Tom Brennan - 2015 Mets' Quiz Questions!

We almost had a fairy tale World Series ending in 2015, until the Mets folded in the World Series to the hot, talented, underdog KC Royals.

But there must be 11 quiz questions worth asking about 2015, right?  

You get to see how many you can answer correctly.  Without Google.

1) The Mets finished first in all of MLB in 2015 in net runs (runs scored > runs surrendered) by how much?

2) The Mets' 1969 low point was mid-August, when they lost to the Astros to fall to 62-51, 10 games out.  They pivoted violently to go 38-11 the rest of the way, plus 7 of 8 in the playoffs, with that 45-12 stretch undoubtedly being one of the hottest baseball streaks ever.  What game was the similar low point in 2015?

3) Even though the date in the answer to question 2 was the low point, what was the turning point for the Mets a few days earlier?

4) The Mets were worst in this category through July 24, then after that were the best in all baseball?  What category was it?

5) Which supporting cast of supposed hitters were dragging the team down prior to the Mets acquiring Uribe, Johnson, and Cespedes? 

6) Which player, never one Reese took to, didn't hit like Lindor but did hit .261 with a .338 OBP?

7) Which Mets player had a slash of .268/.340/.485, pretty similar to Cespedes' .287/.337/.604?

8) Which player from August through year end, in 199 at bats, had 19 doubles, 2 triples, 8 HRs and 37 RBIs, followed by hitting .330 in the playoffs with 7 HRs, but was not re-signed, while Lucas Duda was retained to play first base?  So, from August 1st on, this mystery Met had 21 doubles, 2 triples, and 15 HRs while hitting nearly .310. Who was this Irish fella?

9) 43 saves and a 1.85 ERA (hint: not named Edwin). 

10) Who led the staff' starters in wins?   

11) Who was the amazing manager of that Cinderella Mets team?

ANSWERS TO ABOVE QUESTIONS

1) Trick question.  They were actually 7th in net runs with 70 (683 scored, 613 allowed).  Toronto was +223.  Atlanta meanwhile won just 67 games and was -187 in runs, but now they have Spencer Strider.

2) July 30’s game, when they were playing poorly, had a big lead on a rainy day in NY, but folded late, 8-7, to the Padres and fell to 52-50.  They had started out the season at 13-3, so the Mets had played just 39-47 after that over their next 86 games, despite continually strong pitching.  From that point on, thoug, until just prior to the World Series, the Mets went on a 45-24 tear.

3) The Mets in July acquired Kelly Johnson and Jose Uribe, and in their first game, the Mets, who had been having incredible problems scoring, won 15-2, with Kirk N. and Michael C. each going 4 for 4.

4) Runs scored.  They were the close to the lowest (or the lowest) in baseball through July 24 (3.4 runs per game), but the most prolific scoring team thereafter (5.4 RPG).  Cespedes, Wright, Murphy, and others went on a hitting tear.  It was a party (BYOB - bring your own bats).

5) Eric “the Red” Campbell, John Mayberry RFD, Dilson Pickles Herrera, Anthony Home Recker, Darrell I like strawberries Ceciliani, Jo Mo Johnny Monell, Danny Numero uno Muno and Eric (Not So) Young.  The Agonizing 8 went just 107 for 604 (.177) with 12 HRs and 46 RBIs. The Mets' pitchers, by comparison, in 320 at bats hit a close .163 with 2 HRs and 28 RBIs.  Imagine 8 sucky hitters like that comprising 12% of your team's non-pitcher at bats, and still making the World Series? 

6) Ruben The Sandwich Tejada.  People forget that at the ages of 21-22, in 792 Mets at bats, the Sandwich hit a superb .287.  How many Mets' players can you say hit .287 at that age?   I thought perhaps Gregg Jeffries but nope....I think the answer is NO MET ever did that.

7) Travis d'Arnaud - yeah, him again....he was up just 239 ABs that year, and if you projected his stats over 550 ABs, you'd get 32 doubles, 28 HRs, and 96 RBIs.  We didn't keep him though.  I still wonder why.

8) Oh, Danny Boy Daniel Murphy.  And knowing Daniel Murphy is a common name, I double-checked and, yes, he was the same Daniel Murphy who signed with the Mets' division arch-rival Nats and in 2016 and 2017 with them, in 1,065 at bats, had 90 doubles, 8 triples, 48 HRs, 197 RBIs, and a .335 average.  Yep, that same Murphy, I double-checked.  Lucas Duda, meanwhile, in 2016-17 had 663 at bats, 37 HRs, 87 RBIs, and a .220 average.  Advantage, Murphy.  Jackass of the Year Award?  The Wilpons. 

9) Jeurys Familia. AKA Hip Hop Artist Jay Rees. He had a strong playoffs that year, too, with 14.2 IP, 5 hits, just 2 walks, and just 1 earned run.  Many fans were mad at him anyway after the season.  You see, he wasn't perfect - that's all it takes sometimes with the fans.  Warped expectations, low IQ.  Know and embrace quality while you have it. 

10) For the second straight season, the lead winner was Bartolo Colon (actually he and Jake tied with 14 apiece).  Matt Harvey had 13. If the Mets hit in the first 97 games the much better way they did in the last 65 games, all 3 might have won 20 games.

11) Reese's favorite, Terry (Tom) Collins, whose biggest mistake was leaving Matt Harvey in for the 9th inning of a dazzlingly pitched WS game.  It all unraveled from there.  Terry, I might have left him in, too, but I would NOT first have told him he was being taken out and then left in.  Ahh, hindsight is 20-20, even with astigmatism.

NEXT QUIZ YEAR? 2016