Quote:
Originally Posted by Snapolit1
I think Degrom has Hall of Fame stuff, but lacks the proverbial peak of a HoF pitcher assuming his career ended today. Like I said he would need to have a few more dominant, healthy seasons, which is possible, but considering his overall track record is unlikely.
I don't understand the comment. Putting aside 2020, he's had one year of injuries, last year. Before that (2015-19 as a regular starter) he was averaging about 30 starts a season. What are you getting at with "track record"?
Seems to be a narrative taking hold that he's struggled within injuries his whole career. Which isn't true. That would be Steven Matz.
He won 3 Cy Youngs in a row and was well on his way to a 4th last year when he came down with injuries. So any "track record" he has of being injured started last summer.
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I don't know Steve, 3 Cy Young awards in a row sounds like a pretty good peak to me. But I get the point that if these injuries pretty much shut him down and reduce his effectiveness over the remainder of his career, it really hurts his chances. Almost like a reverse-Koufax situation. Just think how differently Koufax's legacy may have ended up being viewed had he switched and started the first 5 or 6 years of his career on fire, and then ended the last 5 or 6 years of it as not overpowering and very effective at all, just like he actually started his career.
Cory Kluber is another pitcher in recent years to have stellar seasons and win the CYA, but injuries and wear and tear to his body and pitching arm have made him mostly forgotten now as well. And when he finally had a chance to come back after a long injury layoff, his return didn't last for long, and he went right back out with injuries, and likely will never be what he once was as a pitcher. Same type of situation seems to be looming before DeGrom now. If DeGrom can rebound and get back to pitching at least near the level of where he was while winning those three CYAs, and stay there for at least a full season or two, that should really change his chances in a very positive way. We'll just have to wait and see how he does going forward.