2015 World Series
Those 90’s Braves teams were built on pitching. By any measure, the third best pitcher was John Smoltz. However, he was the best postseason pitcher. It’s a big reason why he’s in the Hall of Fame.
Curt Schilling was on the same staff as Randy Johnson with the 2001 Diamondbacks. He was on the same staff as Pedro Martinez in 2004. Again, Schilling was not as good as those legends. However, when the postseason came the manager have Schilling the ball because he was the better postseason pitcher.
Tonight, this is what is on the line for Jacob deGrom. He’s been terrific this postseason. He’s 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA, 1.000 WHIP, and a 12.2 K/9. He’s won a deciding Game 5 on the road with nothing. Now, he’s on the verge of making major league history:
https://twitter.com/bbtn/status/659434494475292673
You can argue if Matt Harvey or Noah Syndergaard are better. I have. Right now, this isn’t about who’s the better pitcher. It’s about who is the clutch pitcher. Who’s the great postseason pitcher. deGrom is on well on his way to showing he belongs in the class of Smoltz and Schilling. He can cement that status tonight.
He’s the reason Mets fans should be optimistic. He may be the reason why the Mets may win the World Series. It’s time for him to firmly establish his newly earned status as a Big Game Pitcher.
In the 14th inning, there were two pivotal plays. The first was the David Wright error allowing Alcides Escobar to score. Here’s an image of the play:
The next was Escobar scoring the winning run on a sacrifice fly that inning. Here’s why it bothers me. Neither play was reviewed. We didn’t see Terry Collins ask for a review.
What I don’t know is if the reason was because the team’s agreed to go without replay after the blackout in the telecast:
https://twitter.com/ken_rosenthal/status/659179564585889792
However, we do know that eventually replay again became available during the game:
Replay now back in both clubhouses according to MLB.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) October 28, 2015
If it was, then the Mets missed an opportunity. We’ve already seen strange things happen with replay this postseason. Are we 100% sure Lucas Duda wasn’t on the bag. It’s possible he was. We may never know because there was no replay.
If Collins thought there was replay that call needed to be replayed. It’s the 14th inning. You need to use your challenge at some point. If Collins thought there was no replay, why isn’t he out there arguing. Maybe he forces an umpire huddle and an overturn of the call. It’s not likely, but we’ve seen it happen.
If there was replay, how do you not challenge the last play of the game? I’m 99.999% sure Escobar didn’t leave early, but if he did it’s no two outs and the Mets can get out of the inning. The replays may not have changed anything, but don’t you have to at least try?
Last night was a tough loss. It was bad from the beginning. Yoenis Cespedes turns a flyball into an inside the park homerun. The Mets blew a two run lead. Yet, the Mets were in position to win Game 1. Unfortunately, Jeurys Familia blew the save with one bad pitch.
I’ll tell you what. If the Mets are in the same position again tonight, I like the Mets chances. Familia rarely blows a save. After his last blown save, he had 16 saves with a 1.30 ERA and a 1.048 WHIP. Before last night, he was 5/5 in save attempts with a 0.00 ERA and a 0.207 WHIP. He’s not blowing another save.
Also, keep in mind almost everything had to break right for the Royals to win. They had a routine flyball turn into an inside the park homerun. Matt Harvey had to blow a 3-1 lead. He doesn’t blow leads like that. Twice the Mets picked themselves off the mat and twice got the lead. As much as the Royals fought back, the Mets did as well.
Another important development was Wilmer Flores was terrific at SS last night. He made all the plays. At one point, he ranged into the hole, made a nice backhand pickup, and made a strong throw to first getting a speedy Alcides Escobar. He’s played this well since Ruben Tejada went down.
We also know Michael Cuddyer is not getting three at bats in another World Series game. In fact, it’s possible he won’t get three more at bats in total during the rest of the series. He killed two rallies. He shouldn’t be in a position to kill another rally.
Also, for all the talk of the Royals bullpen, the Mets bullpen was good. Addison Reed was terrific. Tyler Clippard needed some help from Familia, but the Mets did not allow a leadoff double to lead to a run. Jon Niese was terrific. It looks like the Mets bullpen can hold up in this series.
Speaking of bullpens, the Royals used Game 4 starter, Chris Young, for three innings. The Mets were over anxious in extra innings against him. However, it can’t hurt to have seen him once. Also, he threw 53 pitches, and he will have to come back on three days rest for Game 4.
With Johnny Cueto always being a risk for a meltdown, the Royals may need to go to the bullpen early. They will need to do it again in Game 4. The Royals terrific bullpen could quickly become taxed. Their greatest strength can quickly become a liability.
Finally, as we all know momentum is the next day’s starting pitcher. That starting pitcher is Jacob deGrom. He’s been the Mets ace. In the postseason, he is 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA, 1.000 WHIP, and a 12.2 K/9. The Mets still have the starting pitching edge. The Mets have seen the Royals up close and can adjust their pitching accordingly.
All the Mets needed in Kansas City was a split. That’s still on the table. There’s still reason for optimism. They can still win tonight.
Lets Go Mets!
Terry Collins strengths are in the clubhouse. He’s just not a good in game manager. For the second time this postseason, he’s made decisions that cost the Mets the game.
Not Starting Lagares in CF
The first pitch of the game was a flyball to left center. It was Yoenis Cespedes‘ ball. Since he’s come here, he’s run Michael Conforto off balls like that. Any CF would, it’s an easy play. He turned it into an inside the park homerun.
Cespedes said he looked at Conforto and lost ball. Did not call for it. Back-handed attempt was just to try to get it.
— Matt Ehalt (@MattEhalt) October 28, 2015
This does not happen if Juan Lagares is playing. A million times over, he’s a better CF than Cespedes. If someone suggests otherwise they know nothing about baseball. The Mets would recover from this, but it shouldn’t have come to that.
Michael Cuddyer Got Three ABs
I’ll admit when Michael Cuddyer pinch hit for Kelly Johnson, I was on board even if the Mets were removing their backup SS. The Royals brought in the left Danny Duffy. It was the right move even if Cuddyer watched a fastball go right down the middle of the plate for strike three.
My problem arose when he got at bats after that. We all know Cuddyer hasn’t been good in the playoffs. He’s looked old and slow. He still got three ABs in Game 1. He ended a rally striking out again in the eighth. He struck out again in the 11th with Lagares in scoring position.
It wasn’t until the 13th that Collins figured out what we all knew: Cuddyer wasn’t getting a hit. By that time the damage was done as Cuddyer had already killed two rallies.
DHing Kelly Johnson
With the Mets roster construction, Johnson is the backup SS. This meant that once he was put in the lineup as DH, the Mets didn’t have their best defensive outfield, nor did they truly have Juan Uribe available.
Urbe was the only backup IF available. Uribe has to be held back just in case. At a minimum, it meant Uribe could not be the first bat off the bench. Collins was forced to pinch hit Cuddyer by his own lineup. I’m not saying Uribe comes through in any of the three situations. He’s had a longer layoff than Cuddyer. What I’m saying is why put him on the roster and not be in a position to use him?
Overall by DHing Johnson, you weaken your defense and limit your bench. It doesn’t make sense. Couple that with the inside the park homerun and Cuddyer killing two rallies, it might’ve cost the Mets the game.
Bunting Flores
Lost in the loss was a great game by Lagares. He set up a run in the eighth with a basehit and a stolen base. He would score when Eric Hosmer couldn’t field Wilmer Flores‘ hard hit bouncer. As we know, this rally would end with a Cuddyer strikeout.
In the eleventh, Lagares lays down a beautiful bunt to get aboard to leadoff the inning. Up comes Flores. It’s true Flores was hitless in the game, but he had good at bats. He was robbed of a extra base hit in the sixth that would’ve expanded the then 3-1 lead. Batting behind him was the 0-2 with two strikeouts lost at the plate Cuddyer. Naturally, he has Flores bunt Lagares over to second.
We know what happens next – Cuddyer strikes out. Effectively, the Mets handed the Royals two outs. Putting aside the statistical data saying sac bunts are a bad idea, it was just a bad move. If you were watching that game you had to say, there’s no way Cuddyer gets a hit here. So why bunt the runner over for him? It does the make sense.
Flores has pop in his bat. He didn’t have a hit, but he was hitting the ball hard and was taking good at bats. Bunting him in that spot showed no sense of the stats, and it showed Collins had no feel for the game.
Going Too Long with Colon
I’ll give Collins some credit. He managed the pitching staff well into the 14th inning. I had no problem with him replacing Jeurys Familia with Jon Niese. Niese was terrific for two innings. I would’ve gone the extra inning, but with him not pitching that much over the past month, I understood pulling him.
I also understood using Bartolo Colon next. However, it was either a bad matchup, or he didn’t have it. All three innings he pitched in, he was in trouble. He was bending, and he finally broke in the 14th.
At that time, the Mets still had not used Hansel Robles or Sean Gilmartin. If you check my Twitter feed, you will see I first guessed Colon pitching to Hosmer with the bases loaded and no outs.
First, Robles has a 10.2 regular season K/9. It was 12.1 in the second half. He’s a better bet to get the strikeout. Second, Robles pitches extremely well against lefties limiting them to .167/.214/.346 triple slash line. Third, Robles is capable of pitching multiple innings, if necessary.
Instead, Collins again showed a remarkable lack of feel for the game by sending Colon out for his third inning and/or letting him face Hosmer. You let Robles try to get out of the jam. Then you still have another well rested long man in Gilmartin to take over. Maybe the Mets still lose; maybe they don’t.
Overall, it was the players on the field who lost. They relinquished 3-1 and 4-3 leads. However, Collins never put them in a position to succeed. It’s why they lost Game 1. Collins can’t have another one of these games, nor can the Mets.
Even after last night debacle, the Mets were close to winning. They were in the exact position they wanted to be in, but it didn’t work out. Everyone needs to be better tonight, Collins especially. They can be.
Lets Go a Mets!
Coming into this game, neither the Mets nor the Royals had won the first game in the World Series. Last night into this morning, they turned it into an art form.
This is now the longest Game 1 (innings-wise) in #WorldSeries history. #NYMvsKC
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 28, 2015
Ultimately, the game came down to Chris Young and Bartolo Colon. One was as tall as the other one was wide. While Young was mowing down the Mets, Colon was on a tightrope. He finally fell through allowing a sac fly in the 14th. The winning runner was on base after a Wright error and no challenge. The game was just sheer torture. Prior to this, there was an actual baseball game.
The game did not start the way Matt Harvey and the Mets wanted. Yoenis Cespedes misplayed a fly ball out into an Alcides Escobar inside the park homerun. The first in the World Series since a player named Mule Haas in the 1929 World Series.
This would kill most teams, but these Mets have shown themselves to be resilient. Travis d’Arnaud singled in Daniel Murphy in the fourth. Curtis Granderson homered in the fifth. Conforto hit a sac fly scoring Cespedes in the sixth.
Harvey was good tonight. Not great. Not bad. Just good. He pitched six innings allowing five hits, three earned, two walks, and two strikeouts. He was handed a two run lead in the sixth and couldn’t hold it.
After one run scored, he had a chance to get out of it with Mike Moustakas at the plate. Harvey stuck with the offspeed pitches and was seemingly pitching around him to get to Salvador Perez with first base open. A changeup caught too much of the plate, and Moustakas got the RBI single an inning after he made a diving stop to prevent a possible RBI double. From the seventh inning on, it was a battle of the bullpens.
Remember, the biggest advantage the Royals had this series was the bullpen and team defense. Kelvin Herrera was lighting up the radar gun. He had two outs in the eight when Juan Lagares came to the plate. He was in the game as a defensive replacement for Michael Conforto. Mets fans collectively groaned.
Lagares had a terrific at bat fighting off everything Herrera had. He got a single. He then barely stole second, and then this happened:
Actually, no, but it was close.
Wilmer Flores hit a chopper towards Eric Hosmer, who tried to backhand it. It went through him, and the Mets grabbed a 4-3 lead. In a shock to everyone, Jeurys Familia blew the save on a Alex Gordon to homer in the ninth. It was a rare blown save:
Jeurys Familia had converted 21 straight save chances entering day
Last one came day before Mets trade for Cespedes (July 30 vs Padres)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 28, 2015
Jon Niese came on to pitch in the game he was born to pitch in. Niese was born the day the Mets won the World Series. Well, he pitched like he was born for the moment. He went three innings holding the Royals at bay.
As we know it wasn’t enough. After watching it part of me wishes the TV stayed off.
However, the Mets hung in there. They’re resilient, and they have Jacob deGrom tonight. All they need is a split. It’s still on the table. I just hope Collins is better. The Mets generally need to be better.
They will. They just need to show the same resiliency they’ve shown in this game and all year.
My son woke up this morning, and said to me, “Mets?” I said not now. It’ll be on tonight. His next said to me, “Murphy homerun!” If I wasn’t excited enough, I became more excited. This was a very good sign. We sang “Meet the Mets” in the car this morning. It’s funny, he’s only lived in a world where the Mets are good. These are wonderful times indeed.
This has all gotten my wife excited. She sees what it means to me. She knows how much our son loves baseball. She comes from a family that never followed sports. Now, she’s correcting people at work about baseball. She actually referenced my blog in correcting someone spewing garbage about the layoff. It’s no wonder I tell her everyday she’s perfect.
My Dad, the reason, I’m a Mets fan is more excited about the Mets than I’ve ever seen him. He’s an original vendor at Shea Stadium. He lived through 1969 and 1986. He’s more excited than that. I get daily “Lets Go Mets” and “Going to Kansas City” texts. I want this for him more than anyone else.
My brother made sure to get his postseason hat as the postseason began. It is a tradition we started at Game 5 of the 1999 NLDS. We used to call it “the hat.” It was good luck. Then the Mets lost the final game in 2007 and 2008. Once Robin Ventura autographed the hat two years ago, it went into retirement. He’s got his new hat, and he’s convinced the Mets are winning the World Series this year.
Me? This has been better than I ever could’ve imagined. I had no grandfathers when the 1986 Mets won, not that I remember it anyway. When the Mets were in the 2000 World Series happened, I was away at college in Western New York. If they were interested in baseball they were Yankees, Blue Jays, or Braves fans. I was alone.
This year I’ve watched nearly every game with my son. I’ve been able to go to games with him, my Dad, and brother. We will all be going to Game Three together (weather permitting for the little guy). I could never imagine watching a Mets World Series game with my Dad, my brother, and my son. It really doesn’t get any better than that.
This is what baseball is. It’s fathers and sons. It’s your family getting together and sharing the experience. It’s sitting there recalling games and moments past. I’m going to be there with my father and son. I will be there with my brother. These are the Mets fans I care about most. I owe a debt of gratitude to the 2015 Mets for making this happen.
Lets Go Mets!
Just like the NLDS, all the Mets have to do is split on the road. After the first two games, the Mets will have Noah Syndergaard for Game 3 in Citi Field.
This is a tremendous advantage for the Mets. Thor is 7-2 with a 2.43 ERA, 0.821 WHIP, and a 9.2 K/9 at home. In the playoffs, he’s 1-1 with a one hold, a 2.77 ERA, 1.077 WHIP, and a 13.8 K/9. In his one postseason start at home, in three days rest, he pitched 5.2 innings allowing 3 hits, 1 earned, 1 walk, and 9 K. I don’t care if the Royals feel Yordano Ventura is their ace. Thor is better.
Ventura in four starts this postseason is 0-1 this postseason with a 5.09 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. How am I to believe he will shut down a Mets team that is raking this postseason. Then after this, you can call Game Four a coin flip between Steven Matz and old friend Chris Young. After this, the rotations flip, and the Mets continue their strong starting pitching advantage.
Overall, the more I think about it, this is like 1969. The Mets weren’t supposed to be there. They were underdogs. They started the franchise, Tom Seaver, in Game One. He was the Cy Young Award winner. The Mets superstar and best chance of winning. The Mets lost Game One, and it seemed the sweep was on.
The Mets had a strong young pitching staff that went beyond just Seaver. Jerry Koosman flipped the script with a dominant Game Two performance. The Mets then took care of the Orioles in five.
The moral of the story is the Mets just need to split in Kansas City, and they are in great shape to win this World Series. I think they will win.
LETS GO METS!
Everything that happened in August was leading up to tonight. Matt Harvey is starting Game 1 of the World Series. It shouldn’t be any other way.
After last season, Harvey promised Terry Collins the Mets would be here:
Terry Collins said after the game @MattHarvey33 came up to him & said "We're going to do it next year." Terry added "Matt doesn't lie to me"
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 28, 2014
He delivered in that promise. He pitched deep in the NL East clincher. He gutted through a pivotal Game 3 of the NLDS. He threw down the gauntlet in Game 1 of the NLCS setting the tone for a sweep of the Cubs. I honestly don’t think anyone else should be on the mound tonight.
This is what Harvey was talking about when he promised he would pitch in the playoffs. This is why it was the smart move to sacrifice a meaningless game to get Harvey ready. This is the reward for Harvey has working so hard in his Tommy John rehab to get to this point. However, it’s more than a reward. He’s earned this. He’s been terrific this year.
He will be terrific tonight. He’s got the stuff to beat the Royals. He’s got the determination. You think he will be good tonight?
Mets’ Matt Harvey will start on 9 days’ rest. He has not allowed a run in 3 previous starts on 9+ days’ rest (excluding season debuts).
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 27, 2015
There’s only one thing to say now:
Happy Harvey World Series Day!
First pitch is slated for 8:07, which means the game will probably start around 9:00. It doesn’t matter the time because Mets fans have been waiting for that pitch seemingly all their lives. Stepping up to the plate will be Curtis Granderson.
It’s fitting that it’ll be Granderson. Granderson was the first offensive player to sign on. Yes, the Mets had David Wright, but he had not signed his extension yet. We didn’t know if Daniel Murphy would be traded or not. Lucas Duda had not yet wrestled first base away from Ike Davis. Seriously, all we knew at that time was Granderson was going to be the RF for four years.
Granderson was the first offensive player to really sign on for all of this. Except for Wright and Murphy, the team has changed all around him. He has been the Mets regular season MVP. He has been terrific this postseason. This year he’s been everything you could’ve asked him to be.
He’s going to step in the box and kick off the World Series for the Mets. It’s fitting since he was the first position player to sign on for this.
He’s worked hard to get to this point, and the Mets have rewarded the work by adding Juan Uribe to the World Series roster:
Juan Uribe is on the #Mets World Series roster. Matt Reynolds is off.
— Steve Gelbs (@SteveGelbs) October 27, 2015
The Case for Uribe
This team turned around with the Uribe trade. He’s been on World Series winners in 2005 and 2010. You’re hoping for a little five year luck there.
Unlike most teams, the Royals have two lefties in the pen with Danny Duffy and Franklin Morales. Adding Uribe gives the Mets an extra right handed bat off the bench. After Michael Cuddyer the Mets can turn to Uribe. This allows Juan Lagares to be a defensive replacement, and Kevin Plawecki to be ready for a Travis d’Arnaud injury. Don’t worry I tapped on every piece of wood within the nearest square mile after typing that.
Additionally, it lengthens the bench. In a way, it’s amazing the Mets playing with a 24 man roster never caught up with them. In actuality, there was no way Matt Reynolds was going to play. At least now, the Mets don’t have a dead roster spot.
I have to say it’s a pretty convincing case. I still don’t like the move.
The Case Against Uribe
The last time the Mets thought Uribe could go, he exacerbated his chest injury. If that happens in the World Series, the Mets will be burning through 3-4 players in one at bat (original player, Uribe, new batter, defensive replacement). If this happens in Citi Field, this team is in real trouble.
The next reason is your backup SS is now Kelly Johnson. He’s only played one game at SS, and that was this year. He’s the DH in Game One. If anything happens to Wilmer Flores, the Mets have a terrible choice to make. Do you lose the DH? Do you move David Wright and his back there? Do you put Uribe there? Or my personal favorite:
Is everyone forgetting they can put Jacob deGrom at SS in a pinch?
— Joe DeMayo (@PSLToFlushing) October 27, 2015
Yes, the Mets can put Reynolds on the roster for the injured player, but that’s only AFTER the game. If anything happens to Flores, you’re playing a game without a SS [insert Flores isn’t a SS jokes here]. How quickly the Mets have forgotten that Flores almost had to leave Game 4 of the NLCS after hitting his head.
Furthermore, you’re risking a lot for someone who’s not a terrific hitter. In his playoff career, he has hit .204/.241/.338. As a Met, he has hit .219/.301/.430. As a pinch hitter this year, he has hit .190/.320/.333. He’s 0-4 this year as a DH. It’s just too much to risk for someone that really only plays third and just doesn’t hit the way you think he does.
Yes, he can change a game and a series with one swing of the bat. It still doesn’t change the fact that this move is extremely risky. I hope he does not only because he’s a Mets fan, but also he’s a big part of this team.