Amazin' Amazin' Amazin'! Ya Gotta Believe! Utley Sucks! Some inspirational slogans are more family-friendly than others, but the dirty Dodger unwittingly inspired the Mets and their fans in a pivotal Game 3 win over L.A. Not to mention Ruben Tejada doing his version of a Willis Reed entrance by hobbling onto the field with his leg cast and Met-themed cane.
The pitching-centered Mets scored 13 runs, a franchise record for a postseason game. Yoenis Cespedes and Travis d'Arnaud, both slumping at the end of the regular season, both homered. Both players also had three hits, three RBI and three runs scored, which had never been done by any Met in postseason play.
Curtis Granderson tied a Mets postseason record with 5 RBI, all off lefthanded pitchers. Granderson turned the game around with a three-run double off Brett Anderson in the second to put the Mets ahead, 4-3. In the seventh, he hit a two-run double off J.P. Howell for the Mets' final two runs.
Matt Harvey pitched well enough to win, but was not at his best. Still, it's hard to complain about anything after such a great game.
In Game 4, Clayton Kershaw vs. Steven Matz looks like a mismatch, but Kershaw is on three days rest and may not go more than six innings, so if the Mets can keep it close, their awakened bats can finish off the Dodgers once they have to go their bullpen. If not, Zack Greinke vs. Jacob deGrom in a deciding Game 5 now looks like a more even matchup than it did before the series.
But if the Mets do have to go back to L.A., we won't get to see fan signs such as "Utley ♥ ISIS." So let's put it in the books tonight!
Showing posts with label Travis d'Arnaud. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travis d'Arnaud. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Monday, April 20, 2015
Injuries not stopping Mets
Even with the best record in the National League, Met fans aren't doing much celebrating what with two more significant injuries to Travis d'Arnaud and Jerry Blevins. But winning teams can overcome injuries, and so far at least, the Mets have done just that.
The Mets have had so many injuries lately that some articles about them don't even mention Zack Wheeler. For a team built on young pitching, the loss of Wheeler could have been devastating. And it's not as if his replacement in the rotation, Dillon Gee, is doing well - he might soon be replaced himself by Rafael Montero. But Bartolo Colon has stepped up with a 3-0 record and 2.25 ERA, while Jon Niese's ERA is 1.59.
David Wright was hitting .333 when he went on the disabled list. But Michael Cuddyer is now also hitting .333, along with an .899 OPS. I was skeptical of the Cuddyer signing, but so far, so good.
Jenrry Mejia is gone for 80 games, but all Jeurys Familia has done is to be tied for the major league lead in saves with six.
The injuries to d'Arnaud and Blevins would seem to be devastating, and may yet turn out to be. But Kevin Plawecki is a great prospect, while many Met fans had not even heard of Blevins a month ago. If one lefty reliever can come out of nowhere to help the team, surely another could.
The Mets have given us good reason to be skeptical in the past. And I'm writing this before timetables are set for the returns of d'Arnaud and Blevins, so I can continue to hope that they won't be out too long and the fact that Blevins broke his pitching arm and d'Arnaud his throwing hand will not prevent them from returning to form in a reasonable time. But the 2015 Mets have shown a resilience that recent Met teams have lacked. This team has inspired an unfamilar feeling - optimism. Even after yesterday, I'm still thinking more about the Dark Knight than the dark cloud of injuries. And having Harvey and deGrom lined up to face the Yankees next weekend.
The Mets have had so many injuries lately that some articles about them don't even mention Zack Wheeler. For a team built on young pitching, the loss of Wheeler could have been devastating. And it's not as if his replacement in the rotation, Dillon Gee, is doing well - he might soon be replaced himself by Rafael Montero. But Bartolo Colon has stepped up with a 3-0 record and 2.25 ERA, while Jon Niese's ERA is 1.59.
David Wright was hitting .333 when he went on the disabled list. But Michael Cuddyer is now also hitting .333, along with an .899 OPS. I was skeptical of the Cuddyer signing, but so far, so good.
Jenrry Mejia is gone for 80 games, but all Jeurys Familia has done is to be tied for the major league lead in saves with six.
The injuries to d'Arnaud and Blevins would seem to be devastating, and may yet turn out to be. But Kevin Plawecki is a great prospect, while many Met fans had not even heard of Blevins a month ago. If one lefty reliever can come out of nowhere to help the team, surely another could.
The Mets have given us good reason to be skeptical in the past. And I'm writing this before timetables are set for the returns of d'Arnaud and Blevins, so I can continue to hope that they won't be out too long and the fact that Blevins broke his pitching arm and d'Arnaud his throwing hand will not prevent them from returning to form in a reasonable time. But the 2015 Mets have shown a resilience that recent Met teams have lacked. This team has inspired an unfamilar feeling - optimism. Even after yesterday, I'm still thinking more about the Dark Knight than the dark cloud of injuries. And having Harvey and deGrom lined up to face the Yankees next weekend.
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