In a terrific interview with Joel Sherman of the New York Post, New York Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard touched on a range of topics, including his “bashful” beginnings, the parallels between the early parts of his and current Yankees ace Gerrit Cole‘s careers, and his goals for the 2020 season and beyond.
Last year proved — to Syndergaard and all other interested parties — that adaptation is essential to continued success. Hitters will adjust to a pitcher over time. That’s been a benchmark of this game for a century.
Raw talent — which Syndergaard has buckets full of — will only take a player so far. Making necessary changes in approach and preparation is what will take his game to the next level. After the season he had in 2019, that would be a welcome development.
The 27-year-old’s 4.28 ERA (3.60 FIP) over 32 starts last season is alarming when compared to the 2.93 career ERA (2.66 FIP) he carried into 2019. And for the first time in his five-season tenure in the majors, the Texas product turned in a below-average ERA+ (95).
Syndergaard’s advanced metrics remained solid. His 4.9% barrel rate was well below the 6.3 percent MLB average, and his average fastball velocity (97.8 MPH, 98th percentile), average exit velocity (86.3 MPH, 89th percentile), hard-hit rate (31.2 percent; 87th percentile), and expected stats (.366 xSLG, 78th percentile; .280 xwOBA, 83rd percentile) ranged from above-average to elite.
Racking up 202 strikeouts over 197.2 innings is never a bad thing, and his 2.28 walks per nine innings ranked 19th in the majors among qualified starters last season, so where’s the disconnect? Syndergaard may have a theory.
“The hump I am trying to overcome right now is another me standing in the way. It is I versus I, really. It is overcoming the mental battle,” he told The Post. “I can say I am winning the battle right now.”
Hopefully, with that level of self-confidence brewing and a new, more analytically-based coaching staff having taken form over the winter — which should only accentuate Syndergaard’s strengths even further — we will see the resurgence of the pitcher they once called Thor.
“I feel there are expectations that I have given to myself that were given to me externally as opposed to internally,” he said. “Overall, I embrace the expectation that comes with this persona.”
Noah appears to look forward to his return, too.
Give Joel Sherman’s full interview with Syndergaard a read (New York Post link above). The comparisons the author makes between him and Cole are eye-opening.
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