Mets rookie pitcher Jacob deGrom took a timeout for some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: Everybody likes to ask you about your hair.
A: Honestly, it’s not that big of a deal to me. I don’t even know why I started growing it out, I just did. When I had Tommy John surgery [in 2010], I actually buzzed my head again ’cause I always had short hair growing up and stuff. I could buzz it right now and it wouldn’t be a big deal to me. But, I mean, people, I guess, think it is.
Q: So how often do you get a haircut?
A: I haven’t had one in a while … probably six months.
Q: How would manager Terry Collins look with that hairstyle?
A: I’m sure he’d look fine with it. (Chuckle) That’s a tough question, I have no clue.
Q: Do any of your teammates joke around with you about it or no?
A: No, not really, nobody really says anything.
Q: How about opposing players, nothing?
A: Nothing. I have people ask me how long it took me to grow it like this quite a bit, but that’s about all. I always hear fans from opposing places like when we’re shagging, “Hey, get a haircut!” I’m always thinking, “Hey, I haven’t heard that one before,” you know (smile)?
Q: What else do you hear from opposing fans?
A: That’s about it, really. I try to block ’em out. … It’s normally when we’re shagging [flies] we’re right near the fence they tell something like that to me.
Q: Are you living in a hotel now?
A: I’m staying in the city now.
Q: You’re living by yourself?
A: No, I live with somebody (smile).
Q: Teammate ?
A: Yeah. Soup. Eric Campbell.
Q: What’s it like living in the city?
A: I enjoy it now. At first it was kinda crazy ’cause things are moving 100 miles an hour in the city. I’m not really used to that.
Q: Any favorite NYC things yet?
A: No, not really, not that I’ve found. We’ve walked around Central Park a couple of times, that’s not bad, I don’t mind doing that.
Q: How do you get to the ballpark?
A: He has a car.
Q: Are you recognized?
A: I have been a couple of times, I think it’s the hair. [Thursday] I went into Lululemon and the guy checking me out, he recognized me, ringing up my stuff.
Q: What did he say to you?
A: He goes, “Do you pitch for the Mets?” And I was just like, “Yeah.” And he’s like, “I thought that was you. You don’t see too many tall people with long hair like you,” and I was like, “Oh all right, thanks.” And then a kid, when I was walking down the sidewalk, he stopped and asked if I could take a picture with him, he knew who I was.
Q: How do you feel about being recognized?
A: I mean, I’m fine with it. It’s not crazy yet, and I don’t know if it will get crazy. I’m sure if it got where everybody knew, it would be a little overwhelming.
Q: Your first start against the Yankees [May 15] — what was it like when Derek Jeter stepped into the box?
A: I was nervous that whole start. I played infield and my favorite player was Chipper Jones, but I liked watching Derek Jeter play. He’s one of the greatest shortstops to play the game. I’m thinking, “I watched this guy on TV my whole life, and now here I am pitching against him.” So that was a pretty special moment to face Derek Jeter.
Q: What’s your mentality on the mound?
A: I would say I stay pretty calm. Don’t let the game get too fast on me. I try to keep my emotions in check, I guess, so I don’t show that anything fazes me out there. And I try to take it one pitch at a time.
Q: Describe your smooth delivery.
A: I’m the kind of person that if I try to throw it hard, it doesn’t come out as good. So my whole thought process is to stay smooth, stay on top of the ball and just get my hand out in front.
Q: What pitch do you need to improve?
A: Probably the curveball, which I just started throwing at the end of last year. I think getting a better feel for that curveball.
Q: Describe draft day in 2010.
A: I was at my grandma’s house, and we were just listening to it on the computer, and my phone rang, and I walked outside, and it was my scout [Steve Nichols] saying, “Hey, the Mets are gonna take you in the ninth round, do you want to go?”, and I was just like, “Yes,” and then I went in and told my family and stuff, and then a couple of days later he came down and signed the paperwork and then I headed down to St. Lucie.
Q: What was your worst minor league bus ride?
A: It had to be in Savannah [Ga.] whenever we went up to Lakewood Township (N.J). … It’s like a 13-hour bus ride. I fell asleep on the bus, and I slept on there wrong and my neck was killing me the whole time we were there. That’s all I remember (chuckle).
Q: Describe the day you found out you were called up to the Mets.
A: It was just a normal day, I hadn’t really showed up to the park, and I was doing my stuff, and Wally [Backman, Triple-A Las Vegas manager] kinda told me that there was a chance I was gonna get called up, it wasn’t for sure. I was supposed to throw a bullpen that day, I believe, and he was like, “Hey, just kinda wait on that.” And then, I think it was like the fifth or sixth inning, he called me down, and was like, “Hey, you’re getting called up. Go inside and tell whoever you need to tell, and get your stuff together.” So I called my dad, and told my fiancé and stuff. It was a special feeling.
Q: What do you remember about the flight from Las Vegas to New York?
A: It was early (smile). I fell asleep the whole ride, ’cause I got to the airport at like 5 in the morning. So by the time I got all my stuff packed that night, and I couldn’t sleep, ’cause I was excited. … I was glad I fell asleep on the plane.
Q: You landed at Kennedy or LaGuardia?
A: I think we went to Kennedy, and then we went straight to Yankee Stadium.
Q: Was that your first time at Yankee Stadium?
A: That was my first time there and … ’cause originally I was gonna be in the bullpen, so that night I was live to pitch, so the whole time I was down there I was pretty nervous. And then with [Dillon] Gee getting injured that night, they told me that, “Hey, you’re gonna probably make a start.”
Q: What were your first impressions of Yankee Stadium?
A: That was the first big-league park that I had been inside. It was unreal just walking out there, and knowing who all’s played there and stuff, even though it’s the new one.
Q: Boyhood idol?
A: Chipper Jones. He was from Pierson [Fla.], which is 10 minutes, 15 minutes from my house, and played for the Braves. I grew up kind of a Braves fan just ’cause of that, and I played infield, so that’s who I kinda looked up to as a player.
Q: Who are some pitchers you admire?
A: [Justin] Verlander and [Max] Scherzer, you gotta look at those two. … [Tim] Lincecum, I’ve always liked to watch him throw. … Tim Hudson, he’s good. … Growing up being a Braves fan, I liked [John] Smoltz and [Tom] Glavine and [Greg] Maddux. … Maddux, with the location and stuff wasn’t, overpowering but threw pitches where he wanted to every time.
Q: Biggest influence?
A: Probably my dad. Even to this day he has a great work ethic.
Q: You have a batting cage in your backyard.
A: I’ve had a batting cage at my house since I’ve been … probably 12. I wasn’t a great hitter (chuckle), but I still worked on it and hit there every day and would take ground balls almost every day growing up. [Dad] would throw to me. I had a machine but we never used it. He gets off work at like 4 o’clock and he’d be home at 4:30, and I’d be there every day to hit.
Q: Was your dream at the time to be a major league player?
A: Yeah I wanted to play in the major leagues. Never, at that time didn’t think as a pitcher, but now I’m glad I’m a pitcher. I really enjoy it.
Q: Why do you enjoy pitching so much now?
A: I just feel like when you’re out there, you’re in control of the game. You’ve got the ball. It’s at your pace, and you’re in control. And as a starter, you know what day you have [to pitch], so you have a set routine leading up to that day, and then you got that much time to prepare for that outing.
Q: You had Tommy John surgery.
A: I got hurt, I believe it was in July [2010] and then I had an MRI almost right away. And then, I did rehab till October. I hadn’t thrown any, and my elbow still felt bad, so they did another MRI in October, and the same day I got the surgery, so I didn’t have much time to think about it. They were like, “Hey, you need it. When do you want it done?” I was like, “I guess as soon as possible.” They were like, “All right, 3:30 today.” I was like, “All right, let’s do it.” I was in rookie ball and I hadn’t really got a chance to throw that much and really prove myself, so getting hurt at that time, you’re thinking, “They don’t really know what to think of me. I’m new and now I’m already injured.” But my rehab went really smooth, and the ball, when I was throwing, it was really coming out good and had no problems with it.
Q: How frustrating was missing all of 2011?
A: It’s more of, I would say, a mental thing, ‘cause I was feeling really good. I was probably nine months after surgery I felt like I could throw to hitters, but I think it was just more the mental thing and staying with the program and knowing that other people had to go through the same thing and not to rush it and end up hurting yourself.
Q: Describe Johan Santana’s changeup.
A: My grip’s a little different than his now, but he just showed me kinda how he did it and kinda the mindset behind it and how he would play catch with it to get it better and stuff, so I started doing that, and then my changeup really started to develop.
Q: Describe Frank Viola.
A: In ’12, I pitched for him in Savannah, when he was the Low-A pitching coach there, and we developed a good relationship, and he taught me a lot about the game. Having a guy like that being able to teach you is a great experience. How he approached the game, he would talk about that. His changeup was also a very good pitch. He showed me a couple of things with that too.
Q: Before 2013 spring training, you were kicked by a bull?
A: It was a little calf, a little bull calf, yeah.
Q: What were the circumstances there?
A: Well, I was helping my [DeLeon Springs, Fla.] neighbor out (chuckle), and he has a cattle business. We had to get all the calves out of this pasture and we put ’em in this little pen and then we give ’em shots, and then the males we gotta castrate. Somebody holds him down on the front, somebody holds him down on the back, and my neighbor had the back legs, and his hand slipped and it started kicking and it kicked my [left] hand, and I didn’t even know at first, and then I held up my finger and it was pointing sideways and I said, “Uh-oh. My [ring] finger’s broken.” It was like a week before I had to report to spring training, and he was like, “No, it’s not broken, is it really?” And I was like, “Yeah, look at it.” And he goes, “Oh great. All right get out of here.” So I left and went to the hospital to make sure it was back in line ’cause I yanked it back straight ’cause I thought maybe it was just dislocated. And then it had like a break down by the knuckle.
Q: Your neighbor probably felt terrible.
A: Yeah, he did (chuckle). ’Cause I went by there after I went to the emergency room or whatever to get the X-rays done, and he’s like, “Man, I feel terrible,” and I was like, “Ahh, it was an accident and there’s nothing to worry about. I’m just glad it was on my left hand.”
Q: Your calf castration days are over, is that safe to say?
A: (Smile) Yes, I would say they’re most likely over.
Q: Describe Wally Backman.
A: I enjoyed playing for Wally. He loves the game. He’s gonna fight for his players. If you go out there and give him 100 percent, then he’s never gonna be mad at you.
Q: Would being a closer appeal to you, or do you consider yourself a starter?
A: I wouldn’t mind closing, but I like starting better, I would say.
Q: Describe Matt Harvey.
A: Enjoy being around him in the dugout, knows a lot about the game, and good to be around and talk to about things.
Q: Your impressions of him as a pitcher?
A: Unbelievable. Just the stuff he has and the way he goes about it is just very impressive to watch.
Q: The way he goes about it?
A: He’s gonna get you out, he has that mentality. You’re not gonna beat him, and that’s a great mentality to have.
Q: Do you have that mentality?
A: I feel like I do when I go out there. I feel like my stuff is better than [whoever] at the plate. And I think you have to have that as a pitcher.
Q: Zack Wheeler.
A: He has great stuff, too. I would say he has the same mentality. I would say most of our guys do whenever they go out there and take the ball. It’s their day to pitch, and I feel like everybody believes they can win.
Q: Noah Syndegaard.
A: He’s a good kid. He’s gonna be a great pitcher.
Q: David Wright.
A: All-Star third baseman, awesome to be around. Goes about his business on and off the field like a professional, and somebody that, as a rookie, I look up to.
Q: Was it fun batting eighth?
A: I didn’t get any hits when I was batting eighth (chuckle).
Q: That’s a compliment though, right?
A: Yeah, it is. I try to keep it simple at the plate, too, just try to get a pitch and put the barrel on it and hopefully it falls somewhere (chuckle).
Q: Who are athletes in other sports you admire?
A: LeBron James, Phil Mickelson.
Q: Did you get any basketball offers out of high school?
A: I could have played at Bethune-Cookman.
Q: When did you get engaged?
A: Christmas.
Q: How did you propose to Stacey?
A: I just got put on the roster, so she bought her family a bunch of Met shirts, and she bought herself one, and I took it, and had put on the back, “Will you marry me?”, and then I wrapped it, and she opened it, and was like, “Hey this is my shirt.” And I’m like, “Well turn it around and show everybody.” And then she saw that. So it worked out pretty good (smile).
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Jesus, Babe Ruth, George Washington.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “O, Brother Where Art Thou?”
Q: Favorite singer-entertainer?
A: George Strait.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: A nice steak dinner.
Q: What drives you?
A: This is something I’ve wanted to do my whole life is play baseball, and I think just the opportunity to put on a big-league uniform every day is just. … You know, people dream of it, but not everybody gets to do it. I’m thankful every day I get to do it.
Q: Do you think there’s room for you here in this organization with all the pitching?
A: Yeah, I think so.
Q: You feel you belong?
A: I think there’s always room for improvement, but I think I belong here. I mean, I think so.