Playoffs Now, Free Agency Later

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:

  1. Daniel Murphy
  2. Yoenis Cespedes
  3. Kelly Johnson
  4. Juan Uribe
  5. Bartolo Colon
  6. 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!

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Mets “Closer” Than in 2006

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. 

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Blue Jays or Royals?

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. 

 

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My Son Knew This Would Happen

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. 

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Curtis Has Been Grand

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. 

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Halfway There

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. 

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:

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Thor Needs to Bring the Heat

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:

  1. Batters strike out more frequently;
  2. Pitchers have less control; and 
  3. 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:

We will be too. 

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#Murphtober

Once the Mets clinched the NL East, I actively wondered what type of October this would be. In Game 1 of the NLDS, it looked like it would be Jaketober. Game 3 lead me to believe it would be Yotober. However, it’s official after last night, it’s Murphtober. 

This should surprise no one. In the limited chances he’s had, Daniel Murphy has shown himself to be clutch. He’s taken advantage of every little opportunity given to him. He’s made himself an All Star. He’s turning into an October legend. He already has his own highlight reel:

    

He’s been a terrific Met since 2008. He’s making the most of this postseason chance. No one should be surprised because he’s always been clutch. I know Mets fans aren’t. Everytime he does something, we cheer him like this:

We will continue to be like that all Murphtober long. 

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Why Three Aces Are Better Than Two

While Terry Collins has made some strange tactical decisions, he made one very good one. He has started Noah Syndergaard in Game Two of the NLDS and the NLCS. This means he has gone up against Zack Greinke, and he will go up against Jake Arrieta. Depending on your point of view, he will have gone up against the two best pitchers in the NL this year. 

It also means the Mets have set themselves up nicely in a pivotal Game Three of a series. In the first round, Thor had actually outdueled Greinke, but for an egregious call. As a result of that call, the NLDS was tied 1-1 instead of 2-0. The Mets got a 2-1 lead in large part because of the big advantage the Mets had in the Matt Harvey–Brett Anderson matchup. 

Regardless of what happens tonight, the Mets have a huge advantage in Game Three. The Mets will be throwing Jacob deGrom (14-8, 2.54 ERA) against Kyle Kendricks (8-7, 3.95 ERA). Now, anything can happen, but you have to like the Mets chances to go up 2-1 or 3-0. 

The Mets are fortunate they have three great pitchers. Yes, Thor is their third best pitcher, but he’s almost as good. As he showed in the NLDS, he can matchup with the best pitchers in the game. Anytime he toes the rubber, you have to believe the Mets have a chance to win. The Mets will tonight. They will in Game Three too. 

They have a chance to win the World Series. 

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Lagares Has Quietly Had a Good Postseason

There has been understandable handwringing over the Mets refusal to play Michael Conforto against lefties. THE handwringing turned into a public outcry after Michael Cuddyer‘s awful game in LF in Game One of the NLDS.

Instead of switching to Conforto against lefties, the Mets went to Juan Lagares. Lagares was the 2014 Gold Glove winner. He was once thought to be the leadoff hitter this year. However, he was injured and underperformed. At the trade deadline, the Mets sought out a CF and landed on Yoenis Cespedes. It made Lagares a platoon player only batting against LHP.
After Game One of the NLDS, he returned to that role starting in Games Three and Five. In the NLDS, he hit .429/.500/.714. He had three runs, two doubles, and a walk. Last night against Jon Lester, he went 2-3 with two runs and a stolen base. In some ways, he’s been the Mets best offensive player not named Daniel Murphy. 

In particular last night, he showed us why Collins once thought of him as a leadoff hitter. He started off the inning with a single and moved to second on a sac bunt. He then watched Lester and was timing his jump. You could see from the seats he was itching to run. He took off and stole third. He then scored on Curtis Granderson‘s sac fly. Lagares manufactured that run with his legs. 

He’s finally showing us why everyone thought he had all of this offensive potential. He’s doing it in the most important time of the year. Even with last night’s misplay, he’s still been a great defensive player. He’s finally putting it all together. You wouldn’t know it because he’s been overshadowed by great pitching and Daniel Murphy. 

He’s quietly having a great postseason. 

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