Well he’s back, again. After a 2nd Tommy John surgery, Jacob deGrom took the mound for the Texas Rangers. He looked very much like Jacob deGrom. Touching 99 mph on the gun though he hit triple digits in his minor league rehab. Looking like a Hall of Fame pitcher, just like the best pitcher of his era, again. No doubt he is a Hall of Fame caliber pitcher, but is there still time for him to make the Hall? His problem has been durability.
After making 171 starts in his first 6 years, his latest was just his 45th in the last 5. And while wins certainly are not what they used to be in determining greatness on the mound, he has just 84 of them. The Hall of Famer with the lowest win total is Candy Cumings with 145 Dizzy Dean had 150, Addie Joss 160 and then Sandy Koufax at 165
But oh when deGrom’s been out there! He has been one of the best ever in stopping run production and keeping runners off base. His strikeout to walk ratio is the best ever. But those 84 wins…
deGrom turned 36 in June.
In 2021 Tim Britton of the Athletic measured pitcher’s peak 3 seasons and deGrom easily matched all of these guys, all in or soon to be in the Hall:
Lefty Grove 1930-1932
Sandy Koufax 1964-1966
Roger Clemens 1990-1992
Greg Maddux 1992-1998
Pedro Martinez 1997-2000
Randy Johnson 1999-2002
Clayton Kershaw 2013-2015
Jacob deGrom 2018-2020
Injuries have stopped other HOF careers
deGrom won’t be the first to fall short because of injuries. Johan Santana, Orel Hershiser and JR Richard among those whose numbers were affected and kept them out. So how long can he go at this level to help pile up some numbers to perhaps squeeze him in? Last June Garrett Kroeger of the Laredo Morning Times wrote:
“Even with a solid foundation, deGrom to Cooperstown was always going to be an uphill battle.
And now that at least a full season is off the table, his case seems even more challenging.”
But is it impossible? At 36 he’s throwing as hard as ever. In April of 2021 ESPN’s Jeff Passan talked with the righthander and wrote:
“Jacob deGrom, the best pitcher in the world, says, very matter-of-factly, “I want to pitch into my 40s.”
“And as much as pitchers aren’t supposed to do that, they aren’t supposed to gain 5 mph on their fastballs as they move into their 30s, either. And they aren’t supposed to throw sliders 93 mph. And they aren’t supposed to win back-to-back Cy Young Awards with historically bad run support. And, well, please, by all means, tell Jacob deGrom what he can’t do and see how that goes.”
“I believe I can still compete at this level at that age,” “To become an inner-circle Hall of Famer, I’m gonna have to play that long.”
He has wasted almost 3 full years since then but if he can do what he’s been unable to do in that time,which is stay healthy, is it impossible? I say no. I also say what a treat to watch the man pitch, to dot the ‘i’s and cross the ‘t’s with such ease. He’s still got it, so sit back and enjoy a Hall of Fame pitcher that might not end up there.
