The mega-deal for Jacob deGrom demonstrates that in Texas, even mistakes are magnified

When the Rangers announced Jacob deGrom’s $185 million, five-year contract, six phrases sprang to mind: It’s not worth it. It’s not even close.

Behind the scenes Friday night, the Mets hinted at some remorse, if not recrimination, over a probable market miscalculation. But, in truth, there is no need to be sorry. This is insane money. Whether insane or not, Texas deserves credit for trying to re-enter the game in a vast manner. But is deGrom, who delivered almost the same amount of 2022 innings as closer Edwin Diaz but never pitched in the eighth or ninth inning, worth twice as much as Diaz?

Is deGrom, who is about the same age as Clayton Kershaw and not nearly as successful, worth nine times what Kershaw is allegedly earning in total pay?
The solutions are so evident that this additional phrase is unnecessary.

$40 million offer per year

The Mets made a very generous first offer of three years for close to $40 million per year — yeah, a bit more than Texas — and maybe they would have gone to the fourth year. And even that is excessive.

The Mets were never going to go anywhere near 185, and they must remember that although he always carried the prospect of additional Cy Youngs, deGrom has just led the league in MRI tests.

DeGrom is a wizard on the mound, but he only appeared there sporadically in 2021 and ’22. DeGrom has the potential to be an all-time great, but he has only won 82 games. That’s 22 fewer than Carlos Carrasco, whom the Mets pondered for a long time before eventually taking up his $14 million option (which is a good thing!).

A long-time baseball executive attempted to explain to me the other day why deGrom would cost so much money. “DeGrom’s pure material is simply so amazing that you fantasies about what might be,” he says. Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, only on Sports+, delivers insights on all things Amazin’. Baseball fans clearly like deGrom’s arm. But isn’t it a bit crazy to be discussing the possibilities of a 34-year-old?

Ranger have there own dreams

Anyway, let the Rangers have their dream.
Meanwhile, Mets officials seemed predictably upset that their homegrown uber talent was gone, which isn’t surprising given that they were undoubtedly bracing for an adverse reaction from fans and also needed to figure out how to replace a talent in a starting pitching market that is clearly out of control.

But I’m here to assure him that he’s not leaving town like Tom Seaver. This is a person whose skills much outweighed his successes and who, at least in the last two years, seemed to be quite unhappy — probably unhappy to be in New York or unhappy to have signed a deal he despised. It’s difficult to say for sure, but one Mets official stated deGrom didn’t go for money but just wanted to get out of New York, even though a few teammates wrongly indicated he wanted to return.