Will New York Mets Noah Syndergaard be MLB sensation?
December 16, 2012 is a date that will be remembered within the Toronto Blue Jays history books. In Toronto, it was believed to be the date that the team had finally turned the corner. The 2013 season was foreseen as the first time they would see playoff baseball since October 23, 1993.
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On that day in December, the Toronto Blue Jays dealt prospects Travis d’Arnaud, Noah Syndergaard, Wuilmer Becerra along with veteran catcher John Buck to the New York Mets for catchers Josh Thole, Mike Nickeas as well as the 2012 National League Cy Young winner, R.A. Dickey.
A couple of weeks prior to the Dickey trade, on November 19, the Blue Jays shocked the baseball world with a blockbuster trade with the Miami Marlins. They acquired Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, John Buck, Emilio Bonifacio and Mark Buehrle and gave Miami many of their top prospects. Toronto cut ties with Johnson, Buck and Bonifacio and they are no longer part of the Blue Jays family. The Blue Jays were cashing in on what they perceived to be an opportunity to win.
If you look at the Blue Jays’ records since these two huge trades, it would show that they have not had much success. Their first year they were pegged by Vegas as a ‘championship team,’ they won a mere 74 games. The New York Mets finished with an identical record to Toronto that year in the National League East. Last season, Toronto did finish with 83 wins and played over .500 baseball for 162 games but they still did not punch their ticket to the playoffs. The Mets finished winning 79 games last season and also with no playoffs in sight.
This season the Blue Jays’ starting pitching has been average at best. Toronto has won and lost 16 games each over their first 32. The Mets have reaped huge rewards from pitchers Matt Harvey and Bartolo Colon so far. The team is thriving and playing fantastic baseball of to a 20-11 start.
The Mets have had injury woes but have replenished the team with some assets that have turned heads. Injured Mets’ starting pitcher Dillon Gee is out with a groin injury. He received a cortisone injection over the weekend. When he is ready to return to playing activities, he will probably have a brief stint down in the minors.
In the meantime, Gee is out and the Mets have called up 22-year-old pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard. It could be his time to shine. He’s slated to make his major league debut Tuesday night when the team plays against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Playing at Wrigley Field, Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium is a dream that all emerging pro players long for. To play his first pro game at Wrigley would have to be a special experience for Syndergaard.
Syndergaard has been fantastic through his five starts in Las Vegas this year. Baseball experts are saying that he definitely has some worth to the Mets’ quest for a title this fall.
On the other hand, Dickey and the Toronto Blue Jays have been spinning their wheels and not improving much. Dickey’s statistics show that he has not had the stuff of a Cy Young winner in the American League East. Dickey’s tenure in Toronto has been average at best. In his first two seasons in Toronto, he has finished both with a record of 14 wins and 13 losses over 34 starts.
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In 2013, his ERA was 4.21. Last season his ERA was 3.71. Yes, Dickey did have over 200 innings pitched each year, but he has not been that ace pitcher to take Toronto over the hump. Early this season he has only one win to his record and a 5.00 ERA. Father time may have caught up with Dickey, as he is 40-years-old. The Blue Jays already have a fairly high team ERA from their pitching staff and it’s the middle of May.
Sure, Syndergaard might end up being a flash in the pan. He might be up here for a few starts and once Gee returns from the injury, could go back to Las Vegas. However, if Syndergaard comes up to the big leagues, pitches superbly and elevates the Mets to continued success much like a rookie pitcher for the Mets did last season, it may force the management to hang onto Syndergaard and drive for that playoff spot this October. The Mets are on the rise and 3 ½ games ahead of the favorite Washington Nationals. If the Mets can maintain this early success, they could be destined for something special that has not been seen in Queens, New York City since 2006.
Early signs indicate that the Blue Jays are on the decline with their pitching. Dickey has given up 32 hits over 39 innings of work thus far this season. He is no longer Toronto’s number one guy, and you’d be hard pressed to distinguish who can be in their rotation right now. As of right now, it should feel like Alex Anthopoulos might be remorseful towards the deal he made.