deGrom deButs

[batmagadanleadoff]

In five minutes, at 1:00AM, the MLB network is airing Jacob deGrom's 2014 MLB debut against the Yankees.

[batmagadanleadoff]

And I just looked up this game. Turns out that deGrom was already in peak career form. He was saddled with a 1-0 loss, pitching seven innings.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

iirc, we were all more excited the Mets had called up Montero and deGrom was supposed to be a bullpen guy were it not for.... something

[Edgy MD]

They were called up at the same time, but the two missing pitchers were only supposed to miss one turn each. So the plan was that Montero would go back down but that deGromio would stick around and help out the bullpen, as he was older and had had a much more affirmative start at AAA.



As it happened, and as tends to happen, a spot would open up longer term in the rotation before he made a single relief appearance. And in fact, he has yet to appear out of the pen a single time as a major or minor-leaguer, unless you want to count All-Star Games.



He has appeared 11 times as a pinch hitter, over which he has gone 0-for-8 with three walks. But he's never relieved. Not even in post-season.

[G-Fafif]

DeGrom was initially replacing Germen in the bullpen, then Gee went on the DL.

[G-Fafif]

Gazed upon with Collector's Cups half full, these are the days of Jacob deGrom and Rafael Montero, which produced two days of good sidebar news in a pair of senses. One, of course, is that two reasonably highly touted rookie pitchers were promoted and matched their hype, at least on an introductory basis. DeGrom exceeded it, actually, doing everything he could to win his debut. Not only did he throw seven innings and give up but one run — the product of shaky defense, mostly — but the kid ended the notorious hitless-by-pitchers streak at last. Jacob singled in the third and somewhere, I'd like to believe, Tom Seaver stood on first base snapping his warmup jacket shut as he looked to Eddie Yost to see if the hit-and-run was on. DeGrom also laid down a beautiful bunt, proving the young man was born under the sign of Chub Feeney…or at least the former National League president's signature on a Spalding baseball. Of course it's wonderful that deGrom pitched (and hit) well and Montero pitched well. Of course it will be wonderful when Zack Wheeler settles down a bit and Noah Syndergaard Super 2's his way up and Matt Harvey recovers and Steven Matz maybe keeps coming. Take those guys, mix in Niese and Gee and whoever else is bubbling under the Hot 100, and you know what you might very well have in the not-too-distant future?

Revisit the first night of Jacob http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2014/05/16/hello-jacob-goodbye-jeter/here.