Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen has come under fire from fans because of the poor pitching results this season, but he refuses to go out on a negative note.
Warthen wants one more season to get New York’s pitching on the right track before he hangs up his cleats and Jacob deGrom has his back.
“He has helped me a lot, he’s taught me different grips and approaches,” deGrom told the Daily News. “Even just this year, working through that period where I just couldn’t get myself mechanically together, he was there working with me and we eventually figured it out.”
The Mets, who have the fourth highest team ERA in all of baseball (4.86), shocked everybody this season when the injuries started to mount and their pitching became a weakness as opposed to its usual strength.
Warthen, whose contract expires at the end of the season, dreamed it up differently and envisioned his pitchers thriving as he sailed off into the sunset like a true professional.
“I thought this would be my last year. I really thought I wanted to retire. I’d have my pitchers all back and they’d be ready to go,” Warthen said. “But after this year, I want one more year. I don’t want to leave them like this.”
The 64-year-old, who has been with the Mets since 2008, is widely regarded as one of the the best pitching coaches in the game and one that gets results from his players.
“I feel like we’ve worked well together. I hear other guys say they work well with him,” deGrom said. “I am not exactly sure how that works, but I don’t see any reason to start over with someone else.”
DeGrom, who has seen what the Mets pitching staff is capable of the last two seasons prior to 2017, gave the pitching coach a vote of confidence.
Warthen and manager Terry Collins’ contracts expire this season, and with the Mets among the worst teams statistically in baseball, time could be running out for the longtime coaches.
However, if in fact Warthen wants one more chance to redeem himself and deGrom is on board, the pitching coach may be able to talk his way into a one-year deal.
