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It's certainly possible that Cincinnati Reds outfielder Billy Hamilton will be given the NL Rookie of the Year award for his flashy contributions in stolen bases, but New York Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom really should be earning more attention. Fantasy owners certainly love deGrom, who, in his 21st career start Monday night, struck out the first eight Miami Marlins of the game, tying a big league record set long ago by Jim Deshaies. The final line showed 13 strikeouts in seven innings, with three earned runs and a no-decision, yet another terrific performance in a season full of them. It's hard to believe now, but deGrom, a ninth-round choice by the Mets in the 2010 draft and not viewed as a special prospect, certainly has produced a special season. Consider how deGrom has affected fantasy owners as opposed to Hamilton, for example: The Reds' speedster has stolen a ton of bases, but he offers little in the power categories and doesn't aid in batting average. The guy just isn't on base that much and he hasn't been helping many owners in September with his .156 batting average and three stolen bases. Basically, he's a one-category guy, while deGrom boasts a 2.68 ERA -- it actually went up a bit Monday -- and 1.14 WHIP with a ton of strikeouts and seven of his eight wins since July. Entering Monday he hadn't permitted an earned run over his past three outings, and his ERA since the All-Star break is a pristine 2.07. He's not Clayton Kershaw, but he's acted like him for the past few months! With Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler and eventually Noah Syndergaard, not to mention serviceable veterans, the Mets are loaded with rotation depth for the future, but is it possible the surprising deGrom is as good as any of them?
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