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I have seen way too often that the rules do not apply to all. And that is especially true in the sports world. If the person has enough talent, then all will be forgiven and, quite often, forgotten. If a player can bring something to the table...bring enough talent...then no matter how bad they are - legally, morally, or any other conceived detrimental behavior - they will be welcomed and paid handsomely to boot.
I remember from my college days when I saw the absolute dispicable behavior of a young baseball player from Arizona State. He was such a jerk, such a cancer on the team, that his teammates actually voted him off the team. Members of the team brought their concerns and their consensus decision to the head coach. Rather than heed the players' feelings and actions, the coach, instead, elevated that player to Captain.
The big question is: "Why DID the Mets lose the World Series?" The truth is that the tone was set on the very first pitch thrown by Matt Harvey.
The Royals' Alcides Escobar lofted a long fly ball to left centerfield. Yoenis Cespedes, who had made so many spectacular defensive plays since coming over to the Mets, took his eye off the ball for a split second, could not regroup in time, and had the ball glance off his glove, and then, to make matters worse, kicked it away from both he and leftfielder Michael Conforto. What should have been a fly ball out to the warning track was a bad error...ridiculously ruled an inside-the-park home run.
While ONE play never TRULY determines the outcome of a series, unless it is a "walk-off" occurence in the final inning of the last possible game, it can set an example for how things will essentially go. And it did.
As Bob Newhart once said, "Stop It!" Just stop it! I have watched a number of sports reports on a number of different networks...listened to a number of radio talk shows on a number of different stations...and monitored a number of different social media outlets...and I am fed up with the "what have you done for me lately" people who have now put the monicker of "Goat" on Daniel Murphy. Yes...Murphy muffed a slow roller for an error in a crucial part of the game. But does anyone for a second believe that that error was the downfall of the Mets in Game 4? Come on!
The fact is that Tyler Clippard has not been effective for about a month. Regardless of "the formula" for getting to Jeurys Familia in the ninth inning, just like players have to make adjustments, so too must the managerial staff. Terry Collins, very deserving of his Manager of the Year Award, has made some ill-fated decisions during the series and leaving Clippard in after he walked the first batter was one of them, if not putting him in the game at all with the slimmest of one-run leads.
Well...the Mets needed to make a statement. And Noah Syndergaard did just that. With his first pitch he put Alcides Escobar right on his ass. Regardless of what the outcome was going to be, Thor made it known that the Royals hitters were not going to be so comfortable. And although he had a few hiccups, Syndergaard was able to put the Royals hitters away when he needed to most. And there were a LOT of broken bats flying around everywhere.
And for all of the idiots talking about benching David Wright in favor of Juan Uribe, Captain America made a statement of his own, launching a two-run bomb in the bottom of the first inning to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. And let's not leave Uribe out of it. After being idle for over a month and not even being on the post season roster for the NLDS and NLCS, he made his first appearance and shot a run-scoring single to the opposite field in the midst of the Mets four-run outburst in the sixth inning.
Listening to sports talk radio drives me crazy. I actually did sports talk radio so I have been on the other side of it. And quite often I just tune in to listen to WFAN to see what people have to say...most of the time...it's just to pass the time...or better yet...distract me when I am in the car sitting in the god forsaken traffic.
Anyway...it just cracked me up when I heard a caller...who is apparently a regular...say that David Wright, the captain of the Mets...the face of the franchise...the Derek Jeter of Queens...the guy who re-upped with the organization instead of taking a lot more money and going elsewhere...the poor soul who is dealing with a debilitating back issue that he has to prep hours for each day just to put his shoes on...should be benched to get Juan Uribe into the lineup.
For all of the Mets historians out there...does anyone recall how the 1969 World Series got underway? Bottom of the first inning? Tom Seaver...The Franchise...pitching? Does anyone remember the name "Don Buford?" Any of this remind anyone of anything?
As I recall, Buford was the Orioles leadoff batter and he lofted a Seaver pitch deep to rightfield. Ron Swoboda, not the most graceful of outfielders, backpedalled...backpedalled...and backpedalled...right into the rightfield fence. And the ball just managed to clear the fence for a leadoff home run which set the stage for a Game 1 Orioles win. The truth is, had Swoboda run straight back to the fence, braced himself, and just jumped ever so slightly, he could have caught the ball. Not the easiest play, but one a good rightfielder would have made. And hey, Swoboda more than made up for that in Game 4 with his famous diving catch.
The Mets put the final nail in the coffin of the Chicago Cubs, completing the sweep and sending them into the 2015 World Series. And they simply repeated the same process they utilized each and every game before - one of their young starters (this time it was Steven Matz) overmatched the Cubs hitters, Jeurys Familia put the finishing touches on in the ninth, and I am getting tired (not really) of saying this...Daniel Murphy hit a home run.
The Mets starters simply did not give the Cubs a chance to breathe. The Chicago hitters were able to put a chink in the armor here and there, but the Cubs never led at any time during the four game series. The Mets staff just completely overpowered the power hitters of the Chicago lineup.
I'm beginning to get the feeling I'm watching a rerun. Yeah, yeah, yeah...Daniel Murphy hit another home run. And Jacob deGrom gutted out another victory. And Jeurys Familia was lights out again for another save. Maybe this is the reason that computers have "Control C" so that it makes things a bit easier. It seems like the Mets have a "Control C" of their own as they continue to get a great performance from one of their young starters and Familia has just been so dominant to finish things off. Murphy? Whatever he is eating, or drinking, I've got to get some of it. He is simply RED HOT, LOCKED IN and...if I were him...I would be hoping that this season would NEVER end.
With the 5-2 win in Game 3, the Mets have the Cubs on the brink and are but one game away from getting to the World Series.
Oh geez...he did it again! Daniel Murphy just has to be feeling it. Anyone who has ever played the game of baseball knows what it is to feel "locked in." And he is definitely locked in during this post season as he once again hit a home run, this time a three-run first inning bomb off Cubs ace Jake Arrieta. What is so impressive about Murphy's run is WHO his victims are - Clayton Kershaw (2), Zack Greinke, Jon Lester, and now Arrieta, who along with Greinke are the leading candidates to win this year's Cy Young Award.
And after Matt Harvey dominated the Cubs in Game 1, Noah Syndergaard duplicated the feat and just overpowered Chicago in Game 2. Another brilliant game by one of the Mets young guns...and Jacob deGrom is ready to take his turn in Game 3 on Tuesday in Chicago.
After all of the rhetoric about limitations and late arrivals, Matt Harvey made his pitch to be the ace of the staff as he was on top of his game and had great command to lead the Mets to a Game 1 victory over the Cubs. Harvey was very impressive...he had all of his pitches working...and he pitched into the eighth inning throwing only 97 pitches before yielding to Jeurys Familia with two outs.
Daniel Murphy continued his red-hot post season by hitting another home run to give the Mets the early lead in the first inning off southpaw Jon Lester. Murphy is NOT a home run hitter...he hit a career-high 14 during the regular season. But what makes his post-season run so impressive is WHO he has hit the home runs off of - Clayton Kershaw (2), Zack Greinke, and Lester. He is just "locked in." And he made a stellar play in the field to end the game. Murphy is doing what Carlos Beltran did in the 2004 season when he was "on loan" to Houston for the post season. It earned Beltran a huge free agent contract.
Daniel Murphy, who so often has caught the wrath of Mets fans for some of his...well...bonehead plays...almost singlehandedly got the Mets to the National League Championship Series. Murphy accounted for all three Mets runs against Zack Greinke including a go ahead home run...his third of the series and the difference in the game. But the play that was really the difference maker was stealing third base after advancing to second on a walk to Lucas Duda...taking advantage of a vacated third base because of the over-shift during the Duda at bat. That allowed Murphy to score the tying run when Travis d'Arnaud hit a fly ball to right field.
Jacob deGrom definitely took the mound without his "best" stuff...but he gutted it out and made the pitches when he needed to most. He yielded two early runs but then shut the Dodgers down even though he struggled in five of his six innings.
Noah Syndergaard made his first relief appearance and was lights out...just blowing the Dodgers away...even though he allowed a two-out walk in the seventh inning. It was a great move by Terry Collins and he could have used him for a second inning to pitch the eighth. But Collins chose to bring in Jeurys Familia to get a six-out save. The move worked, but it showed that there is NO confidence in any member of the bullpen other than Familia. It could prove to be a problem as the Mets advance to the next round as the Cubs have a power-packed and potent lineup that could shorten the game for the Mets starters.
The Mets have a stable of talented pitchers. But it seems like the Dodgers have reincarnated Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax. While the Mets can boast a staff of Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz, and even a Zack Wheeler down the road, the dynamic duo of Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke have to make you think that the Dodgers have a little mound magic of their own.
It was bound to happen that Kershaw's post season woes would suddenly disappear. And they did. On three days rest the reigning Cy Young and MVP awards winner showed exactly why he is deserving of both. Kershaw took matters into his own hands and shut down the Mets in their home ballpark and enabled the Dodgers to force a sudden death Game 5 back in Los Angeles.
It was the first post season game at Citi Field and the roar of the crowd, more often than not, was some rendition of showing of disdain for Chase Utley. But there was plenty to make noise about thanks to the Mets offense as Curtis Granderson led the attack on the Dodgers pitching staff with two booming doubles that drove in five runs.
Travis d'Arnaud and Yoenis Cespedes both had three hits, each hitting a home run and driving in three...Cespedes hitting a three-run bomb into the second deck to lead the Mets to a 13-7 victory.
Matt Harvey did not have his good stuff...he was very hittable...but he battled through five innings and left with a 10-3 lead.
It happened in 1973...I was there. The Mets pitching staff had halted the attack of the Big Red Machine and the Reds had their backs against the wall in the National League Championship Series. Something had to give. Someone had to light a fire and get the Reds back in the series. That's when Pete Rose went in hard...VERY hard...into the Mets beloved shortstop Bud Harrelson to break up a double play. It did not break up the double play but it DID incite a riot at Shea Stadium.
Even after the players returned to their respective dugouts and bullpens, the raucous fans at Shea would not let up. When Rose went to take his position in left field, he was showered with all kinds of debris. It was actually a horrible display. The public address announcer made an announcement telling the fans that the game would be forfeited if they didn't stop. Finally, Tom Seaver, Cleon Jones, Willie Mays, and Rusty Staub - acting as goodwill ambassadors - walked out to left field and appealed to the fans to halt. The game resumed, the Mets won, but not before Rose claimed the title for the most hated athlete in New York...long before he became the most despised person in baseball period.
And now another has claimed the title that Rose so eloquently carried for so many years...and under some somewhat similar circumstances.
Alan Karmin is an award-winning journalist and author. He was born in Brooklyn, New York and spent most of his life growing up in the New Jersey suburbs. Alan's family were avid Brooklyn Dodgers fans and when the Dodgers moved west, the Mets became the team to root for. The Mets have always been a true focal point, Alan even wrote a term paper in high school to analyze what was wrong with the Mets. While at the University of Miami, Alan honed his craft covering the, gulp, Yankees during spring trainings in Fort Lauderdale for a local NBC affiliate, as well as the Associated Press and UPI. He broadcasted baseball games for the University of Miami, and spring training games for the Baltimore Orioles and Montreal Expos. New York Mets Mania is a forum for Alan to write about his favorite team and for baseball fans to chime in and provide their thoughts and ideas about New York's Amazin' Mets.
