TAKE ME OUT OF THE BALLGAME
deGrom threatens to limit his workload
PORT ST. LUCIE — Good for Jacob deGrom.
Good for the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, throwing a little kerosene into the fire created by the Mets’ dawdling.
I don’t believe for a second that deGrom would take himself out of a game in an effort to preserve himself for a free agency he doesn’t even want. Yet the only harm in threatening to take any preventative measures whatsoever, as deGrom did Thursday afternoon at First Data Field — or, to be more precise, he refused to rule out such actions — comes in alienating the segment of the Mets’ fan base that still contends ball players make too much darn money. Given how badly he wants to stick around and how much badness he has endured around him, why not tweak his employers a little?
“I think that’s going to be a discussion that’s going to have to be had with my agents,” deGrom said in a news conference, after being asked whether he and his representative, Jeff Berry, would dictate his 2019 usage if a long-term extension can’t be reached by the Opening Day deadline of March 28. “... I’m going to have to sit down with them and really see what they think is best for me moving forward.”
Who knew deGrom could command the English language nearly as well as he does his fastball and slider? Notice his precise wording: “Have to be had.” “Have to sit down.” This is what he’ll “have to” do, no other option, if the Mets won’t sign off on a reasonable deal.
I think a reasonable deal will be completed, as the Mets know the goodwill such a commitment would create, and deGrom truly desires to stay. If it doesn’t, though? Let’s envision how this threat would actually play out.
Forget the mid-game work stoppage; do you really think a guy who silently suffered through historically bad support last year will suddenly morph into Jimmy Hoffa? What we’re talking about, realistically, is the type of dialogue that occurs regularly in the baseball world between wellrun teams and well-run agencies. An agent will call a club’s front-office member on behalf of his client, particular concerning a pitcher, and discuss general workloads. Ideas like, “Hey, he has totaled 450 pitches in his past four starts,” or, “He has made his past five starts on regular rest; any way he can get an extra day this week?”
DeGrom’s agency, CAA, is well-run. The Mets? Not so much for too long now, yet their rookie general manager Brodie Van Wagenen has prioritized his communication with players and their representatives, and twice in three days he has attempted to defuse this situation. On Thursday, he said, “I think one thing we will be aware of on our side is, we want to protect Jacob deGrom as much as Jacob deGrom and as much as his agents want to protect him. ... As far as managing workloads, with or without an extension, we’re going to make sure that the player’s health is considered.”
Remember that the last such baseball imbroglio like this just happened to occur with the Mets in 2015, when Matt Harvey’s agent Scott Boras blasted the team — on Labor Day weekend, with the team leading the National League East — for using Harvey too much after returning from Tommy John surgery. Think of the characters involved in that soap opera: Harvey, who exhibited respect for no one, including his own agent Boras; the never-shy Boras; and GM Sandy Alderson, who didn’t believe in engaging agents on such matters and who enjoyed returning fire when provoked.
Now you replace that trio with deGrom, Berry — whose industry “memo” that stoked this conversation features more broad notions than specific strategies — and Van Wagenen. It’s like switching from “Survivor” to “Downton Abbey” — there still will be disagreements, yet they will be far more civil.
Sure, deGrom took on some risk with his passive-aggressive proclamation. After the way he has pitched and conducted himself for five seasons, he has earned the right to stir the pot a little. Just as he has earned the contract that would put this controversial trial balloon to rest.