Now that time keeps on marching on for the New York Mets, we’re starting to realize just how much some players mirror their nicknames.
By Robby Sabo
These five youngsters (minus Colon, obviously) bring together the nastiest combined stuff in all the land.
They are the heartbeat of the New York Mets and the very essence for why this organization is setup for the next decade.
Thus, it’s only natural each is bestowed a nickname.
As far as position players are concerned, there’s one true nickname already fully entrenched.
You already know most. In fact, same fans identify more with the nickname on a consistent basis. As far as their birth names are concerned, that often plays second-fiddle.
Today, we breakdown each of these nicknames and to what extent each player resembles their given character.
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Jacob deGrom – The deGrominator (Terminator)
Alright. So the Terminator technically isn’t a superhero. We know this.
Still, Jacob deGrom is the Terminator.
The deGrominator earned his nickname simply because of the beautiful fit. Aside from the wonderful talent he possesses, his grit and toughness exemplifies what the Terminator has in every single movie that came our way.
Remember the Terminator, the original? When Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character was looking for his target at the cop station, he did it in a very calm, calculating fashion.
Well, yeah…he did plow a vehicle through the building, but still, the point of his calm demeanor holds true.
This is what we constantly see from deGrom.
During the NLDS last year in Los Angeles, not once, but twice deGrom battled tooth and nail to defeat the Dodgers when he didn’t possess his best stuff.
He’s machine-like. deGrom gets the job done no matter the surroundings.
Noah Syndergaard – Thor
Perhaps no superhero nickname fits any of these Mets more than Thor does on Noah Syndergaard.
Just look at the guy. He’s a Thor clone. The long blonde hair, the broader build; it’s everything we see from the mythical Thor on the big screen.
Not only does he look like Thor, he performs like him as well.
Syndergaard’s filthy 93-95 miles per hour slider is perhaps the nastiest pitch in baseball today. Only a god-like, mythical creature can perform that pitch and continue to throw with the heaviest velocity in the majors.
Take Wednesday night for example. Just as these exact words above were being typed, Syndergaard smacked his second home run of the game in Los Angeles. He just did something no MLB pitcher has done since 2007.
Go ahead. Don’t call him Thor. I dare you.
Matt Harvey – The Dark Knight (Batman)
He was the first. He’s the guy who represented the changing of a guard for an entire organization.
Matt Havey’s moniker of The Dark Knight was the original.
Why was he tabbed The Dark Knight? Come on now.
First off, he makes his home in Gotham. Secondly, his name is Harvey, which has considerable ties to the fictional character.
Last but certainly not least, Harvey “rose” from his Tommy John surgery in 2015 just as Batman did in The Dark Knight Rises.
Now, thanks to an extremely sluggish start (3-4, 4.50 ERA), Harvey’s Dark Knight nickname is starting to become very stale.
Not so fast.
Remember the end scene of The Dark Knight? What did Bruce Wayne have to do? He took the fall and forced the Gotham Police Department to chase him. He did it because he could do it. He had to do it.
Perhaps Harvey is playing that same exact scene out at this very moment, only to rise again later in the season.
Steven Matz – SuperMatz (Superman)
If there’s one guy on this list who’s a work-in-progress, it’s most definitely Steven Matz.
Not a work-in-progress as far as his development in the bigs, as that seems to be moving swimmingly, but a work-in-progress as far as the nickname is concerned.
SuperMatz it is.
Admittedly, it’s tough to give the No. 3 or 4 starter on the roster the Superman nickname. After all, this is the superhero of all superheros. He’s the guy all other superheros are measured by.
Perhaps, though, it could fit. It’s no secret Terry Collins and the Mets organization have deep and incredible love for the lefty. And after a rocky opening to the season, the kid has been on fire.
Let’s see. Maybe he does evolve into the SuperMatz nickname.
Besides, look at the photo above. It appears as though the’s moving faster than a speeding bullet.
Bartolo Colon – Big Sexy
Much like the deGrominator, Bartolo Colon’s nickname is also not of the superhero ilk.
To be honest though, it’s just too damn good to pass up.
Where he got the nickname of Big Sexy from, I’m not quite sure. I believe it might have been greatly influenced by the fellas over at Barstool Sports.
If they did come up with this gem, they did one fantastic job.
Just look at the guy. Is there any other description other than “sexy” needed? As he rounded those bases after smacking his first and only big league home run last weekend, Big Sexy was in full effect.
David Wright – Captain America
Last, but certainly not least, is David Wright, the Captain.
Or should I say, Captain America?
We all know Captain America doesn’t possess any superhuman feats. What he loses by way of superhuman stuff, however, he makes up with intangibles.
He’s a leader, first and foremost. He’s clean-cut and courageous. This fits Wright to a tee.
Was there ever a better scene than watching the captain pop his first and only World Series home run at Citi Field last October? His presence alone does so much for this squad and the clubhouse.
Even this season, with Wright dealing with his spinal stenosis, Captain America makes sure his team, his guys are in order and towing that winning baseball line.
Wright will forever be Captain America, despite the numbers he puts up.