batters on his CY Young campaign. He’s one of three Mets pitchers to ever to do that others being “The Franchise” Tom Seaver and SOMEONE CALL THE DOCTOR in Doc Gooden. When Chris Sale and Degrom faced off in Boston last Saturday it was the first time since Doc Gooden vs John Tudor there was pitchers with lower than 2.00 ERA with the minimum of 100 innings pitched going against each other. Degrom was told he was finally facing a real team in the Red Sox, and being against Sale the matchup would really show what Degrom is made of. The Red Sox average the most runs in baseball with five per game, they are atop or near the top in almost all offensive categories for team, they have an MVP in JD Martinez in the lineup, and have 100+ wins, so did Degrom rise to the challenge? Oh yes he did posting seven innings pitched, allowing five hits, allowed three earned runs, with only walking one batter, and twelve strikeouts. He struck out the hardest lineup to strike out twelve times man that’s impressive. DeGrom only gave up three runs against Boston that would be the twenty-seven straight start where he’s held the opponent to three runs or less. That’s a single season game record in the MLB. Degrom’s twenty-two consecutive quality starts  (six or more innings, three or fewer earned runs) is tied for a record for a single season record, joining Bob Gibson (1968) and Chris Carpenter (2005). Not to shabby company. Degrom is keeping the ERA low by keeping people off base while also chewing up innings. Degrom ranks second in the NL in both strikeouts (251) and innings (202), behind Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer in both. Aaron Nola of the Phillies is second in ERA (2.42). Those two are deGrom’s competition. He’s not far behind Scherzer or Nola in the stats he trails in, but for Scherzer or Nola they trail Degrom in ERA by .60+. That’s a big deal in small numbers such as ERA. Your job as pitcher is to keep runners off base not matter how you do it, but most importantly to not allow runs to score that’s how you put your team in the best position to win. Degrom has done that better than anybody. DeGrom has an ERA you need a microscope to see it’s so small. He has an 1.78 ERA on the season, which leads the majors, a number bested just only three times in the last two decades. For the people that don’t understand how ERA works we’ll explain something even maybe more impressive about how few Degrom lets runners come home. See there is this stat called adjusted ERA+ which accounts for park factors and compares to the rest of the league, where 100 is average and anything over 100 is above-average, and anything under 100 is below-average. Sit down get ready for this. Are you ready? Are you sure you are ready? Well here you go, DeGrom’s ERA+ in 2018 is a 208. *Me watching as your mind is blown* In the modern era (1901-present), only 36 pitchers have posted at least a 200 ERA+. 

He has been absolutely amazing this guy. He is leads the majors in ERA, FIP (2.05), in slugging percentage allowed (.288) and tops the NL in OPS against (.540). He also tops all pitchers in Wins Above Replacement. The FanGraphs version (8.0) and ranks second to Nola in the Baseball-Reference version (8.6). Why isn’t Degrom 20-10 instead of 8-10? Well because the Mets offense has been more than disgraceful in his outings. DeGrom has eight different starts this season where he’s at least pitched seven innings only allowing zero or one run and not getting a win. The only players that’s had that done to him besides Degrom is fellow Met Robert Craig in 1963 when the team was brand new. Giving up no runs or one run in seven innings is more than dominance especially in the MLB. During the 2018 MLB teams that have a pitcher deliver that in 2018 are 390-101 (.794). The starters themselves in those games have recorded 346 wins, or in 70% of the games. deGrom has won just three times in his 11 such starts. The opposing starting pitchers against deGrom have a 2.38 ERA in 162⅓ innings. That would rank second in the National League. He’s had thirty starts and only has had three runs scored for him by his offensive less than 20% of the time. The Mets are 12-18 when Degrom starts. Doesn’t that just make you want to puke? Degrom has been the best pitcher in a single season maybe in a decade. If he was on a winning team we would be talking about MVP for Degrom. It’s also very impressive season with support because you know every pitch you throw can’t be a mistake. That takes a toll on a pitcher in a game that’s all mental. Please voters don’t take the CY Young away from Degrom. For pitchers record doesn’t matter.