Memories of Jacob deGrom

[G-Fafif]

On the heels of Jon Herman's exclusive with deGrom, James Wagner also has one.

When the off-season began, Mets General Manager Billy Eppler said he made a pact with Stephen Veltman, deGrom's agent, about staying in touch. It wasn't until after deGrom chose the Rangers that the Mets signed Justin Verlander, a three-time winner of the American League Cy Young Award, to replace him. “They did everything right by me,” deGrom said of the Mets. “I'm very thankful for my time there.” DeGrom insisted he was comfortable in New York. He knew the organization and vice versa. His family knew the area. Fans knew him as the team's longest-tenured star. Coming to the Rangers will mean starting from scratch; in addition to the personal changes, DeGrom said he had never previously been teammates with anyone in the Rangers clubhouse. “It was never that I wanted to leave New York,” he said. “It's not like I wanted out of there. I enjoyed my time there. I have great friends still from there. And it was just that the Rangers pursued me and came after me, and when you sit down and try to go over the places you can see yourself playing, the Rangers were definitely atop that list.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/28/sports/baseball/jacob-degrom-rangers.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/28/sports/baseball/jacob-degrom-rangers.html

[batmagadanleadoff]

I guess the Rangers pulled a Lou Cabrazzi on deGrom, took a gun to his head and told him that either his signature or the blood from his brains was gonna be on that contract. That's what I'm gonna believe until deGrom answers the fucking questions that no journalists are even bothering to ask.



Why didn't deGrom get back to the Mets? (Because he didnt want to.Because he didn't want to play for the Mets any more.)

[TransMonk]

I've got no ill will toward deGrom leaving. I agree he didn't want the Mets, but believe he simply wanted a different challenge and a change of scene for his family.



We were lucky to have him for as long as we did and as good as he was.

[batmagadanleadoff]

=TransMonk post_id=118991 time=1677603825 user_id=71]
I've got no ill will toward deGrom leaving. I agree he didn't want the Mets, but believe he simply wanted a different challenge and a change of scene for his family.



We were lucky to have him for as long as we did and as good as he was.

[nymr83]

I guess the Rangers pulled a Lou Cabrazzi on deGrom, took a gun to his head and told him that either his signature or the blood from his brains was gonna be on that contract. That's what I'm gonna believe until deGrom answers the fucking questions that no journalists are even bothering to ask. Why didn't deGrom get back to the Mets? (Because he didnt want to.Because he didn't want to play for the Mets any more.)

There are plenty of reasonable explanations for why deGrom didn't get back to the Mets (assuming that is even true) and for why he isn't commenting now.



The most plausible to me is that he had already discussed the general framework of a deal with the Mets and knew that the Rangers offer was far beyond where the Mets were willing to go. Remember, Cohen's wallet may be bottomless but the Mets - the same team that ripped up an agreement with Correa over medicals - know a lot more about deGrom's health than the Rangers do.



Its also possible the Rangers said "hey, you've been talking to us for a month and the Mets for three years now - are you signing this, or are we moving on?" he wouldn't want to call his new employer out now if that was the case.



He also has no reason to burn bridges now. As long as he avoids doing so, he has a lifetime of old timers days, celebratory jersey retirements, first pitches, overpaid spring training "advisor" roles, and maybe even pitching coach gigs to look forward to in New York. Silence is his friend.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Well yeah, I wouldn't expect deGrom to admit he was done with NY before the game even started, assuming that was the case. And if the Mets weren't willing to match or top the Rangers' offer, then someone should say so. But nobody's even asking. They're simply letting deGrom politic his way around these issues with his insulting canned and extremely unconvincing answers. And so long as that's the case, I'm gonna assume he no longer wanted to play for the Mets.

[kcmets]

I too think he couldn't wait to Get out of Dodge but whatever.



Every time this thread pops up I'll also be expecting to hear news that

he's been sidelined by some mysterious-but-not-serious ailment.

[A Boy Named Seo]

I don't really care, I guess. He said in the NYT that Texas was at the top of his list for destinations. He got a HUGE offer from them (in a state with no income tax) so if he got what he wanted (and very likely beyond that), I wouldn't expect him to call the Mets or anyone else. See you at your NYM HOF induction in 10 years or so, bud.

[batmagadanleadoff]

A Boy Named Seo wrote: ... so if he got what he wanted (and very likely beyond that), I wouldn't expect him to call the Mets or anyone else.

That's right. Because he didn't wanna play for the Mets any more. If he was seriously considering staying here, he would've gotten back to the Mets after the Rangers made their offer. Unless the Mets had made it crystal clear that they weren't gonna make deGrom an offer better than Texas's. He didn't get back to the Mets because he didn't wanna play here any more and he was worried that the Mets would eventually top Texas's offer if he did get back to the Mets, forcing him to fess up about not really wanting to play here.

[metsmarathon]

its certainly possible for someone to want to play for the mets, and also want to see if better offers are out there.



it's not like he went to texas for a couple bucks more. he got a ludicrously bigger offer than even the feveriest of fever dreams would suggest possible. why even risk the chance of it slipping through your fingers? who knows - maybe texas even said to him if he walks out that door to see if the mets would match it, the offer would be gone.



if he went to texas for similar money, or certainly for less money, then sure, we might be validated in feeling spurned, but fer chrissakes, that is not what happened here. he doesn't owe us anything, least of which is an explantion, when the answer is so seemingly obvious.

[batmagadanleadoff]

=metsmarathon post_id=119004 time=1677612071 user_id=83]
who knows - maybe texas even said to him if he walks out that door to see if the mets would match it, the offer would be gone.

Edited February 28, 2023 by Guest

[metsmarathon]

=batmagadanleadoff post_id=119006 time=1677613477 user_id=68]
=metsmarathon post_id=119004 time=1677612071 user_id=83]
who knows - maybe texas even said to him if he walks out that door to see if the mets would match it, the offer would be gone.

[batmagadanleadoff]

=metsmarathon post_id=119007 time=1677613567 user_id=83]
=batmagadanleadoff post_id=119006 time=1677613477 user_id=68]
=metsmarathon post_id=119004 time=1677612071 user_id=83]
who knows - maybe texas even said to him if he walks out that door to see if the mets would match it, the offer would be gone.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Jacob deGrom has been named the Rangers Opening Day starter. I wasn't 1000% sure he'd be ready to go. He's thrown just 3 innings so far this spring.



Here is deGrom when asked to "explain your damn self already". He offered no comment.



https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/d_people:generic:headshot:67:current.png/w_213,q_auto:best/v1/people/594798/headshot/67/current>

[bmfc1]

Texas is playing the Phillies so we're rooting for deGrom, at least on Thursday.

[kcmets]

https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/d_people:generic:headshot:67:current.png/w_213,q_auto:best/v1/people/594798/headshot/67/current>

I am smiling, dammit!

[metirish]

He looks like a wankers cramp

[Fman99]

He looks like a wankers cramp

Lol that's some fine Irish speak there.



His inner monologue:



"Think of all that money. (Thinks of playing for five years on a 71 win team). Dammit."

[metirish]

[metirish]

[kcmets]

Just a matter of time...

[whippoorwill]

His Met legacy

[nymr83]

https://twitter.com/anne__rogers/status/1648125973563592706

apparently she is the Royals beat writer. I'm guessing the Rangers beat writer was either crying or too busy replying to the laughter emojis from his Mets counterpart to post this sooner.

[Methead]

=metirish post_id=120529 time=1679684582 user_id=72]
He looks like a wankers cramp

[The Hot Corner]

=kcmets post_id=122697 time=1681779229 user_id=53]
Just a matter of time...

[batmagadanleadoff]

Jacob deGrom exits no-hitter with injury, Mets fans say ‘told you so'



Excerpt:

Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom was throwing a no-hitter when he had to exit with wrist soreness. Mets fans are just glad it's not their problem anymore. Whether the Mets let Jacob deGrom walk in free agency or handed him a giant bag of cash to stay in New York, it was always going to be a risk. Balancing a generational talent with a bad injury habit isn't easy. They let him walk. Was it the right choice? Right about now, Mets fans have to feel fairly vindicated because the Rangers are going through the purest version of “The Jacob deGrom” experience.

https://fansided.com/2023/04/17/jacob-degrom-exits-no-hitter-injury/https://fansided.com/2023/04/17/jacob-degrom-exits-no-hitter-injury/



So is that what happened? That the Mets let deGrom walk? That the Mets had a chance to match or top the Rangers offer after it was made, but chose not to? Was that established? Because I don't remember reading that and am still curious about that. As every other Mets fan should be.

[stevejrogers]

Jacob deGrom exits no-hitter with injury, Mets fans say ‘told you so' Excerpt: Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom was throwing a no-hitter when he had to exit with wrist soreness. Mets fans are just glad it's not their problem anymore. Whether the Mets let Jacob deGrom walk in free agency or handed him a giant bag of cash to stay in New York, it was always going to be a risk. Balancing a generational talent with a bad injury habit isn't easy. They let him walk. Was it the right choice? Right about now, Mets fans have to feel fairly vindicated because the Rangers are going through the purest version of “The Jacob deGrom” experience. https://fansided.com/2023/04/17/jacob-degrom-exits-no-hitter-injury/https://fansided.com/2023/04/17/jacob-degrom-exits-no-hitter-injury/ So is that what happened? That the Mets let deGrom walk? That the Mets had a chance to match or top the Rangers offer after it was made, but chose not to? Was that established? Because I don't remember reading that and am still curious about that. As every other Mets fan should be.

I don't think the author is aware of the publicly known timeline of events, etc.



Think of it like Adam Sandler's lyric about the Mets trading Darryl Strawberry. It fits the article's narrative better if it comes from a place where the Mets were able to present him an offer to refuse.

[Frayed Knot]

Excerpt:

Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom was throwing a no-hitter when he had to exit with wrist soreness. Mets fans are just glad it's not their problem anymore. Whether the Mets let Jacob deGrom walk in free agency or handed him a giant bag of cash to stay in New York, it was always going to be a risk. Balancing a generational talent with a bad injury habit isn't easy. They let him walk. Was it the right choice? Right about now, Mets fans have to feel fairly vindicated because the Rangers are going through the purest version of “The Jacob deGrom” experience.

I'll take the first part of that excerpt: "Mets fans are just glad it's not their problem anymore"

How many reported NYM fans did this guy poll? All of them? (if so I don't remember getting a call). A million? A thousand? Six? Himself plus the guy on the next barstool and his cat?



And yet he seems to indicate that not only is there a universal consensus on this issue but that he knows what it is.

Statements like this are up there with declaring what "Twitter thinks ..." about some issue or who "the internet is supporting ..." over the latest Taylor Swift breakup.

[whippoorwill]

Not to mention that he pitched years before the injuries started.

[Edgy MD]

There are worse problems than having a terrific pitcher not currently available — be it for the next inning or the next 6–8 weeks — because of injuries that everybody is being over-cautious with.



As for being "just glad it's not their problem anymore," it still is our problem, except now it's problem named "Verlander."



It's simply the nature of things. Right now there are 30 teams whose top pitchers have different levels of talent, but all 30 are currently deeply concerned about the health of their top pitchers. If there's anything worse than fans being babies about that reality, it's media dudes validating that by selling fans the idea that they're uniquely cursed.

Edited April 20, 2023 by Guest