THE List: Top 10 2015 Mets Moments
Our cup runneth over in Mets moments in 2015. Usually I have to struggle to get to 10, including lots of off-the-field stuff to round it out. This year there are more than I can handle. So I did not include any Mets loses, although there were several memorable ones (a July 22nd loss to the Nationals that I called the “worst loss of the season” up until that point, that crazy rain loss to the Padres on July 30th and getting no-hitted twice). And I had to combine some moments. But I think I managed to get most, if not all of them from the most memorable Mets season in a very long time.
Mets Keep Winning and Winning and Winning… — 4/12/15-4/23/15
The Mets opened the season quite nicely, winning 11 straight games to tie the franchise record.
Welcome Back and See You Soon — 4/14/15
It seems like everyone on my Facebook feed was at Citi Field for Matt Harvey’s return from Tommy John surgery. He lit up the place. On the downside, it was the last game David Wright would play until late August.
Smashing Debut — 6/28/15
Steven Matz had one of the great career debut in Mets history. In addition to pitching into the eighth inning and winning the game, he was 3-3 with four RBIs — the most RBIs a pitcher has ever had in his first game. Noah Syndergaard also made his debut this season, but it was not as electric as Matz’s.
Kirk’s Excellent Adventure — 7/12/15
What a crazy year for Kirk Nieuwenhius. The Mets DFAed him and traded him to the Angels. They released him and the Mets picked him up. He somehow made it back to the big leagues and hit three homers in a game at Citi Field — the first time a Mets player has done that at home. Strangely enough, Lucas Duda did it a few weeks later.
The Highs and Lows of Wilmer Flores — 7/29/15, 7/31/15
Wilmer Flores had an even crazier couple of days in late July. Word swept through Citi Field that the Mets had traded him and Zack Wheeler for Carlos Gomez. However, that word did not filter down to the dugout, as Terry Collins left Flores in the game. When he finally found out, he cried while standing at short, becoming an instant Mets legend. The trade was later called off. Two days later, he hit a 12th inning, game-winning homer against the Nationals in the opener of a crucial series (more on that in a moment).
Mets Go Shopping — 7/31/15
The Mets went on a shopping spree in late July, trading for Juan Uribe, Kelly Johnson and Tyler Clippard. But the big deal happened moments before the trade deadline when they acquired Yoenis Cespedes. All he did was hit 17 home runs and carry the Mets on his back to the post-season.
Mets Take Control — 7/31/15-8/2/15
The Mets entered the series with the Nationals three games out of first place. After a sweep, they were tied. The Mets would never fall out of first place again. They sealed the deal with a Labor Day sweep of the Nats in Washington.
The Captain Returns — 8/24/15
David Wright returned with a bang — a massive home run into the upper deck at Citizens Bank Park in his first at bat. No doubt, the captain was back.
The East is Ours — 9/26/15
The Mets clinched their first NL East title since 2006, finally putting to rest the collapses of 2007 and 2008.
October Baseball — 10/9/15-11/1/15
It was a post-season filled with incredible moments. Wright had perhaps the biggest hit of his Mets career to win Game 1 of the NLDS. Scumbag Chase Utley broke Ruben Tejada’s leg. Daniel Murphy set the record with home runs in six consecutive post-season games. And Terry Collins “went with his heart” and left Matt Harvey in Game 5 of the World Series.