In the 52 years of the existence of the New York Mets, they have produced four players that have won the Rookie of the Year; Tom Seaver, Jon Matlack, Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden. Each one was a major contributor in their rookie season and beyond, yet all but Strawberry were pitchers.
The National League Rookie of the Year award for 2014 will be announced in just a few more days and another Mets pitcher has a legitimate chance to add his name to that very short list. That pitcher, of course, is Jacob deGrom.
By now, his story has become nearly legend. DeGrom burst onto the scene on the biggest of regular season stages; Yankee Stadium during the Subway Series. After that point, he went on to earn multiple in season player awards (player of the week, player of the month) and he even earned the respect of his peers by being named recipient of the Player’s Choice Award for Outstanding Rookie which is voted on by the players themselves.
This is all great and wonderful to see, however, how does he compare to those historic Rookie of the Year campaigns from previous Mets pitchers? The answer is quite favorably. Let’s gain a better perspective by taking a deeper look at the numbers to see exactly what I mean.
DeGrom finished with 22 starts, a 9-6 record, 140 IP, 144 strikeouts and a 2.69 ERA. These were all very impressive final numbers. Especially considering that he only had two starts that would not be considered quality starts (six runs against the Cardinals and five runs against the Dodgers).
Against division rivals he was more impressive. He gave up one run in two starts vs Atlanta, five runs in four starts vs Miami, three runs in his only starts vs Washington and three runs vs the Phillies in two starts. He posted a 5-3 record against the division.
When comparing him to each previous award winner, it’s not clear at first due to the fact that he had less starts in his rookie season than they all did, but he does match up favorably with each one and in some categories he performed better. Let’s first take Tom Seaver for example.
While it’s hard to say deGrom performed better than Tom Terrific in his rookie showing of 1967, he did post a lower WHIP (1.140 for deGrom and 1.203 for Seaver), a higher strikeout per 9 innings ratio (9.2 for deGrom and 6.1 for Seaver) and a lower ERA (2.69 for deGrom and 2.76 for Seaver).
While this is just a small sample size for comparison’s sake, as Seaver started 34 games and deGrom just 22, still, an argument could be made that deGrom could be projected to have posted a better overall rookie season than The Franchise.
Next, is Jon Matlack. Again, like Seaver, to say that deGrom had an overall better performance than Matlack would be difficult. The numbers are compelling, though. When compared to Matlack, deGrom once again posted a slightly better WHIP (1.140 for deGrom and 1.172 for Matlack). He also compiled a better SO9 ratio (deGrom at 9.2 and Matlack at 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings).
Matlack did, however, post a lower ERA than deGrom in more innings (2.32 for Matlack compared to 2.69 for deGrom). This also is a smaller sample size to compare as Matlack started 32 games in his full rookie season of 1972. Again, like with Seaver, deGrom could have an argument for a better overall performance based only on a full season projection.
Finally, we come to Dr K. In 1984, no one could touch Dwight Gooden and in 2014, deGrom couldn’t in many ways either. Like Seaver and Matlack, Gooden posted more strikeouts and games started than deGrom did. While he matched up well with Seaver and Matlack in a few categories, deGrom does not match up well with the doctor.
Gooden posted a lower WHIP (1.073 for Gooden and 1.140 for deGrom), a lower ERA (2.60 for Gooden with 78 more innings pitched and 2.69 for deGrom and a higher SO9 ratio (an insane 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings for Gooden compared to a respectful 9.2 for deGrom). Gooden was flat out untouchable, even compared to the predecessors of his day.
In the end, deGrom’s 2014 was historic in its own right. While it doesn’t have the strong full season numbers that the other three produced, it’s fair to say that in his two-thirds of a season, he was every bit as dominant as those that had gone before him.
While only time will tell as to how his career will unfold, it’s certainly off to a historic type of start.
Excellent article! I am very much looking forward to the future success of Jacob deGrom, and you’re right he is actually matching up well to the others who won the award. The only problem I see is his debut- if I recall he made his debut at Citi Field against the Yankees.
You are correct about his debut. Still, that’s a tough way to break in.
Jacob deROY will be a great attraction at Citi-field and already has a big following. I am looking forward to the day where the rotation will be:
Harvey, deGrom, Niese, Wheeler, Syndergaard.
Harvey, Syndergaard, deGrom, Matz, Wheeler, and Montero and Verrett as long men!
🙂
Good article. My 2 cents …
Didn’t do a complete review, but an eyeball check indicates that adjusted to league stats JdG and TS had roughly the same K ratio.
Also R/G in ’67 were 3.84 vs 3.95 in ’14, making JdG’s season a bit more impressive.
R/G in 1972 were almost exactly the same as 2014, but K ratio’s were about the same as 67. Thus making Matlack’s a very, very impressive year – better, in fact than both Jake and TS.
Nobody will ever compare to Dwight. I’d have to say Dwight, Matlack, JdG, TS.
When looking at Doc’s numbers in that rookie year, it was unreal. No one touched him.
Doc was awesome.
How can you put a guy who pitched 251 innings over a guy who pitched just 140? (well maybe if has a sub 1 ERA or some ridiculous stat)
deGrom should be last on the list, simply because he did it over a much much shorter time period than the others.
I would suppose so.
And it makes sense, if you were to use WAR (not a favorite of mine, but whatever) since that should level out for playing time/playing conditions.
Fangraphs puts it Gooden, Matlack, Seaver (3.9), DeGrom (3.0).
It’s still tough to accept/believe the level at which DeGrom performed. The Seaver, Koosman, Matlack comps all arrived Younger and with much higher expectation and Pedigree.
To some extent, I felt that Degrom pitched very much in good luck….and he certainly pitched Very Well!
He’s a Legitimate Arm…
Oh, Yes- Oh, Yes…. he’s a keeper
DeGrom’s first game — while, yes, against the Yankees — came at Citi Field. I know, ‘cuz I was there.
Minor point: deGrom finished with a 9-6 record, not 11-11 as stated above currently.
Noted and thank you.
While it was a wonderful article and highlights how well deGrom’s rookie campaign was to fellow Mets, thankfully he doesn’t have to compare to these guys to win the award. He clearly outperformed the other rookies of 2014, and that’s all that really matters. Ranking among the finest rookie pitching performances through the franchise is just icing on the cake. Also, I’m still a little nervous that the BBWAA will screw this up.
That’s my fear too. I’ve never been a fan of writers having a say in any award recognition. Don’t even get me started on the HOF process.
A case can be made for Matlack having the best rookie season of the four pitchers above, based on ERA+.
Matlack 145 Gooden 137 deGrom 130 Seaver 122. But Harvey was 140 and 157 in his first two years!! He’s the king!
The first two years:
Matt Harvey, 59 IP, 140 ERA+, 178 IP 157 ERA+
Dwight Gooden, 218 IP, 137 ERA+, 276 IP, 229 ERA+
1985 Gooden ranks up there as one of the best single season ERA pitching performances since pre-1920. Bob Gibson in his 10th season, 1968, had a 1.12 ERA and a 2.58 ERA+ and is the only pitcher that bested Gooden.
Nice article Frank comparing deGrom to the other Met pitching recipients of the award. deGrom and Harvey make the Met staff something special.
All I care about is that with each RoY the Mets ended up in the World Series!