2015 World Series
In the bottom of the first, the Mets were down 1-0. My brother and I recalled something Mike Francesa said on the air on Friday. It was along the lines of if David Wright hits a homerun in the bottom of the first, it would blow the proverbial roof off the building. He was right:
He would later add an two run single for a four RBI night:
Last night, he was the player we all loved and believed in. He wasn’t the injured player people wanted benched or moved down in the lineup. He showed why he’s the Captain. With the Mets down 2-0 in the series and 1-0 in the game, he had a huge game.
It’s fitting he came through now. He knows better than anyone on this team how fleeting these chances are. In 2006, he was on a team that was supposed to compete for a decade. It lasted three years. The highlight was a heartbreaking loss at home in Game 7 of the NLCS.
Through the crushing losses, through the lean years, Wright has been here. Cruelly, when they were ready to compete, he has a major back injury. He fought his way to come back. Last night, he might’ve started the comeback.
There’s an old saying, “Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” After losing to the Mets 9-3 yesterday, the sound you heard was glass breaking, or whining you decide.
Let’s rewind before the series. Daniel Murphy was the hottest hitter on the planet. When asked about how to pitch to him, here’s how Dave Eiland, the Royals pitching coach, responded, “He stands very close to the plate. I’ll leave it at that.” In Game 1, Murphy was pounded inside including this pitch from Edison Volquez:
Since Game 1, the Royals have continued pounding Murphy inside. It’s baseball.
Now coming into the World Series, Alcides Escobar was the American League version of Daniel Murphy. He was coming off an ALCS where he hit .478/.481./.652. The Royals leadoff hitter swung at the first pitch of every game. According to the official scorer, he lead off Game 1 of the World Series with an inside the park homerun.
Both he and the Royals have been comfortable at the plate. In Game 2, the Royals were very comfortable at the plate winning 7-1. To combat this, Noah Syndergaard said he would “have a few tricks up [his] sleeve” to deal with the free swinging Escobar and the Royals. Here was Syndergaard’s first pitch:
Here’s the still of where the ball was when it passed by Escobar:
Escobar would strike out in the at bat. He would strike out twice. The Royals lost 9-3. After a loss like that, any team would be upset. The Royals were no exception. However, I was startled by the reason. They thought Syndergaard was head hunting.
Escobar accused Syndergaard of throwing at his head. The whole team felt that Syndergaard was head hunting. For his part Syndergaard said it was the plan to go high and tight first pitch and then to drop a curveball. He would strike out out Escobar on the first pitch. When Syndergaard was informed of the Royals objections, his response was perfect:
"If they have a problem with me throwing inside, than they can meet me 60 feet, 6 inches away." Noah Syndergaard @Mets #WorldSeries
— Linda Cohn (@lindacohn) October 31, 2015
Now, I will never, ever defend head hunting. Personally, I have called out the Mets for bush league tactics. Syndergaard responsibly threw inside yesterday. It was above Escobar’s head and the ball never entered the batter’s box. Syndergaard was just keeping a red hot Escobar uncomfortable.
If Kansas City has a problem with that maybe they shouldn’t have thrown at Murphy like they inferred they would do. Until they stop throwing in high and tight on Murphy, they can be quiet.
Hey Buddy,
Tonight, Daddy is going to Game 3 of the World Series with your Uncle Pat and your grandfather, the man who you recently started calling “Pop.” Where you came up with Pop instead of Grandpa or Daideo, I’ll never know.
It crushes me that I can’t bring you with me. You’ll never know how much it does. You always come first. That’s why I wanted to bring you. I don’t know how many chances you will have to go to the World Series. It took me 35 years to go to the World Series. Your Uncle Pat 33 years. It took “Pop” 68 years. Hopefully, it won’t take that long for you.
However, I can’t bring you tonight. It’s going to be too cold. It’s too crowded. It wouldn’t be fair to you to have you sit there shivering. The FanFest area has been overcrowded during the postseason. I can’t even let you go there to run the bases or hang out with Mr. Met. It wouldn’t be fair to you to not let you be able to run around for a bit.
I know you love going to Mets games. You’re a good boy, and you actually sit there and watch the game. You’ve tried to stay up and watch these postseason games with me. I always wanted a son. I’ve always wanted him to be a Mets fan. I always wanted to go to games and share the experience of being a Mets fan with that son.
You’ve made it better than I ever could’ve imagined. It’s probably because you’re more amazing, smart, and adorable than anyone could’ve imagined. I love you more than anything, and that’s why ultimately, I can’t bring you tonight.
However, I’m going to wear the same Mets hat I wore the day you were born. I’m going to wear the Lucas Duda jersey you got me. I’m sure I will be bringing you home a souvenir of some kind. I will be making it up to you. How does Opening Day sound?
So when you’re watching the game with Mommy tonight keep an eye out for me. You never know if I’m going to be in one of the several hundred of Fox’s fan shots. Keep on cheering for Murphy and Duda. We’re going to watch the game together tomorrow night. I promise.
Love,
Daddy
P.S. Lets Go Mets!
It’s finally happening tonight. I’m going to a Mets World Series game. In my house, I have three unused tickets from 2006, 2007, and 2008. Worst yet, I was at the games that were the reason why I couldn’t used the tickets.
Tonight, there won’t be any Adam Wainwright curveballs. There won’t be any implosion from Tom Glavine. Jerry Manuel isn’t here to summon Scott Schoeneweis from the bullpen. There is nothing standing in the way from the Mets from playing a World Series game tonight. Better yet, I’m going.
I’m going with my Dad and brother. We’ve been waiting our whole lives for this moment. We were crushed when we couldn’t go in 2006 – 2008. I know I’ve carried that pain for nearly a decade now. I’ve carried that pain through all the years of bad baseball. I wasn’t sure this day would ever come. But now it’s here.
On top of all of that I get Billy Joel singing the National Anthem. I get my favorite Met of All Time, Mike Piazza, throwing out the first pitch. I get to be there when the Mets turn this series around. This is better than I ever could’ve imagined. It makes sitting there watching the Mets lose in 2006, 2007, and 2008 all worth it.
To make it all the better, I will be there with my Dad, the man who made me a Mets fan. I’ll be there with my brother. The person I’ve sat next to during all the wins and all the losses. Tonight is the night we’ve been waiting for.
LETS GO METS!
The Mets are down 2-0, and they’re coming home. If you’re not excited for tonight’s game, I’m not sure I can help you. If you’re a diehard and you’re psyched, I’m not sure I can get you more pumped up. That doesn’t mean, I’m not going to try:
LETS GO METS!
Right now, the momentum is going against the Mets in the World Series. They’re down 0-2 in the series, but momentum in baseball is the next day’s starting pitcher. For the Mets, it’s Noah Syndergaard. That spells trouble for the Royals:
Thor’s path to victory is clear. He just needs to pitch the way he has all year. He has been incredible at home going 7-2 with a 2.46 ERA, 0.821 WHIP, and a 9.2 K/9. His fastball velocity is up over 98 MPH in the postseason. He’s gone 1-1 with one hold, a 2.77 ERA, 1.077 ERA, and a 13.8 K/9. By the way, that was all on the road where he’s supposedly bad.
He keeps improving, and it’s scary. He’s the only Mets starter with increased velocity right now. It’s difficult to hit him:
Noah Syndergaard, bring the heat … map pic.twitter.com/gmSr8CtrVQ
— Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) October 30, 2015
Think the Royals are going to hit him? Think again. Thor brings a different type of heat that the Royals aren’t as successful against:
The team least likely to swing and miss at a 98+ MPH fastball this season … it wasn't the Royals. It was the Mets (13% miss rate)
— Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) October 29, 2015
Thor is coming into this game with a “few tricks upon his sleeve.” I can tell you what they are. It’s his fastball, changeup, slider, and curveball. He goes on the mound and turns the series and the narrative tonight. He’s going to bring the hammer. He’s going to have the Royals shaking their heads. He’s going to have everyone going:
Time to make this series 2-1. Lets Go Mets!
Sometimes I just don’t understand the narrative, the proverbial hot take. After Game 2, it was “Where has the Mets offense gone?” It was one game. How quickly do Mets fans forget that good pitching beats good hitting.
In Game 2, the Mets faced the mercurial Johnny Cueto. He has had success against the Mets players. I thought the Mets would hit him, but they didn’t. It shouldn’t shock anyone that Cueto did to the Mets players what he’s always done to the Mets players. However, it also shouldn’t cause panic.
Look at Game 1. The Mets put up three runs off of Edison Volquez. They collected if hits and a walk. There was no mention of layoffs or an inability to hit. The Mets even dented the Mets bullpen. They’re facing Yordano Ventura tonight.
Ventura has not been good this postseason. In two ALDS starts, he was 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA and a 1.714 WHIP. In his two ALCS starts, he recorded no decisions with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.500 WHIP. Overall, he’s 0-1 with a 5.09 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. He been hit.
The Mets will hit tonight.
Tonight it’s official. The torch has been passed. The face of the ex-Mets has officially become Mike Piazza. He’s throwing out the first pitch before the first Mets home World Series game.
This spot used to belong to Tom Seaver. He’s still the greatest Met to put on the uniform. He just might be the greatest right handed pitcher ever. That will never change. However, he’s 70 years old. We don’t know how much the Lyme disease has taken out of him. If he’s not here, it means he can’t be here. It’s sad, but that doesn’t mean he’s forgotten. However, someone needs to take up that mantle. Someone needs to throw that first pitch.
There are plenty of options from the 1986 team. With the start of SNY, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling have become even more beloved. There’s always Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden. If you’re looking for some October magic, look no further than Mookie Wilson.
But no, tonight is for your franchise’s best player. Without Seaver being available it’s Piazza. He’s the guy who was the Mets. He lead the team to the postseason in 1999 and 2000. He hit the post-9/11 homerun. He is the greatest hitting catcher of all time. He will be the second one to wear a Mets cap in the Hall of Fame. With all he’s meant to the Mets and their fans, he should be a part of this.
So while the Mets come home, so does Mike Piazza. This time he comes home as our best player just like it was in his playing days.
Coming into the postseason, Juan Lagares was nothing more than a defensive replacement. In Game 1 of the NLDS, the Mets went with Michael Cuddyer over Lagares and Michael Conforto against Clayton Kershaw.
Cuddyer was so bad in the field that the Mets haven’t given him another start. The next three times an opponent started a lefty, the Mets would go with Lagares. This is in addition to his appearances as a defensive replacement. While Lagares has not played to his usual defensive standards this postseason, he’s shined offensively.
Lagares has a triple slash line of .368/.400/.474 with six runs, two doubles, and two stolen bases. In Game 1, he created a run by singling after an extended at bat, stealing a base, and scoring on an error by Eric Hosmer. Conversely, Conforto has struggled.
After homering in his first postseason at bat against Zack Greinke, he hasn’t hit. Literally. After that homerun, Conforto is 0-19 with a walk and six strikeouts. It looks like he’s having good at bats. He’s hit some balls hard, but the results aren’t there. Yes, he’s a much better hitter than Lagares. However, Lagares is hot, and he’s cold.
Normally, Lagares would sit against the Royals Game 3 starter, Yordano Ventura, because he’s righty. However, Terry Collins doesn’t seem inclined to sit Lagares:
Terry Collins indicates good chance of Juan Lagares in CF with Yoenis Cespedes in LF, but lineup not written yet.
— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinMedia) October 29, 2015
Here, I can’t fault Collins either way. On the one hand you go with the hot bat and better glove, even if he’s not producing as much defensively as you would like. On the other you have a good hitter who just can’t buy a hit, but you know he will be good to very good defensively.
In the end, I’d lean towards Conforto. It’s what you’ve done all year. Lagares has shown he can impact a game late by coming in for defense or by being a spark plug. Also, I like Conforto’s approach right now. He’s not getting hits, but he’s working the count and varying his deliveries.
Whatever the decision, the Mets will be fine. They’re both very capable players, who have a lot to offer a team. I’m confident either or both will have a big hit it defensive play b
It’s a tough time for the Mets. They gave their all in Game 1, but they lost. They unravelled in Game 2. They’re halfway on their way to losing the World Series. It’s times like these you seemingly only have a hope and a prayer. It’s times like theses you need your guardian angel. The Mets are full in that department.
In the heavens, Nelson Doubleday sees his Mets suffering. This is the team he rescued from irrelevancy. He once took the helm and ushered in the greatest era of Mets baseball. He knows this team needs his help.
He knows he can’t do it alone, so he grabs the one man who he knows can gather together the right mix of angels to make this happen. Frank Cashen gives a nod to Mr. Doubleday, and he finds them. He sends them down to Citi Field to help and deliver a message.
You always start with a winner. It’s better to have someone who knows how to utilize a young pitching staff. How to bring them to new heights. How to lead them to a championship. He summons Gil Hodges, who under the din of Citi Field is Hodges reaching out to boost morale.
He summons Yogi Berra. Yogi can’t understand the despair, then again he knows better than anyone it gets late early in New York. The wind swirling into Citi Field reminds us, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”
For help, Yogi turns to his closer Tug McGraw. Tug is all fired up. He’s been here before with Gil and Yogi. With a loud bang in the concourse in Citi Field you can hear old Tug jumping up and down screaming, “Ya Gotta Believe.”
Cashen though knows he needs one more. Who better to turn to than the man he last turned to when he was trying to capture a World Series. Gary Carter knows what he’s there to do. You just don’t make the last out. With every crack of the bat, The Kid lets the Mets know they won’t make the last out.
With that Cashen’s work is done. He’s assembled a group of greats, a group of legends, a group of angels. They’ll be there tonight to guide the Mets to victory. They didn’t let the Mets lose without a fight before, and they won’t let it happen this time either. They’re watching over the Mets.
We all know what’s leading the Mets to victory tonight even if our human eyes will never see the hands that brought those Mets runs home.