By Calvin Ralph
The hype of Spring Training is all around us. Will Ferrell played 10 positions for 10 teams, A-Rod is back, and there are new faces in new places.
But after all that we now see that young pitching staff of the New York Mets is taking to shape. We had Zack Wheeler go down and now out for the year (Tommy John). The Mets superstar pitcher, Matt Harvey aka The Dark Knight of Gotham, returned from Tommy John Surgery and his new sidekick is DeMan, DeMyth, DeRookieoftheYear, Jacob DeGrom.
DeGrom’s flow is undeniably the best in the league, but we don’t talk about just his flow, we love those numbers he posts every time he goes out there. He struck an astounding 144 batters in 22 starts last season and his work in the preseason games is showing he’s still hungry for more.
Just the other day, DeGrom faced the minimum against the Miami Marlins in 5 innings of work. His Grapefruit League ERA is 2.45 in just 11 innings.
Harvey’s numbers this spring are equally as amazing. In 8.2 innings this spring Harvey has struck out 8 batters and has an ERA of 2.08. He just said this week that he is all ready to “put the whole entire staff on my shoulders.”
I don’t know about you, but I’m excited as any other baseball fan to see these guys pitch. DeGrom has been under the radar due to Harvey’s return and I think he enjoys that. Harvey talks a lot (just look at how he trolls Yankee fans on Twitter) and then lets his game do the talking.
Each guy has only pitched one year, yes, but think of this: if both players were having this surge at 30 rather than when they came in the league, who this be a big deal, most likely not. Harvey and deGrom both have big chances to have big years and I guarantee the Mets will beat the Yankees.
So I leave you with this parting word: if Harvey is the Dark Knight in Gotham…deGrom is now his sidekick. A big thing for a young Mets team, a team that will look to make the playoffs in 2015.