Catch-22: Chris Bassitt

[Edgy MD]

NAME: Chris Bassitt
AGE: 33
POSITION: Starting pitcher (very occasional reliever)
NUMBER: 40
NICKNAME: "C Bass"
fWAR IN 2021: 3.3
ZIPS PROJECTION FOR 2022: 1.9

T'was relatively late in the offseason when I joined the Mets, but that's the way it goes when it transactions are shut down for the winter months.

I'm Chris Bassitt, and like Starling Marte before me, I'm a new Met and a veteran coming off a career-best-thus-far year, possibly setting us both up with high expectorations. I dunno. I just pitch, and last year, I got it done like never before.

I should come into the season as an interesting acquisition, and get to fly under the radar for a few months until you get to know me. I should ... but with Jacob deGrom on the shelf and Max Scherzer among the walking wounded, and with Carlos Carrasco having a toxic spill of a season in 2021 and Taijuan Walker's excellent trip through 2021's first half careen into a ditch in the second half, I may end up as your Opening Day pitcher.

That's not the worst thing imaginable, but who the Hell am I? I've spent close to my whole career in the wrong league on the wrong coast, and then I go and blossom into an All-star the last year and whatever 2020 was? Is it fool's gold, or just GOLD, JERRY, GOLD! You ask even most regular baseball fans about me and the best they can answer is, "I think he got his face crushed once."

And honestly, that wouldn't be an incorrect answer. In fact, that was the worst thing imaginable. So enough said about that.

But you are wise and see deeply what others can not. You know things, and one of those things you know might be the ultimate outcome of my 2022 season. Won't you give it a shot?

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

I'm getting Jamie Moyer vibes from him.

Let's say he goes 13-9, 4.04, pitches for another 10 seasons tho

[roger_that]

Sea Bass? Really?

[Bob Alpacadaca]

Leads the team in starts, innings pitched and goes 15-7 with a 3.25 ERA.

[Edgy MD]

Sea Bass? Really?

So says the man. I would have guessed "Hound" or the like.



But we get the chance to rename him this season, so let's bring our A-games.

[Lefty Specialist]

He's no hound. 13-6, 3.50 ERA

[kcmets]

Solid all year, no surprises here and pretty much smiles all 'round.

[A Boy Named Seo]

I don't know what to make of this dude. He beats his expected ERA regularly and his BABIP is always lower than it probably should be, so he's got those skills? I'm going to guess some regression and say 180 IP, 170 K, 11 wins and an era just north of 4. Outside chance he could still be our best starter.