The Mets biggest advantage this postseason is the incredible depth of their starting pitching. While we talk about the Dodgers and Cubs duos, the Mets are trotting out three aces. It worked to their advantage in the NLDS with Matt Harvey going up against Brett Anderson. Now, it’s Jacob deGrom against Kyle Hendricks.
The Mets need to take advantage of this pitching matchup. Yes, the Mets have a 2-0 lead. However, as we’ve seen time and again, you don’t want to let a team back in a series. Beating deGrom would only further energize the Cubs. After that, the Cubs get to face a still rusty Steven Matz (I wasn’t as impressed as everyone) and Matt Harvey has a tricep issue. This is how teams that are on the mat get back into a series.
Wrigley should be crazy. The weather should be warmer which will heat up the offenses. Although, I’m not sure how Daniel Murphy could get any hotter. The only thing that can cool down the Cubs bats is another terrific deGrom performance. As he’s shown, he doesn’t even need his A, B, or C game to win. He just needs to bring his guys and guile.
The Mets need it because they need deGrom to get them deWin.
Before the NLDS, I detailed how much I hated the Dodgers. I didn’t do the same with the Cubs because frankly I don’t feel much animosity towards them.
Sure, I believe the Mets true rivals reside in the NL Central. If the Mets were facing the Cardinals, I think I would be writing an anti-Cardinals post that would be over by Opening Day 2017. I’ve ready shared my take on the Pirates. I guess I’ve never had reason to hate the Cubs.
Yes, I know the Cubs were the Mets earliest rival. Of all the teams in existence in 1962, the Mets have performed best against them. I’m aware of the history of 1969:
However, we know the 1969 story ends with the Mets winning the World Series. Besides, 1969 was before my time. So was Rick Sutcliffe and the 1984 Cubs. I vividly remember the 1998 season, but I always put that on Mel Rojas more than anything (although he did come from the Cubs).
Also, I happen to like the city despite its inferior pizza and hotdogs. My wife took me to Wrigley for my 30th birthday. It was a great trip. I got to meet Omar Minaya. I did the touristy stuff like the Chicago Museum of Art:
Hat tip Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Then, we finally made the pilgrimage to Wrigley Field. There were a lot of Mets fans at the game. Mets fans and Cubs fans were commiserating and joking about how both teams were terrible. We can now commiserate on how both teams are great. Everyone should sit in the bleachers once, and I’m happy I did before the renovations:
So overall, no, I don’t hate the Cubs. If this series starts to go differently, I might. However, I doubt it’ll happen. The Cubs are cursed, whether it’s a Billy Goat or something else. As a result, the Mets will advance past them en route to the World Series . . . just like 1969. When and if that happens, at least they have a place to drown their sorrows.
By the way, great cheezborgers there.
As you may or may not know, the original plans for Citi Field included a retractable roof like the one in Toronto and Houston. I thought about that as I sat in the cold on Saturday.
It meant I was cold. It meant I couldn’t bring my son with me. It meant that the Mets would’ve lost a big aspect of their homefield advantage. This is a team built on pitching as good Mets teams traditionally have. In the cold October weather, that advantage becomes even greater because the ball doesn’t travel as far. If the Mets had a retractable roof, part of that advantage would’ve been taken away.
Major League Baseball controls whether the roof is open or closed in the postseason. In these playoffs, they closed the roof on a 54 degree day with no threat of rain. They play in worse weather in April. They play in words weather in important September games. They played in worse weather for Games One and Two of the NLCS.
The ultimate purpose of the dome is to prevent rain outs and delays. If teams want to close the dome for their fans’ comfort, it’s their prerogative for 162 games. A team makes the playoffs and all of a sudden MLB takes control. What’s the point of earning homefield advantage if a large part of it is taken from you.
So yes, I was disappointed I had to leave my son home. I’m still hoping I can take him to the World Series. I’m still hoping I can watch the Mets win the World Series with him. Citi Field not having a retractable roof will help that.
With all of Daniel Murphy‘s heroics, everyone is questioning whether the Mets will re-sign him. As the Mets entered the playoffs, the same question surrounded Yoenis Cespedes.
They are just two of the pending free agents on the Mets roster. The full list:
- Daniel Murphy
- Yoenis Cespedes
- Kelly Johnson
- Juan Uribe
- Bartolo Colon
- Tyler Clippard
Six free agents. On the one hand, we can all safely assume they’re all gone. They very well might. Their departures may hurt for different reasons. Personally, I’ll miss Murphy most of all.
However, I’m not focused on that number six. I’m focused on the six wins the Mets need to win the World Series. What happens after that, happens. There’s no control over that. The only thing we can control is our focus. I’m choosing to enjoy this now and worry later. Let’s celebrate first and deal with everything else later.
Lets Go Mets!
In 2006, every Mets fan thought the Mets going to the World Series was a foregone conclusion. Confidence was at an all time high after Tom Glavine shut out the Cardinals in Game One.
Then Game Two happened. The Mets terrific bullpen couldn’t protect a two run lead. It all started with a Guillermo Mota changeup to Scott Spiezio. I knew the Mora trade was rotten from the beginning. The Mets somewhat understandably didn’t re-sign Mike Piazza. Then the next year they bring in the guy who repeatedly beaned Piazza. Bad karma.
The game remained tied into the ninth when Billy Wagner allowed a go-ahead homerun to So Taguchi. SO TAGUCHI! I still can’t believe it to this day. Wagner allowed two more runs. I’m still in shock nine years later that the Mets lost that game 9-6. It was the pivotal moment in the Cardinals upset over the Mets. By the way, do you remember who got the save in that game? Adam Wainwright. Yup.
I was thinking about that game a lot last night. The Cubs had a much better lineup. The Mets bullpen is not as good as the 2006 version. However, one part of the Mets bullpen was better. The closer.
Wagner was a terrific closer during his major league career amassing 422 saves. He was great with the Mets in 2006 with 40 saves. However, he was a terrible closer in the postseason. He had a 10.03 ERA and a 1.971 WHIP.
The Mets now have Jeurys Familia. In six games, he’s pitched 7.2 innings. He has not allowed an earned run, walked one, and struck out four. He has a 0.391 WHIP. He’s a perfect 4/4 in save opportunities. He’s better than anyone could’ve imagined. He’s the difference between a Taguchi homerun and a 2-0 series lead.
The Mets are now the closest they’ve been to the World Series in 15 years. The better closer has brought them closer.
I know the Mets are only halfway to the NLCS. Talking about the World Series is way too premature. However, that doesn’t mean it’s premature to consider the opponents.
Blue Jays
These two teams are tough as nails. The Rangers had the Blue Jays dead. The Blue Jays already threw David Price and Marcus Stroman. They were heading to Arlington. The Blue Jays win both games and headed home. In the do or die Game 5, this happened:
For most teams, this would’ve been a death knell. Instead, this happened:
They’re down 2-0 to the Royals right now, but they’ve shown they’re not done.
Royals
Speaking of the Royals, the only thing that’s been able to bring them down the past few years has been Madison Bumgarner. It took everything the best postseason pitcher we have in baseball right now to beat them.
Jon Lester and a 7-3 lead going into the eighth inning in the AL Wild Card Game couldn’t stop them. The best player in baseball, Mike Trout, couldn’t stop them in the ALDS. They steamrolled the Orioles. They came within 90 feet of sending Game 7 of the World Series into extra innings:
How do the Royals respond to this heartbreaking loss? They win the AL Central and earned homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. As a result, they got to match up against the 2015 version of themselves. In Game 4, they were all but left for dead:
Instead, the Royals had a five run eighth inning to take Game 4. They then went home, trailed 2-0 early in Game 5 and won 7-2 to advance to the ALCS. They now lead the ALCS 2-0. They’re on a mission. They’re going to be hard to stop.
Conclusion
I could say I want the Blue Jays because the Mets already played well against them before they were at full strength. However, the NLCS has shown regular season results doesn’t mean anything in the playoffs. Besides, the Mets have the pitching to beat anyone.
Honestly, I just want to get there. I’m confident the Mets can beat anyone. Hopefully, I’m right.
When my son woke up Saturday morning, all he wanted to do was talk baseball. He was excited for the game that night. I still feel bad I couldn’t take him (it was too cold).
Anyway, I asked him what he thought was going to happen during the game. He told me “Murphy homerun”
I asked him about Wright. His response was “No!” Duda? “No!” Murphy? “Homerun, yay!” I asked him what else was going to happen. His response was “Harvey pitch.” Pitch he did:
My son took his ever growing baseball knowledge and let me know what was going to happen. On Sunday, he wanted to make signs for the next Mets game.
The thing is I don’t have tickets for another game until Game Three of the World Series. Once again, he just might know something that I don’t know.
This kid is a baseball genius.
The most underrated person on the Mets roster all year has been Curtis Granderson. When fans and media discussed who was the Mets MVP most wrongly pointed to Yoenis Cespedes. Good arguments were made for Jeurys Familia. The real MVP was Granderson.
Granderson is getting overshadowed again this postseason by Daniel Murphy. It’s understandable. Murphy has been amazing. However, so has Granderson. He’s been terrific. He’s done everything he can do to help the Mets win. He may be just as important to the Mets as Murphy has been.
In the NLDS, he set the pace in Game One by going 2-3 with a walk against Clayton Kershaw. Not bad for a guy who can’t hit lefties. In Game Three, Granderson got the big double to turned a 3-1 deficit to a 4-3 lead:
It was a huge hit on the way to a 13-7 win and a 2-1 series lead. In the pivotal Game Five, he busted it out of the box and got an infield single, and he scored the first run of the game on the Murphy double. For the NLDS, he hit .389/.476/.500 with one run, two doubles, five RBIs, one stolen base, and three walks.
He’s continued play into the NLCS. In Game One, he had the go-ahead RBI single in the fifth. In the top half, Matt Harvey lost the no-hitter and the lead. Granderson gave the Mets with a two out RBI single to reclaim the lead. He then added to the lead with a sac fly in the seventh.
Last night, he contributed more as a table setter. He lead off the game in the first and scored on David Wright‘s RBI double. He then manufactured a run in the third. After a leadoff walk, he stole two bases giving him an opportunity to score on the Cespedes infield single. Oh yeah, he also did this:
In the NLCS, he’s gone 2-6 with two runs, two RBIs, one walk, and a robbed homerun. Once again another Met player is grabbing the headlines while Granderson is the driving force behind this team.
He’s been Grand.
The Mets are up 2-0 in this series because they repeated the same formula from last night: (1) great starting pitching; (2) Daniel Murphy hitting homers; and (3) Curtis Granderson being a table setter.
Noah Syndergaard used his fastball to overpower the Cubs lineup. On only two days rest from his relief appearance, he would pitch 5.2 innings allowing three hits, one earned, one walk, and nine strikeouts. The nine strikeouts but him in elite company:
https://twitter.com/bbtn/status/655932871832653824
Thor allowed his first and only run when Kris Bryant hit an RBI double. He walked off to a standing ovation and gave way to Jon Niese. Niese pitched today despite recently losing a family member. He summoned everything he had and struck out Anthony Rizzo. As he left the mound to cheers, he pointed to the sky as if to say thank you to the new angel who was at his side tonight.
Niese is NICE. #OwnOctober pic.twitter.com/wFZril6dP6
— MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) October 19, 2015
The Mets then went to the regular season bullpen formula of Addison Reed–Tyler Clippard–Jeurys Familia. The kept the Cubs at bay and preserved the 4-1 win.
The Mets got three of those four runs in the first. It started with a Granderson single. He scored on a . . . wait my notes can’t be correct . . . let’s me check the box score online. Wow, Granderson scored on an RBI double from David Wright. That is why you let your best players play. Speaking of your best player, Murphy hit yet another homerun.
He’s unconscious:
https://twitter.com/bbtn/status/655912985618161664
In the third, Granderson reminded everyone he should be in the way too soon MVP discussion. He walked and stole second. This gave the Cubs the opportunity to walk Murphy rather than let him hurt you again. Granderson then stole third and scored on the Yoenis Cespedes infield single. To further his MVP case, Granderson robbed Chris Coghlan of a homerun:
When you have great pitching and two players in a dogfight for NLCS MVP, you’re going to be up 2-0 in the series. After taking care of home field, the Mets travel to Wrigley with a significant advantage in the starting pitching matchup. Let’s let Bon Jovi take us out since the Mets are halfway there while living on a prayer:
At the game yesterday, it was cold and windy. It’s not surprising after all. It is Flushing in October. Tonight, it’s supposed to be colder. While I was running errands, it was even snowing today.
This has some effects on the game:
- Batters strike out more frequently;
- Pitchers have less control; and
- The balls carry less.
With less control, a pitcher may want to rely on his fastball more because that is the easiest pitch to locate. That’s where the Mets starting Noah Syndergaard tonight is an advantage.
Thor set a record this year for highest fastball velocity at 97.1 MPH. With this fastball (and secondary pitches), he struck out 10 batters per nine innings. During the postseason so far, his velocity has increased to 98.7 MPH. He’s striking out 13.5 batters per nine innings in the postseason.
As for the Cubs, they can’t hit the fastball . . . at least not one thrown as fast as Thor’s. The Cubs ranked 27th in the majors in batting average against pitches thrown 95 MPH and above. In addition, the Cubs struck out more than any other team in baseball; 127 times more actually. They struck out 10 times last night. If Thor brings his record setting heat tonight, the Cubs will be in line for another double digit strikeout night.
On this cold, cold night, the only heat will come from the right arm of Noah Syndergaard. If he brings the heat, we will see more of Pedro Martinez cheering:
THOOOOOR!!!!!!!! https://t.co/LbvTG7m7ia
— Metstradamus (@Metstradamus) October 18, 2015
We will be too.