In Jacob deGrom‘s first start of the year, he went out and dominated the Phillies. Normally, this would be reason to celebrate because it’s a sign deGrom is picking up where he left off last season. Unfortunately, there were some real problems with the start.
Most importantly, deGrom left the start with right lat tightness. This was the latest injury deGrom has had this year. During Spring Training, deGrom also a sore thigh and a stiff back. Neither of the latter two injuries prevented him from getting ready for the 2016 season or taking the mound against the Phillies. He’s been nicked up, but as of right now, there is no discussion of putting deGrom on the disabled list.
There’s something important to note here. deGrom is suffering from a TIGHT lat, not a TORN lat like Steven Matz suffered last year. Any discussion of deGrom missing any period of time is very premature.
With that said, you are left to wonder if any one of these injuries, or a combination thereof, has helped cause deGrom’s drop in velocity.
After a 2015 season in which deGrom averaged a 96 MPH fastball, his velocity has noticeably dipped this year. During Spring Training, deGrom was throwing his fastball between 91 – 93 MPH. Despite hopes that he could ramp it up during the regular season, deGrom’s fastball only averaged 93 MPH. So while he ramped it up a bit, we was still three MPH slower than where he was last year.
It’s natural to question if the dip in velocity is due to deGrom getting nicked up here and there. On MLB Tonight, Pedro Martinez presented an alternative theory. He thinks deGrom is dropping his arm when he’s pitching thereby causing the decreased velocity. Therefore, if deGrom improves his mechanics, he should be able to regain his velocity.
Even if deGrom never finds his velocity, he can still be a very effective pitcher. In 2014, deGrom’s fastball averaged somewhere between 93 – 94 MPH. That year, he was 9-6 with a 2.69 ERA in 22 starts. By the way, this was good enough for him to be named the National League Rookie of the Year.
While deGrom’s health and velocity is something to keep an eye on, we do know that deGrom can pitch very effectively even without the 96 MPH fastball. Most likely, deGrom just needs a day or two off to get some rest. Hopefully, he gets it now because once his son is born, he’s not getting any rest or sleep.
This has been a difficult start to the season, and I don’t mean just because of the Mets perplexing series loss to the Phillies.
No, with the early season schedule it has been difficult to watch the games. I caught Opening Day and Saturday’s game. However, I had to listen to the two weekday games on the radio at work. Today, it was a nice sunny day, and I couldn’t sit inside all day inside with my son. He wanted to go out and do things. He may love watching the Mets, but it’s very difficult to get a toddler to sit still inside on a nice day.
So, instead we drove to the Boardwalk and had some fun. Through the miracles of technology, I was able to listen to the game on the radio. However, my main focus was my son. It has to be. I got distracted from the game. I was aware that the Mets were losing. I had a concept of what was happening. That’s the benefit of listening to Howie Rose instead of John Sterling. By the way, Howie was again great today. However, I didn’t get a feel for the game.
Instead, my son and I were getting a good feel for the rings at the ring toss:
We were told that only 10-15 people win a year. We were told no one has won this year. We were undeterred. Unlike the Mets batters against what can be a historically bad Phillies bullpen, we came to win. As the Mets were going down meekly in the bottom of the ninth, a ring was floating in the air. When the ring landed, we were the Top Banana:
It’s funny. In 2012 and 2013, I couldn’t imagine listening to a Mets game on the radio when I wasn’t at work. My wife and I would’ve run our errands after the game was over. She would be rolled her eyes, but she understands. And that’s when the Mets were bad.
Now, when the Mets may be in their way to winning another World Series, I couldn’t have been happier being out and about with my son. I’m thrilled to have this giant banana that I have no room for in my house. Normally, the Mets losing two out of three to the Phillies would’ve ruined my day, weekend, and/or life. Now, I’m very irritated at the losses, but I was able to quickly get past it because I had a great day out with my son.
There are days where being a parent is trying. However, an average run of the mill fun day like this makes it all worthwhile. You’re able to put things in their proper perspective. You can still enjoy your day after the Mets do all they can do to ruin it. Fatherhood makes you a better person. You get so many positive things out of the experience.
And sometimes, if you’re lucky, you go home with a giant banana.
Well, that happened quickly. I think Mets fans took longer to boo Bobby Bonilla and Jason Bay than they have Yoenis Cespedes. Cespedes has gone from a conquering hero to getting booed within just four regular season games.
Part of this is created by the fans’ unrealistic expectations. Cespedes came to the Mets last year, and he hit .287/.337/.604 with 17 homeruns and 44 RBI in just 57 games. Everytime he stepped to the plate last year, you expected magic. Whether Mets fans admit it or not, they’re expecting [or desperately hoping] for more of the same this year. It’s just not going to happen. Cespedes is a career .270/.319/.484 hitter. Prior to 2015, he averaged 24 homeruns and 81 RBI. He’s a career .234/.298/.477 hitter at Citi Field.
What Mets fans saw last year was not the real Cespedes. To hold him to that standard is unfair and unrealistic. Similarly, Cespedes’ struggles so far this season is also not the real Cespedes.
There is no doubt Cespedes has had a rough start to the season. On his first play of the season, he dropped an easy out giving Mets fans flashbacks to the inside-the-park homerun created by his lacksadasical play. At the plate, he has not been good, and at times, he has appeared overmatched. So far, he is 2-16 with seven strikeouts. With all that said, Mets fans have an awfully short leash if they’re starting to boo him.
Yes, it is too soon to boo him. However, it is not too soon to be concerned.
Last year, Cespedes removed himself from Game Four of the NLCS with an aggravated AC joint. With the shoulder injury, Cespedes would hit .150/.143/.150 with son extra base hits and six strikeouts in what was for him a forgettable World Series.
During Spring Training, Cespedes felt a twinge in the same shoulder. Additionally, he dealt with a sore hip. These two issues caused Cespedes to only miss one game. However, Cespedes was dealing with some injuries that could affect his ability to make solid contact. In fact, he’s one of a few players in baseball who have yet to have one hard hit ball this season.
Another issue that could be affecting Cespedes is his approach at the plate. Hitting Coach Kevin Long worked with Cespedes to focus on driving the ball up the middle and the other way rather than pulling the ball as ferociously as he did with the Mets last year. At times this year, Cespedes has looked lost or crossed up at the plate.
So no, it is not time to boo Cespedes. It is way too soon in the season. However, with his injuries and changing approach at the plate, it’s not too soon to get nervous about Cespedes.
Editor’s Note: this was first published on metsmerizedonline.com
It was a cold windy night at Citi Field. If you’ve been to one of those games, especially in the Promenade, you’re freezing. About the only thing colder than those fans tonight were the bats.
While the Phillies are going to be terrible this year, perhaps ’62 Mets terrible, we did get a glimpse of the hope for the Phillies future. Vincent Velasquez started for the Phillies, and he absolutely dominated the Mets. He allowed only three hits, three walks, and he struck out nine in six innings.
It’s not fluke for Velasquez. He’s a prospect with a high ceiling. Tonight, he featured a filthy curveball and a fastball with life. More importantly, he was locating those pitches. While facing the Phillies 19 years will be fun, facing Velasquez both this year and the years to come will be unpleasant.
As for Velasquez’s counterpart, Bartolo Colon, Mets fans were treated to the full Colon experience. He dominated a bad ballclub. He pounded the strike zone while fastballs in the high 80’s. Shockingly, he did get one up to 92 MPH. He didn’t allow a walk while striking out seven. He also lost his batting helmet while swinging and missing at a pitch. Furthermore, Colon made a terrific play in the field:
They don’t call him #BigSexy for nothing! pic.twitter.com/WP9FLaqvuT
— MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) April 10, 2016
The only mistake he made was a pitch to Ryan Howard that was deposited in the left field stands for the Phillies only run of the game.
Now, this run should not have held up. The Phillies have an abominable bullpen. In the eighth inning, David Hernandez was erratic. Asdrubal Cabrera, Yoenis Cespedes, and Lucas Duda got to three balls in the count. None of them reached base.
The Mets are allowed to lose a game. They’re allowed to not hit when a pitcher like Velasquez is just dealing. However, this Phillies bullpen is dreadful. They were wild and gave the Mets very hittable pitches. If the Mets want to win the division, they need to take advantage of these opportunities. You cannot be shut out by this Phillies team. It’s inexcusable.
Some important notes on the Mets. The team was smart in sitting David Wright on a cold windy day. Travis d’Arnaud threw out another would be basestealer. Teams seem to be adjusting to Michael Conforto by pounding him inside. Conforto would go 0-3 with a strikeout against Velasquez. Hansel Robles pitched to Cameron Rupp without any incident. Cespedes continues to struggle starting the year 2-16 with seven strikeouts. He received some boos.
On June 1, 2012, Johan Santana threw the first no-hitter in Mets history with a surgically repaired shoulder.
The shoulder injury cost Santana the entire 2011 season, and the Mets wanted to be cautious with their ace in 2012. He was in the middle of a six year $137.5 million contract. The Mets certainly wanted to see Santana pitch effectively to the end of the contract. Accordingly on that rainy June night, Santana was supposed to be limited to 110 – 115 pitches. Santana threw his 115th pitch with two outs in the eighth inning.
Terry Collins checked with Santana each step of the way. Santana was not going to let Collins pull him from the game. Santana fought hard to reach this point and getting this no-hitter was his reward. Finally, on his 134th pitch, Santana became the first ever Met to throw a no-hitter. Instead of jubilation, Collins openly wept in the post game press conference. He admitted he kept thinking about what effect this could have on Santana’s career. He said, “It was without a doubt, the worst night I’ve ever spent in baseball.”
After that fateful night, Santana would made 10 more starts. He went 3-7 with an 8.27 ERA. Batters hit .327/.377/.587 against him. He averaged just under five innings per start. He was shut down in August. He needed a second shoulder surgery in the offseason. He hasn’t thrown another pitch in the majors since then. His career effectively ended one glorious rainy night when he was 33 years old.
Looking back at the moment five years later, Santana still has no regrets.
Last night, in his fifth ever game as a manager, Dave Roberts was in the same position Collins was almost six years ago. Ross Stripling was looking to become the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in his first ever start since 1892 when Bumpus Jones did it.
Unlike Jones, Stripling has had Tommy John surgery. This was only his 15th start since the surgery, and the first one this season. Heading into the start, it was determined he would be limited to 100 pitches. He reached the hundredth pitch with one out in the eight inning. He was five outs from history. Dave Roberts came out of the dugout and pulled Striplng from the game. Roberts decided Stripling’s future was worth more than just this one game:
Dave Roberts: "Under no circumstance am I going to even consider putting his future in jeopardy."
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) April 9, 2016
The San Francisco crowd booed. People watching the game on television were in disbelief. Many felt it was karma that the Dodgers lost the no-hitter and the lead when the very next batter homered. About the only person on the planet who agreed with Dave Roberts was Ross Stripling:
Ross Stripling: "As far as getting taken out, I think it was the right choice. i was tired."
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) April 9, 2016
It begs the question – who made the right decision? Collins or Roberts?
Fact is, we’ll never know. If Collins lifts Santana after his 115th pitch, he may still have needed shoulder surgery. If Stripling threw 134 or more pitches last night, he may have felt no ill effects. He might’ve had a long and healthy career. With that said, there could be room for both Collins and Roberts to have been right in the decisions they made.
Collins let a player who fought so hard to get to this point have his moment of glory. Roberts might’ve robbed a young player of his moment, but he also might’ve made a decision that could allow Stripling to pitch 10 plus years in the majors.
Admittedly, I wanted Stripling to continue pitching. I wanted to see history be made. However, I will not say I was shocked at the decision. For better or worse, this is the culture of baseball. Everyone pays more attention to pitch counts. Pitch counts are around because organizations look for ways to prevent pitcher injuries. Pitch counts are a part of the game.
Keep in mind, if you ask any Mets fans how many pitches Santana threw in his no-hitter, they will answer 134 without hesitation. They will do it much in the same way Dodger fans will forever know Stripling threw 100 pitches in his first ever start.
Shortly after the Mets won the NL East, the Mets sought to cash-in on the opportunity by selling champagne bottles and corks from the team’s celebration. To be fair, other teams did it too, but it feels different when it’s the Mets.
Now, the Mets and Jostens are taking it to the next level:
You were a part of the team all season! Purchase your own National League Champions ring >> https://t.co/Mamj1PjdMR pic.twitter.com/kxGTh55sMv
— New York Mets (@Mets) April 7, 2016
First off, I’d like to note how the Mets went with Jostens. If Jostens sounds familiar, they should. They’re the company that made that cheap over-priced high school graduation ring of yours. You know the design. Giant fake stone on top, year on one side, and some design on the other. I’m happy to see they didn’t stray too far from that pattern here.
A team like the New York Giants went with Tiffany for their championships rings, but I digress.
Jostens has created a 2015 Mets Championship Fan Collection. Put aside your feelings on whether the collection looks good or not. That’s subjective. Regardless of whether you like it or not, the collection is overpriced, and you can better spend your money elsewhere.
Note, I don’t go through the Women’s collection because neither my wife nor mother would want any of it. If anyone’s going to buy stuff like this, it’s me. As you’ll see, no, I will not be buying anything from the collection.
Let’s start with the $39.00 key ring.
First of all, let’s be honest – $39.00 for a key ring is absurd. It’s even worse when it’s made out of “non-precious metals” (i.e. tin or titanium). If you go Amazon, you can get a Mets keychain that also serves as a bottle opener for $7.53. It not only serves the same purpose, but it’s also more useful.
In terms of Mets tickets, $39.00 can get you Promenade Infield tickets to a Mets game this weekend. For a dollar more, you can sit in the Field Box for a mid-week game.
The next item on the list is a $199.00 paperweight:
At least this uses Swarovski crystals which have some value. However, why do you need to spend $199.00 to hold papers down on a desk? Is your office located in a wind tunnel? Are there no rocks available outside that you can use to hold down the papers that are in no threat to go flying off your desk?
Instead, for that same $199.00 you can sit in the Delta Club when the Mets play the Royals in June. These seats are behind homeplate, and it gives you access to the Delta Sky360 Club. At some point, you may be able to pick up an authentic rock – or paperweight – from Citi Field to hold down your papers.
Next up are the priced all over the spectrum cuff links:
Before discussing price, did you notice something about these cuff links? They don’t have anything denoting these are the 2015 National League Champions cuff links. In essence, these are really just Mets cuff links with a discolored interlocking NY. However, unlike when you go to a jewelry store to purchase a set of cuff links, you can “customize” these:
- White Lustrium & Cubic Zirconia – $269.00
- Silver Elite & Cubic Zirconia – $399.00
- White Lustrium & Diamonds – $1,369.00
- Silver Elite & Diamonds – $1,499.00
- 10K White Gold & Cubic Zirconia – $1,509.00
- 10K White Gold & Diamonds – $2,609.00
Well, that’s quite a range. You could spend anywhere from $269.00 to $2,609.00 for effectively something that does the same thing – it keeps your shirt sleeves fastened while effectively preventing you from rolling up your sleeves and getting some real work done.
As we know from the paperweight, you can get tickets to the Delta Club for the price of the White Lustrium (by the way I must’ve missed that metal on the Periodic Table of Elements) and Cubic Zirconium cuff links. If you upgraded to the silver, you could get the Promenade Reserved 20 Game Weekday Plan or a ticket to the Hyundai Club seats for a Mets-Yankee game. The Hyundai club also includes free food for the game.
Once you start talking diamonds (A WHOLE 0.150 CARATS!), you’re talking some really good season ticket plan options. For the White Lustrium and Diamonds, you can purchase the following:
- Excelsior Box 20 Game Plan (Sunday, Saturday, or Weekday)
- Promenade Infield Weekend or Promenade Gold Weekday Half Season Plan
- Promenade Infield Full Season Plan
As you move up the line towards 10K Gold and Diamonds, you can get the same plans in better seat locations. If you got the “top of the line” cuff links, you can get a full season ticket plan in the Field Reserved.
Now that we’re at the higher priced options, here’s the Mets Tag necklace:
As you have the option to customize it, the price of this varies. By the way, you have to love the gaul it takes to make jewelery in the fashion of an identification for soldiers in the event they die. Who knows the reason why they went in this direction? Maybe this is a relica of what they give you when you enlist with The 7 Line Army.
Depending on how you choose to customize this necklace, the cost will be as follows:
- Silver Elite & Cubic Zirconia – $649.00
- Silver Elite & Diamonds – $779.00
- 10K White Gold & Cubic Zirconia – $2,469.00
- 10K Gold & Diamonds – $2,599.00
They don’t give you the carats for the diamonds because you don’t want to know. By the way, think of the caliber of diamonds they are using if it costs only $130 more than cubic zirconia.
This necklace is so expensive, we are now in the realm of season ticket plans no matter which option you select. If you do the cheapest necklace route, it’s the equivalent of the Coke Corner 20 game Sunday Plan, a Promenade Infield 20 game Saturday Plan, or a Field Reserved 20 game Weekday Plan. You also could purchase a Promenade Reserved Weekday Half Season Plan.
Naturally, as you move to “Silver Elite” to 10K White Gold, the level of ticket plans you can get is much better. If you selected the White Gold and Diamonds, you could purchase with the same amount of money:
- Metropolitan Box 20 Game Saturday Plan
- Metropolitan Silver 20 Game Sunday Plan
- Metropolitan Silver 20 Game Weekday Plan
- Baseline Silver Weekend Half Season Plan
- Field Box Weekday Half Season Plan
- Field Reserved Season Tickets
By the way, how elite is this silver if it’s worth about $2,000 less than white gold?
Finally, we’re at the piece de resistance:
You can get your very own knockoff -sorry replica – National League Champions ring. Before reading, scroll back up to the paperweight. Yes, they look different. It’s understandable. Even though everything else is overpriced, to replicate the actual ring with diamonds or cubic zirconium would’ve been cost prohibitive. Note, they don’t tell you what that big blue stone in the middle is.
Like some of the other options, you can decide between the metal and the stones. However, unlike the other items, you can personalize the ring with your name or whatever else you decide. Here are the price breakdowns:
- White Lustrium – $349.00
- Silver Elite – $799.00
- 10K White Gold – $4,889.00
There’s no difference in price between ring sizes. It costs the same whether you have fat fingers or slender piano player fingers. Also, it costs nothing extra to have the ring engraved. Based upon what’s already covered, we know based upon these prices you can sit in the Hyundai Club or get full season tickets.
But hold on one second. The white gold ring costs $4,889.00! Seriously? That’s any 20 game plan in the Hyundai Club. Your half season plan is in the Metropolitan Box on weekends and Metroploitan Silver on weekends. Your full season ticket plan is in the Field Box. With that money, you can probably buy a jersey that never should’ve been sold in the first place.
If this doesn’t convince you to buy tickets, or spend your hard earned money otherwise, ask yourself a question: when will you ever wear any of this? If you’re going to wear the stuff, ignore my sarcasm and snark. Go buy it. However, I really find it hard to believe you will wear a National League Champions ring anywhere. Think about it. When did you last wear your high school graduation ring? You actually earned that one.
If the Mets won the World Series, I’d probably buy all of this garbage. I think when the Giants won Super Bowl XLII, I purchased a Super Bowl Champions dog water dish, and I don’t even own a dog (I didn’t).
With that said, save your money right now. You’re going to need it for World Series tickets this year and the 2016 World Series Champion Fan Collection.
Last year, we were all spoiled by Matt Harvey‘s return from Tommy John surgery. Even if it took him almost a full season to find his slider, he pitched well, and he was healthy all year. We forgot that he had major surgery and issues can arise during either the surgery or rehabilitation period.
We forgot about former Mets like Jason Isringhausen, who had three Tommy John surgeries. We forgot about Jeremy Hefner, who was rehabbing from his Tommy John surgery at the same time as Harvey. During his rehab, something went wrong, and he had to have a second Tommy John surgery. Mets released him, and now he’s working his way back to the majors through the Cardinals’ organization. Harvey made us forget about all that could go wrong.
Now, there are reports that Zack Wheeler needed to have minor surgery to remove a stitch that didn’t resolve from his Tommy John surgery. He’s going to need two weeks off to allow the wound to heal. He’s now at least two more weeks further away from pitching in the 2016 season.
It’s a reminder that while we all look forward to Wheeler toeing the rubber again, it’s far from a foregone conclusion that’ll happen. There’s still every possibility that Wheeler could have another setback on his road back. In reality, until further notice, Bartolo Colon is the Mets’ fifth starter. Overall, anything the Mets get from Wheeler this year is an unexpected bonus.
We forgot all of that during Harvey’s 2015 season. We’re now reminded of it again. Let’s all wish Wheeler a speedy recovery and wait for the day that he’s once again pitching for the Mets . . . whenever that might be.
When I woke up this morning and went to my car to head to work, I noticed some droplets of rain on my car. Last night, there was rain that fall from the very heavens where Bob Murphy now resides.
It reminded me of those days growing up listening to Murphy call a game on the radio as my family was in the car, or when we had a barbeque and listened to the game during those hot summer days and nights. Undoubtedly, when there were clouds in the sky, Murphy would describe the high cumulonimbuses in the sky. On a day like today, he would say, “The sun is shining. The sky is blue. It’s a beautiful day for baseball.” It always was a beautiful day for baseball when you got to hear Murphy call a game.
The Mets and their fans were blessed to have Murphy call games beginning in their first season all the way until 2003.
His retirement would begin a three year stretch with no Murphys in the Mets organization. It lasted until 2006 when Daniel Murphy was drafted by the team. Like his predecessor, he left his own indelible mark on the franchise, but his stay was not as long nor was it as impactful. As the Mets play their home opener today, it’s just strange to think the Mets won’t have a Murphy there at Citi Field.
However, Bob Murphy’s spirit lives on. He lives in the unparalleled Mets radio and television play-by-play of Gary Cohen and Howie Rose. He lives on with his name on the radio booth at Citi Field. He lives on with every cumulonimbus that hovers over Citi Field during a Mets game. He lives on after every single Mets win when a fan looks forward to “The Happy Recap.”
Between 1984 – 1990, the Mets finished in second place or better. Over the course of these seven seasons, the Mets averaged 95 wins. Without question, this was the best stretch in Mets history. It’s strange to think that any point in time your team averages 95 wins over the course of five seasons, you are disappointed. However, as Ron Darling expained to Mike Francesa, he feels “very disappointed” that the Mets didn’t accomplish more.
While Dariling’s feelings are understandable, and many Mets fans would agree with him, there are a number of reasons that we can point to as the reason why the Mets didn’t win more. Rick Sutcliffe went an amazing 16-1 after the Cubs acquired him helping them win the division in 1984. The Mets had to contend with a really good Cardinals team year in and year out. The Mets were snakebit with injuries during the 1987 season. The Mets ran into Orel Hershiser, who had one of the greatest seasons for a pitcher ever in 1988, in the NLCS. However, truth be told Davey Johnson managed a horrific series. In 1989, the team was in transition, and in 1990, the Pittsburgh Pirates were just better and were embarking on their own run. All of these reasons are valid, but the main reason everyone points to would be the drug problems, namely with Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry.
There’s another reason why those Mets teams only got one shot at a World Series – the postseason format. Back in that time frame, the only teams that went to the postseason were the division winners. In today’s game, it would be unheard of a team winning 98 games not only missing the postseason, but also missing the postseason by three games. If you apply, the current postseason rules and divisional formats to the 1980’s, the Mets would have had won the NL East for all seven of those seasons. Its possible that instead of talking about the 1986 World Series, we’re talking about the Mets’ dynasty. It’s possible the Mets would’ve won multiple World Series during that stretch. It’s also possible that like the Braves in the 90’s, the Mets would only win one World Series, and we would be left questioning what happened.
Whatever may be the case, it’s apparent that those Mets teams did not get as many chances to reach the postseason as this current Mets team will. Last year, the Mets won the NL East with 90 wins. From 1984 – 1990, the Mets only won the NL East in the two seasons they won 100 games.
There is no reason for this Mets team to only go to the postseason twice with their current core group of players. Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, and Noah Syndergaard are under team control until 2019. Young players like Michael Conforto already contributing, There are big prospects like Dilson Herrera and Amed Rosario who we should see within the next few seasons at Citi Field contributing to what is already a World Series contending team. Without being too unreasonable, I believe this Mets team is set to contend for a longer period of time than Ron Darling’s Mets’ teams. To expect that seems unreasonable, but when you consider the young talent already on the team and in the pipeline, it’s certainly possible.
So before the Mets play their home opener today, they’re going to raise 2015 National League Champions flag. As we saw again that postseason, there is a lot that can happen along the way that can help you advance in each series. If not for Daniel Murphy having a game for the ages, and the Dodgers being unable to hit deGrom despite him having nothing, the Mets lose in the NLDS. The Mets are instead raising at 2015 National League East flag. So no, the 2016 season is not World Series or bust, nor in retrospect is the Mets only winning one World Series from 1984 – 1990 really disappointing.
With that said, I don’t blame Ron Darling for feeling the way he does. I won’t blame the current Mets players from feeling the same way about 2015. There is a World Series championship in the Mets clubhouse. Whether that is in 2016 or later, we do not know yet. Right now, I will say that as long as this Mets group wins one World Series, I won’t be disappointed because I will have been able to see something that has only happened twice in the Mets 54 year history. No matter what happens in 2016, it promises to be a special season, and I can’t wait to watch each and every minute of it.
Lets Go Mets.
Unless his wife goes into labor, Jacob deGrom is set to start the Mets home opener. Can you name the other Mets pitchers who have started the team’s home opener? Good luck!