This was one heck of an exciting year for our New York Mets, my friends. Right from the word go it was an unpredictable and thrilling roller-coaster ride filled with so many loops and turns. But all in all it was so exhilarating and incredible to experience. And the best is yet to come! There were plenty of Magic Moments that none of us will soon forget and I wanted to share with you some of my favorite amazing memories of the Mets’ 2015 season.
Despite how things ended up, when rookie left fielder Michael Conforto blasted those two home runs in game four of the World Series against the Kansas City Royals I was gloriously delirious with raw and unbound emotion. I was happy for the moment but also ecstatic for the years that lie ahead with Conforto batting third and becoming our most exciting homegrown position player since… Well since David Wright.
Conforto’s first home run came in the third inning and was a towering shot into the Pepsi Porch against Royals right-hander Chris Young. It was a no-doubter that was absolutely crushed and left the park at 107 miles per hour.
His second blast was just as impressive but different, a screaming laser in the fifth inning over the right field wall against a tough lefty in Danny Duffy. It was the first home run Duffy has given up to a left-handed batter since Jim Thome in 2011. Wow…
The last time a rookie homered twice in a World Series game was in 1996 when Atlanta Braves outfielder Andruw Jones did so against the New York Yankees. Conforto also became the first player to do it since Pablo Sandoval in 2012 and the first Met since Gary Carter in 1986.
“He’s going to be a very, very good player,” Terry Collins said after the game. “He’s dangerous, and tonight he showed that. This guy is going to be an outstanding offensive player. I mean this is a great experience for him to get a lot better fast.”
It’s still amazing to think that he was only drafted in 2014 and started this season in Single-A. Blessed with a fluid line drive swing and a great eye at the plate, Conforto has handled the adjustments so well, and he was even one of the team’s best hitters down the stretch of the regular season.
In 56 games, the 22-year old wunderkind batted .270 this season, with 14 doubles, 9 home runs, an .841 OPS and a .506 slugging percentage. But it was on that night – game four – that Conforto gave us that glimpse of the greatness to come.
“It’s humbling, and it’s exciting. I’ll definitely remember those moments. The feelings I got on those two home runs were indescribable,” Conforto said. “But it’s a bit conflicting. You want to get that win tonight.”
Here’s the video, go ahead and experience it again. Goosebumps Guaranteed.
To read more about Michael Conforto and why I believe he will post a 6.0 WAR season in 2016, check this out.
