I'm happy/sad/nervous about deGrom being an All-Star

by Tim Reilly July 09, 2018 0 Comments

No surprise here, Jacob deGrom is officially an All-Star. This marks the second time deGrom will be part of the Midsummer Classic.

.@JdeGrom19 on being named to his second All-Star team. #Mets pic.twitter.com/tAyAEMIqkT
— New York Mets (@Mets) July 9, 2018

While the All-Star Game is a glorified exhibition at this point, it’s still a big honor to be recognized among baseball’s best. Especially for pitchers that earn their spot on merit and not through fan voting.

Jake has become the modern-day version of Steve Carlton, without the wins to show for it. The dream turn through the rotation this season would be deGrom, rain, rain, rain and rain. I’d rather be sitting in a dentist chair than watch the Mets’ offense/bullpen in games deGrom starts. At the same time, watching him on the mound has been one of the only things to smile about this season.

Truthfully, I didn’t know what to feel once the deGrom news became official. I guess part of it was that it was a foregone conclusion. But I felt more sadness than happiness for deGrom when I thought more about the season he’s in the midst of and how the team around him is wasting it. Imagine being the best person at your job, killing it over-and-over again only to receive a kick in the nuts at the end of most days? That’s what deGrom’s All-Star season has been like.

How weird must that be?

What makes me nervous is that players from team’s in contention, who will have much more than one ASG representative, can use this time to befriend deGrom. There’s no indication that he wants to leave New York. Jake has never been anything other than a model player for this organization and has thrived pitching under the spotlight in big occasions. At the same time, could this season be weighing on him so much that he starts to think about the grass being greener elsewhere?

I’m sure players from around the league will begin telling deGrom so. Jake isn’t in a walk year but there have been rumblings, true or not, about trading deGrom as part of a complete rebuild. Rather than deter those talks maybe he gives the seal of approval for the front office to find him a home outside of New York? WHY CAN’T I STOP HAVING THESE DARK THOUGHTS?!?

We can’t even sit back and enjoy an All-Star Game nod as Mets fans…

It’s a special achievement to be named to an All-Star team. The sole reason I’ll be tuning into the game at all is to see deGrom pitch. With any luck (you know, the thing deGrom has received none of this year) he’ll be named the NL starting pitcher so I can get to bed early that night.

Just try not to talk to any of your teammates during the ASG break OK, Jake?!? And don’t even think about chatting it up with anyone from the Yankees…

As a refresher, check out what deGrom did in his last Midsummer Classic appearance.