NEW YORK, NY – You can this work week and “put it in the books,” as Howie Rose would say. And we’re glad he’s back at it after missing games for an “an undisclosed personal medical issue.” Howie’s hockey persona obviously issued that injury report. Further, he and Wayne Randazzo called the Cubs game together… or did they? Rose did it from NY, while Randazzo was in Chi-town. Weird. But the bloom has worn off this Rose for now, let’s get to the headlines. Who’s Better: Jacob deGrom or Curt Casali? 90K Baker Mayfield Typo
Jacob deGrom or Curt Casali?
As someone who still pitches and catches (you’re welcome), two #MLB players really had my PJM (Petty Jealously Meter) revving to new heights (or lows). I am really, really green with Jake deGrom/Curt Casali-envy…
Jacob Anthony deGrom has become the most dominant, non-juiced pitcher since Pedro Martinez in his prime. He’s in Tom Seaver/Nolan Ryan territory right now, and watching him toy with Major League hitters live is almost humdrum. It’s somewhat anti-climatic because it’s not a surprise. 9 Innings. 2H, 15Ks, 0 Runs… Meh. What’s that? He also had two hits and a RBI? Yawn. I Josh [Thiel] of course but there is some truth in this because we’ve become a society without an attention span and an alarming willingness to ignore history. Don’t believe me? Here’s proof: 7-inning twin-bills, automatic runners and pitching strategies ditched for time purposes. Statistical history only matters now when a Blake Snell wants to stay in the game and he’s yanked. Thankfully, Lou Rojas’ laptop froze in the 8th inning last night and Jake got to finish his masterpiece.
All this aside, is deGrom more valuable than the other guy that make me rage with jealousy?
Curtis Michael Casali has accomplished something even more unfathomable than The deGrominator: he caught FIVE CONSECUTIVE SHUTOUTS in his starts. The best part is that he’s not even San Fran’s starting catcher – Buster Posey is. But since Posey is always hurt, Casali has gotten added time behind the dish. Anyway, while deGrom is just otherworldly, his performances rarely translate into wins for his bumbling brothers in blue and orange. How can deGrom guarantee a win? By tossing a shutout. Casali caught FIVE IN FIVE GAMES. That’s 5 wins to every one of deGrom’s. More impressive, 5 different starters took the hill in those shutouts. Now if only Steve Cohen can steal Clever Curt from Frisco and make him Jake’s personal caddie. That would solve Jake’s Dilemma.
One can dream…
90K Baker Mayfield Typo
Live by the typo, die by the typo. That is not the MTM Staff mantra… not in this instance, at least. This time it’s related to a prop bet on the performance of Cleveland’s Baker Mayfield and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes. The bet was meant to be on whether the two would pass for 300 yards each, but it wasn’t typed that way on www.BetMGM.com. The 3 was left off and it was simply “00” yards. 9 people pounced on it and got paid 10K each before it was corrected. See? Typos are pox not only on grammarians.
Oh, and I’ll leave you with this piece of Statistical History that would make current Sabermetrics nerds simultaneously combust: Pitching Coach Rube Walker, Manager Gil Hodges and the ’69 New York Mets put Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Nolan Ryan on pitch counts. Seaver’s limit was 135 pitches, Koosman’s was 145 pitches, and Ryan’s was 150.
That’s it, comment below and come back tomorrow for man who thinks pitching is only related to his tent, Cheesy Bruin.
