The New York Post awarded the New York Mets with the most obvious award the Mets could win for the soon to be ending decade. Jacob deGrom won Athlete of the Decade. I mean… who else in New York was going to win Athlete of the Decade?
Other Candidates For the Award
Derek Jeter retired in 2014, Mo in 2013, Davi Wright in 2018. There was absolutely no one else in New York who could’ve won the award from the Post. Let’s face it… no one on earth could be a back to back Cy Young award winner like Jacob deGrom. Sure, Noah Syndergaard MIGHT have gotten close, if he didn’t get as hurt as David Wright.
What About the Yankees?
Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettite, and Jorge Posada retired pithing a year of each other between 2012 and 2014. The only one who could have gotten close to deGrom in terms of statistical comparison is Rivera. But no matter how lights out a reliever is… they never are as good as the starting pitcher. It would explain why Rivera finished in 8th for the CY Young voting in 2011 by the simple virtue of “When does a relief pitcher finish in the top 10 for CY Young voting?” The answer is… next to never!
What About Position Players?
Which position player out hit deGrom in the 2010s? Yes, Robinson Cano had a great time as a Yankee, but he was gone by 2014. By comparison, Yoenis Cespedes had a better time offensively than Robinson Cano had since 2014. And, who else took control of the city the way Cespedes did in 2015/2016? The answer is… NO ONE!
deGrom deserved player of the decade because deGrom has been the best pitcher in New York since 2016. Our pitching and starting rotation has been garbage in the Bronx since at LEAST 2015. I’m just glad someone in New York deserved. And the fact it was someone as worthy as deGrom makes it all the more bearable.