I was there.
When the American flag was unfurled and Billy Joel sang the national anthem before Game 3 of the World Series, I was there.
When David Wright launched a two-run home run to put the New York Mets on the board early, I was there.
When Curtis Granderson also hit a clutch two-run homer to put the Amazin’s ahead for good, I was there.
In Game 5, when Granderson led off with a home run, I was there.
When Matt Harvey dominated the Kansas City Royals for eight innings, I was there.
But my how the tides then turned.
When Harvey walked the leadoff man in the ninth inning, I was there.
When he gave up a double to Eric Hosmer, I was there.
When Lucas Duda botched the throw home that would have ended the game, I was there.
When Royals’ pinch hitter Christian Colón delivered his only hit of the postseason – the go-ahead RBI single in the top of the 12th inning – I was there.
And when Mets’ folk hero Wilmer Flores was called out on strikes prompting the Royals to celebrate their World Series title, I was there.
Yes, I was lucky enough to attend two of the three Mets’ home World Series games – the first ever fall classic games played at Citi Field in Flushing.
Sure, the outcome didn’t turn out how all us die-hard Mets’ fans wanted, but taking a step back from it all, these last few months of baseball were super exciting.
Think of it this way, the New York Metropolitans – who many of us would have said it would be a good year if they finished right around the .500 mark – were the last remaining representative for the National League and played a baseball game in the month of November.
Defied the Odds
Maybe the Mets could have, or even more so should have, won the World Series, but just getting there defied the odds.
From the emergence of the young pitching staff, to tears being shed on the field, to the acquisition of Yoenis Céspedes, to the return of Wright, and to the unprecedented hot streak enjoyed by Daniel Murphy, this season and postseason was full of excitement.
Though this bunch could not hoist the trophy like the 1969 Miracle Mets, the 2015 Mets were a miracle team in their own right. And this year has hopefully given them the experience needed to make another run for a title next year.
The Royals were able to do it after they lost the World Series to the San Francisco Giants in 2014, so now it’s the Mets turn!
As we look ahead to the offseason and the 2016 campaign, the Mets may lose some key pieces. Murphy and Céspedes – the teams’ No. 3 and No. 4 hitters – both appear to be heading to lucrative multi-year free agent contracts while wearing something other than orange and blue.
But the Mets have the young pitching all under team control. From Harvey to Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and even Zack Wheeler coming back from Tommy John surgery, this team could be set up for long-term success.
Based on how this season ended, Opening Day 2016 can’t come soon enough!
And as if the script couldn’t be written any more perfectly, the Mets open the year on Monday, April 4 on the road against none other than the Kansas City Royals. How fitting that the Metsies will start their quest for the 2016 World Series title against the team the ended their miracle run from a season ago!
So enjoy the winter everyone, since there will be plenty of business to take care of starting with the first few days of spring training in February.
Let’s Go Mets!
Contact Jim Mancari via email at jmmanc@gmail.com.
It’s still very hard to talk about the Mets collapse. I’ve read several articles regarding the series and still choke up. The pain hurts a lot. The Mets had a great year and the fans reveled in it. “If only” the bats of Duda, Murphy, Wright and Cespedes, could have gotten the timely hits as they did in LA and Chicago, the outcome would have been different. Our starting pitchers were superb and although the Mets bullpen is always questionable, they did a good job. The Mets played with several “hurt” players and that was part of the problem. So, as I slowly begin to take down all the orange and blue decorations I had all over my house and begin to hum “Meet the Mets” my heart starts to heal. How ironic that the Mets open the 2016 season with the Royals (who we’ll beat) and I think to myself “there’s always next year so let’s go Mets.”