Over the last ten seasons, Mets fans have experienced the joy of a National League pennant, the thrill of a record-breaking rookie season, and the heartbreak of watching a beloved captain say farewell. With the 2010s finally at an end, let’s take a look back at the last decade of Mets baseball:
Best Individual Offensive Season: Pete Alonso, 2019
Alonso’s historic rookie campaign was also one of the best offensive seasons in franchise history. Though some doubted he would make the team out of Spring Training, Alonso earned a spot on the Opening Day roster and never looked back.
The first baseman established franchise records with 53 home runs and 348 total bases while driving in 120 runs. He set the major league record for home runs by a rookie, and became the first rookie to lead the majors in home runs outright. Over the course of the year, Alonso won the Home Run Derby, coined a new rallying cry (“LFGM”), created custom 9/11 cleats for his teammates, and began a trend of ripping shirts off after each walk-off victory.
Best Individual Pitching Season: Jacob deGrom, 2018
Jacob deGrom’s 2018 Cy Young season was so masterful that he almost single-handedly killed the win stat for pitchers. The Mets ace finished the season with a 1.70 ERA, the second-lowest in Mets history behind Dwight Gooden’s 1.53 mark in 1985. Along the way, deGrom set a major league single-season record by allowing three runs or fewer in 29 consecutive starts. He may have earned just ten wins against nine losses, but Cy Young voters correctly recognized that a lack of run support was to blame.
Best Game: Wilmer Flores Night (July 31, 2015)
Some Mets fans may consider Johan Santana’s 2012 no-hitter to be the best game of the 2010s, but in my mind nothing can top “Wilmer Flores Night.” Just days after crying on the field because he believed he had been traded, Flores came through with a game-ending homer against the Nationals in the 12th inning. Flores’ triumphant trip around the bases culminated in him tugging at the front of his jersey to proudly display the word “Mets.”
The walk-off homer changed the direction of the Mets season, and it occurred on the same day that the club traded for slugger Yoenis Cespedes. As Ron Darling so accurately put it, “The trade that wasn’t made might be the biggest hit for the Mets all season.”
Best Defensive Play: Mike Baxter Catch (June 1, 2012)
Johan Santana’s no-hitter would not have been possible without the heroics of outfielder Mike Baxter. The Whitestone native was already a fan favorite because of his local roots, and he earned even greater appreciation by robbing Yadier Molina of a seventh inning double. Baxter crashed into the left field wall to make the catch, which led to a shoulder injury. Though the rest of Baxter’s career was less than noteworthy, his name is forever etched in Mets lore.
Biggest Surprise: Bartolo Colon’s Petco Park Homerun (May 7, 2016)
Colon was a “can’t miss” at-bat for Mets fans, if only for the unintentional comedy he provided. The rotund hurler was completely overmatched in most of his plate appearances, which often resulted in him flailing at pitches and losing his helmet.
Colon, who owns a paltry .084 career batting average (poor even by pitcher standards), shocked the baseball world with a home run at the notoriously pitcher friendly Petco Park in 2016. The 42-year old smacked a towering blast off former All-Star James Shields to become the oldest player to hit his first career homer.
Biggest Disappointment: 2015 World Series, Game 5
In the end, not even the Dark Knight could save Gotham. With the Mets facing potential elimination, Harvey delivered what initially looked like a performance for the ages. The righty kept the Royals off the board for eight innings, and was so eager to finish the game that he resisted his manager’s urge to remove him. Harvey convinced Terry Collins to let him go out for the ninth, but the Royals would rally and ultimately win the game in 12 innings. In the end, Harvey’s brilliance was overshadowed by the Royals clinching their first championship in thirty years.
Honorable Mention: David Wright was deservedly showered with appreciation in his final career game in September of 2018. Unfortunately, Wright went hitless in his two plate appearances, denying fans a chance to see the captain come through one last time. Peter O’Brien, the Marlins first baseman who caught Wright’s foul pop up in his final at-bat, will always be persona non grata among the Flushing Faithful.
Searle’s Final Say
The Mets were in rebuild mode at the start of the decade; Sandy Alderson’s arrival following the 2010 season signaled a new direction for the franchise. Though the Mets did not win a championship during Alderson’s tenure, the 2015 pennant run provided some of the most compelling narratives in team history. The decade was also notable for the number of homegrown talents who made their mark in Flushing, including Jacob deGrom, Michael Conforto, Matt Harvey, Brandon Nimmo, Seth Lugo, and Pete Alonso.
