The Mets 2015 season was something unlike anything I have ever seen in my 16 years of watching baseball. Going into the season, I had projected the Mets to finish 84-78 and show signs of improvement, but would still appear a couple of years away from being real contenders.
However, what transpired was so unimaginable, it even made me feel like this was some kind of movie. I have been a Mets fan in some capacity since 2000, when I purchased a Mets home jersey on my family’s vacation to the east coast in Cooperstown.
With myself graduating from college in April, I had the opportunity to watch way more baseball this year than I ever have. Over the course of the Mets 162 game season, I likely watched close to 115 games this year and had a pleasure to be apart of the ride.
The team didn’t reach the ultimate goal. And that’s okay, because no one expected them to. The Mets pulled the trigger on a handful of moves to put themselves in the best position this postseason. Such as acquiring outfielder Yoenis Cespedes right before the end of the trade deadline. But in the end, Kansas City’s experience outlasted New York’s pitching and conflicting defense.
This season, Terry Collins was able to press every right button. Yet, all of it came to a sudden halt in the World Series, where “automatic” Jeurys Familia blew an unconventional three saves in five games. This reflects back upon the long bridge between New York’s middle relief to it’s closer. As good as Familia was in the regular season, and throughout the NL Playoffs, the Mets could never hide their flaw of not having a secondary or even third option out of the bullpen. Unfortunately, their depleted arms couldn’t handle an opportunist Royals lineup that seemingly possessed one of the deeper lineups in baseball.
People are going to blame the Mets for blowing this series, however the credit needs to be given to the Royals. Who for the majority of the entire postseason, played solid baseball and forced the other team to make mistakes. In this series, that is exactly what happened. From last year’s heartbreaking Game 7 loss, the Royals were on a mission to erase all of the nightmares and doubt.
For me, my mission is just beginning. After a roller coaster summer myself, I am looking forward to watching this Mets team for years to come. I’ll do my very best to bring consistent updates about my opinions about the Mets from all the way in Vancouver, Canada next year and this off-season. The Mets have a lot of work to do this off-season and a few major adjustments must even out. For starters, Mets’ GM Sandy Alderson will need to make a decision on Yoenis Cespedes and Daniel Murphy. Given Cespedes was picked up via the free agent market, the Mets will have to make him a qualifying offer for the next 2-3 years. New York already has emerging stars Michael Conforto and Juan Lagares to swap-in as starters in the outfield with Curtis Granderson.
The case for Murphy is a more murky one. Murphy’s contract now has expired and the Mets might seek out options elsewhere to replace him. From just went down during the NL divisional and championship series, this year revealed how the best of his playing career might have become as a Met. Murphy’s power and high OBP shares high value to the team. However, after witnessing the mess he produced in the field, Murphy’s limitations are for sure magnified as a defender.
All in all, the Mets have the right nucleus of talent to take over the NL East again next year. Possibly with more leverage from its young starters it can re-create it’s magic again next season and perhaps finish the job. It will be a challenge and the only thing that is guaranteed for Mets fans is it will be an extremely intriguing offseason. You can follow more of my Mets posts, by visiting my blog that I try to write on every few days.
Also, here is the last tidbit over the Mets’ injuries this season.
Mets injuries when the year ended:
- J. Blevins: 60-day
- B. Carlyle: 60-day
- D. Ceciliani: 60-day
- J. Edgin: 60-day
- J. Leathersich: 60-day
- R. Montero: 60-day
- W. Tovar: 60-day
- Z. Wheeler: 60-day
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