If you look at the list of pitchers that Dusty Baker batted against most throughout his MLB career, you'll see that three of the top five names, sorted by plate appearances, are in the Hall of Fame. At No. 1 is Tom Seaver, who was probably more scared of facing Baker than vice versa, considering the longtime Braves and Dodgers outfielder slashed .347/.383/.589 against Seaver over 108 PA. Up next was Phil Neikro, who fared much better with Baker at the dish (.194/.248/.408 in 105 PA). Down at No. 5 was Steve Carlton, who Baker happened to hit quite well (.319/.410/.493 in 83 PA).
But this isn't about how Baker did at the plate against these greats. It's more about the fact that Baker witnessed these legends of the game doing their thing for so many years. He grew up watching others, and he coached even more after his playing days were over. Greg Maddux, Max Scherzer, and Zack Greinke have all pitched under Baker's guidance, to name a few, and the list could continue to grow.
Listen to New York sports talk now on Audacy and shop the latest Mets team gear
The takeaway? Jacob deGrom is just as good as every single one of 'em. Baker talked about the Mets superstar in the latest episode of the "Boardroom: Out of Office" podcast, available on Audacy.
"I'll tell you one thing, he's as dominant as anybody that I've ever seen," Baker said. "And I faced Gibson, and I saw Koufax pitch, and I've seen Carlton, and I've seen some Tom Seaver. I mean, we faced him this spring training because we only played four teams, so every fifth day was his day was his day to pitch against us... and this guy was throwing 100 miles per hour, low and away, command, control, whatever you want to call it. And he's getting better.
"I mean, this guy has a sub-1.00 ERA. I don't care what era you're playing in, or where you're playing. If you're playing in Bushrod Park or Shea Stadium or Yankee Stadium... man, a sub-1.00 ERA. I think if I was playing against him, I [would try] to figure out how to go 1-3 with a walk, maybe?"
It's not even surprising to hear things like this anymore, as we've heard from a number of current and past stars about just how incredible deGrom is. It's more so that statements like these, from players and coaches who have witnessed greatness in spans of multiple decades, help reinforce the fact that we are truly witnessing one of the all-time greats. Every time deGrom takes the mound — and the same probably goes for any time Mike Trout trots out to center field or strides toward the plate — we should be treating it as a special occasion. These are the LeBrons and MJs, the Montanas and Bradys, the Walter Johnsons and Hank Aarons, of our modern-day game of baseball.
On Wednesday, look forward to enjoying every bit of it. The Mets and Brewers square off for Game 1 of their double-header at 2:10 p.m. ET, with deGrom going up against another fearsome starter in Milwaukee's Corbin Burnes.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram