In their last podcast, Brian and Roger presented their most important, impactful, and defining stories and moments of the 2016 season for the New York Mets. The two put together their ultimate countdown on the podcast as follows:
Honorable Mentions
16. Syndergaard’s 2-HR Game
15. Granderson’s HR to tie and walk it off against Twins on Sept. 17th
14. MLB-worst BABIP with Runners in Scoring Position
13. The Bruce Trade/Conforto’s Struggles
12. Wilmer Flores & Friends
11. The Injuries
Top 10 Defining Moments of 2016
10. The Hot Streak: The Mets finished the year 27-13.
9. Distraction-Gate and the Overall Managing of Terry Collins: In a season full of questionable moves (e.g. benching Conforto) perhaps the worst was on Sept. 10th, when Terry Collins forgot to pinch-run for Wilmer Flores – costing the Mets a game and Flores for the season.
8. The Wild Card Game: Grandy’s Catch, Thor’s Dominance, and Conor Gillaspie‘s 9th inning home run; this game had it all.
7. Murphy’s Near MVP-Season and Dominance Against Former Team: Daniel Murphy finished the regular season 31 for 75 (.413/.444/.773) with six doubles, seven home runs, 21 RBIs, five walks and nine Ks in 81 plate appearances against the Mets. With hits in all 19 games vs the Mets; Murphy tied longest single-season hitting streak vs one team in the divisional era (since 1969) as noted by @NationalsPR.
6. Fernandez Game: The very tragic, emotional first game in Miami after the death of Jose Fernandez, featuring Dee Gordon‘s leadoff home run.
5. The Debate Over, and the Return of, Jose Reyes: The debate raged all year, while on the field, he saved the season. Reyes played 60 games, hitting .267/.326/.443 with 1.3 WAR.
4. Bartolo’s Home Run: The impossible has happened. Bartolo Colon touches them all.
3. Piazza’s Induction Into the Hall of Fame: Mike Piazza is the greatest hitting catcher in history and is the Mets all-time leader in slugging percentage. He became the lowest-drafted player to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame and is only the second player enshrined as a representative of the Mets.
2. The Year of Cespedes: He signs with the Mets twice, dominating both offseasons, and has a year to remember. The Mets go 72-54 in Yoenis Cespedes starts, 17-23 without him, and he hit his second career walk-off home run.
1. Cabrera’s Sept. 22, 2016 Walkoff: Asdrubal Cabrera embodied the Mets season, playing hurt and hitting home runs, and the Mets’ Sept. 22 comeback in the heat of the wild card race, featuring a game-tying HR in the ninth and a walk-off HR, was an all-timer.
Here’s what a couple of MMO Staffers thought about our list:
Logan Barer says: It was a season with its ups and downs, but there were certainly plenty of ups. While Asdrubal Cabrera‘s walk-off home run was the epitome of the 2016 season, Mike Piazza‘s enshrinement was the epitome of the organization. Being drafted in the 62nd round of the draft to end up being the greatest offensive catcher of all time is one of the greatest sports stories of all time. Leading the Mets to the 2000 World Series and the September 21st, 2001 home run were just two of many great Piazza moments. I grew up watching him, so his enshrinement in the Hall Of Fame as well as going to the game before which his number #31 was retired were my favorite moments of 2016.
Mike Mayer says: Cabrera’s walk-off and bat flip was certainly one of the most important moments of the season, but the Bartolo Colon home run is the clip we will continue seeing for a very long time. Being able to bring back Cespedes was huge (and unexpected by most) the first time and should be even bigger the second time with him on the Mets over the next four seasons. Mike Piazza getting into the Hall of Fame (way overdo) and having his number retired wasn’t just a defining moment in 2016, but in Mets team history.
Good Fundies Ep. 30 – iTunes – Stitcher – Soundcloud
