John From Albany: 10 Years Ago - Niese, Murph and Conforto Beat Braves, 9/2/2015

 

Jon Niese, 2016 Topps Baseball Card

2015, the last year the Mets made the World Series.  This daily post will detail the game by game journey to the Fall Classic.  Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics.

Year: 2015; Game #150; Monday;  Sep 21, NYM 4  Vs. ATL; 0; boxscore;   WP: Niese; LP: Miller; Time: 02:51; NIGHT; Attendance: 26,362; Record: 85-65; Standings: 1; Games up/behind: up 6.5; W; 

Curtis Granderson RF: 1 for 3; 2 runs; 2 walks; 2 Ks; Daniel Murphy 3B: 2 for 4; 2B; 2 RBIs; Yoenis Céspedes CF-LF: 3 for 4; 2·2B; Lucas Duda 1B: 0 for 2; 2·IW; 2 walks; Travis d'Arnaud C: 0 for 4; GDP; 2 Ks; Kelly Johnson 2B: 1 for 4; 1 K; Michael Conforto LF: 1 for 4; HR; 1 run; 1 RBI; 1 K; Juan Lagares CF: 0 for 0; Wilmer Flores SS: 1 for 3; CS,GDP; Rubén Tejada SS: 0 for 0; 1 walk; Jon Niese P: 0 for 1; 1 walk; Michael Cuddyer PH: 1 for 1; Kirk Nieuwenhuis PH: 0 for 1; 1 K; Jon Niese, W (9-10): 6 innings; no runs; 3 hits; 2 walks; 2 Ks; Addison Reed, H (13): 1 inning; no runs; Tyler Clippard: 1 inning; no runs; 1 hit; 2 Ks; Jeurys Familia: 1 inning; no runs; 1 hit; 1 K; 

NY Post: Mets drama takes back seat in much-needed respite vs. Braves. "Jon Niese handled the Braves over six innings and Daniel Murphy atoned for an earlier base-running gaffe with a big seventh-inning double that led the Mets’ 4-0 victory at Citi Field...Murphy’s two-run double in the seventh gave the Mets a cushion with a 4-0 lead. In the first, he had run the Mets out of an inning by freezing between second and third base on a grounder and then getting tagged out to complete a double play."

ESPN.com: "Niese won for the first time in a month, Michael Conforto homered and the Mets inched closer to an NL East title...New York stretched its lead to 6 1/2 games over the second-place Nationals with 12 to play and lowered its magic number for clinching the division to seven. Washington's interleague home game against Baltimore was postponed because of rain and rescheduled for Thursday."

NL East Standings 9/21/2025

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
NYM	85	65	.567	--	632	570	.547
WSN	78	71	.523	6.5	672	594	.556
MIA	64	86	.427	21.0	558	622	.450
ATL	60	91	.397	25.5	527	724	.359
PHI	56	94	.373	29.0	567	771	.363

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/21/2015.

John From Albany: 10 Years Ago - Mets blowout Marlins, Conforto's 1st Homer, 8/3/2015

Michael Conforto, 2016 Topps Heritage Card

 

2015, the last year the Mets made the World Series.  This daily post will detail the game by game journey to the Fall Classic.  Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics.

Year: 2015; Game #106; Monday;  Aug 3, NYM 12 @ MIA; 1; boxscore;   WP: Colon; LP: Koehler; Time: 03:03; NIGHT; Attendance: 23,119; Record: 56-50; Standings: 1; Games up/behind: up 1.0; W;  

Curtis Granderson RF: 3 for 5; 2 runs; 2 RBIs; 1 walk; 1 K; Daniel Murphy 3B: 1 for 4; 1 run; 1 walk; Eric Campbell 3B: 0 for 1; Yoenis Céspedes CF: 3 for 5; 3·2B,GDP; 2 runs; 4 RBIs; Juan Lagares CF: 1 for 1; Lucas Duda 1B: 0 for 4; 2 walks; 4 Ks; Wilmer Flores SS-2B: 1 for 5; 2B; 1 run; 1 RBI; 2 Ks; Kelly Johnson 2B-RF: 1 for 4; 2 runs; 1 RBI; 1 walk; Travis d'Arnaud C: 2 for 5; 2·2B; 1 run; Michael Conforto LF: 2 for 4; HR; 3 runs; 3 RBIs; 1 walk; 2 Ks; Bartolo Colón P: 1 for 4; 2 Ks; Rubén Tejada PH-SS: 0 for 0; HBP; Bartolo Colón, W (10-10): 8 innings; 1 run; 1 ER; 7 hits; 5 Ks; Sean Gilmartin: 1 inning; no runs;  

NY Post: Mets alone in first place after offense, Colon steamroll Marlins. “The Mets (56-50) made this one a runaway and won their fourth straight. Michael Conforto’s first major-league homer, a three-run blast in the second, set the tone and Yoenis Cespedes finished with three doubles and four RBIs. The Nationals lost 6-4 to the Diamondbacks and fell one game behind the Mets.”

ESPN.com: "Bartolo Colon (W,10-10) won for the first time since June 12 after dropping his previous six decisions. He pitched eight innings, allowing one run and seven hits. With his win Monday, Colon joined Tom Glavine as the only Mets to win 10 or more games in their age-40 season or later."

NL East Standings 8/3/2015

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
NYM	56	50	.528	--	385	376	.511
WSN	54	50	.519	1.0	428	402	.529
ATL	48	58	.453	8.0	394	459	.431
MIA	43	63	.406	13.0	376	422	.447
PHI	41	65	.387	15.0	388	517	.372

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/3/2015.

John From Albany: 10 Years Ago - Mets get 21 hits, score 15 runs in win, 7/25/2015

Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Topps Baseball Card

 

2015, the last year the Mets made the World Series.  This daily post will detail the game by game journey to the Fall Classic.  Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics.

Year: 2015; Game #98; Saturday;  Jul 25, NYM 15  Vs. LAD; 2; boxscore;    WP: Harvey;  LP: Lee;  Time: 03:12; NIGHT; Attendance: 39,744; Record: 50-48; Standings: 2; Games up/behind: 3; W;  

Curtis Granderson RF: 1 for 4; 2B; 1 run; 1 walk; 1 K; Juan Lagares PH-CF: 0 for 1; Rubén Tejada SS: 3 for 6; 2 runs; 1 K; Daniel Murphy 3B: 2 for 4; HR; 2 runs; 3 RBIs; Juan Uribe 3B: 1 for 2; Kelly Johnson 2B: 2 for 6; HR; 2 runs; 1 RBI; 2 Ks; Lucas Duda 1B: 2 for 6; 2·HR; 2 runs; 2 RBIs; 1 K; Michael Conforto LF: 4 for 4; 2·2B; 4 runs; 1 RBI; 1 walk; Kirk Nieuwenhuis CF-RF: 4 for 4; 2B; 2 runs; 4 RBIs; 1 walk; Kevin Plawecki C: 0 for 3; HBP,GDP,IW; 1 walk; 2 Ks; Matt Harvey P: 2 for 4; 2B; 2 RBIs; 1 K; Eric Campbell PH: 0 for 0; 1 RBI; 1 walk; Matt Harvey, W (9-7): 7 innings; 2 runs; 2 ERs; 6 hits; 2 HRs; 1 walk; 4 Ks; Jenrry Mejía: 1 inning; no runs; 1 hit; 3 Ks; Jeurys Familia: 1 inning; no runs; 1 K;   

NY Post: “The Mets hung four runs on the board in the first inning, pounded out 21 hits, including four home runs, and blasted the Dodgers, 15-2, at Citi Field on Saturday….the Mets picked up their bats in support of Matt Harvey (9-7), who worked seven innings for the win…The Mets’ offensive achievements were grocery-list long. Conforto and Kirk Nieuwenhuis each stroked four hits with Nieuwenhuis driving in four runs for starters.”

Mets stay 3 games behind the 1st place Nationals as they beat the Pirates 9-3.

NL East Standings 7/25/2015

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
WSN	52	44	.542	--	409	377	.537
NYM	50	48	.510	3.0	346	353	.491
ATL	45	52	.464	7.5	366	411	.447
MIA	41	57	.418	12.0	356	383	.467
PHI	36	63	.364	17.5	345	490	.345

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/25/2015.

John From Albany: 10 Years Ago - Conforto debuts, Mets lose, 7/24/2015

Michael Conforto 2016 Topps Rookie Card

2015, the last year the Mets made the World Series.  This daily post will detail the game by game journey to the Fall Classic.  Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics.

Year: 2015; Game #97; Friday;  Jul 24, NYM 2  Vs. LAD; 7; boxscore;  WP: Thomas; LP: Niese; Time: 02:40; NIGHT; Attendance: 36,066; Record: 49-48; Standings: 2; Games up/behind: 3; L;  

Curtis Granderson RF: 0 for 3; 1 walk; 1 K; Rubén Tejada SS: 2 for 4; SB,GDP; 1 run; Daniel Murphy 3B: 1 for 4; GDP; 1 RBI; 1 K; Wilmer Flores 2B: 1 for 4; 1 K; Lucas Duda 1B: 1 for 4; 2B; 1 run; 2 Ks; Juan Lagares CF: 1 for 3; Michael Conforto LF: 0 for 3; 1 RBI; Kevin Plawecki C: 0 for 3; Daniel Muno PH: 0 for 1; 1 K; Kirk Nieuwenhuis PH: 0 for 1; John Mayberry PH: 0 for 1; 1 K; Jon Niese, L (5-9): 3 innings; 6 runs; 6 ERs; 8 hits; 2 HRs; 1 walk; 1 K; Carlos Torres: 3 innings; no runs; 3 hits; 2 Ks; Hansel Robles: 2 innings; 1 run; 1 ER; 1 hit; 1 HR; 2 Ks; 

National Pastime.com: Receiving a standing ovation from the Citi Field crowd, Michael Conforto, the Mets' first-round pick (10th overall) last year, becomes the 1,000th player in Mets history when he makes his major league debut, going 0-3 in the team’s 7-2 loss to the Dodgers at Citi Field. Tomorrow, the 22 year-old rookie left fielder will enjoy a 4-for-4 day at the plate when he will collect three singles and a double en route scoring four runs.

NY Post: Phenom debuts for hopeful Mets — but same old problems in loss. “Jonathan Niese, who had allowed six earned runs total in his previous five starts, found trouble quickly. Former Met Justin Turner made it 1-0 in the first with the first of his three extra base hits. Thomas’ bases loaded double play produced one run and Joc Pederson doubled in another in the second for a 3-0 Dodgers lead. Turner homered leading off the third, Yasiel Puig hit a two-run laser two batters later and the Dodgers led 6-0. Jimmy Rollins’ 10th homer of the season — his second in two nights and 32nd lifetime against the Mets — off Hansel Robles in the eighth made it 7-2.”

Baseball Reference - A couple of trades are concluded in anticipation of the trading deadline in a week's time. The Mets acquire IFs Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson from the Braves for minor league pitchers John Gant and Rob Whalen. The Mets also promote top prospect OF Michael Conforto, designate OF John Mayberry for assignment, and move 3B David Wright to the 60-day disabled list. For Uribe, it's a second trade this year.

The Nationals also lost as the Mets stayed 3 games back of 1st place.  

NL East Standings 7/24/2015

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
WSN	51	44	.537	--	400	374	.531
NYM	49	48	.505	3.0	331	351	.473
ATL	45	51	.469	6.5	366	410	.448
MIA	41	56	.423	11.0	355	380	.469
PHI	35	63	.357	17.5	340	490	.339

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/24/2015.

PRESS RELEASE: METS EXTEND QUALIFYING OFFER TO OUTFIELDER MICHAEL CONFORTO & RHP NOAH SYNDERGAARD

METS EXTEND QUALIFYING OFFER TO

OUTFIELDER MICHAEL CONFORTO & RHP NOAH SYNDERGAARD

 

FLUSHING, N.Y., November 6, 2021 – The New York Mets today announced they have extended a qualifying offer to outfielder Michael Conforto and RHP Noah Syndergaard.

 

Conforto, 28, has hit .255 with 141 doubles, 132 homers and 396 RBI over seven seasons with the Mets.

 

Syndergaard, 29, is 47-31 with a 3.32 ERA (265 earned runs/718.0 innings) in 121 games, 120 starts during six seasons with New York.

 

Box Score and Recap: Nationals 4 Mets 3 - 9/6/2021

 

 

The Mets are in Washington to play the Nationals.  It's the final game of the five game series. 

Today’s Lineup: Jonathan Villar 3B; Francisco Lindor SS; Michael Conforto RF; Pete Alonso 1B; Javier Baez 2B; Kevin Pillar CF; Jeff McNeil LF; James McCann C; Trevor Williams P;

Box Score and Recap: Mets 13 Nationals 6 - 9/5/2021

 

 

The Mets are in Washington to play the Nationals.  It's game four of the five game series. 

Today’s Lineup: Jonathan Villar 3B; Francisco Lindor SS; Pete Alonso 1B; Michael Conforto RF; Javier Baez 2B; Jeff McNeil LF; Kevin Pillar CF; Patrick Mazeika C; Taijuan Walker P;

The Morning Report 10.15.2015 | 1 Game Will Determine a Season, All Arms on Deck for Game 5, Conforto Rightfully Back in the Line-Up

Michael Baron | Just Mets- So, here we are. 166 games into the season. A month’s worth of spring training games, and nearly another month under the warm, winter sun in Port St. Lucie. 92 wins later, with sore arms, bad backs, tow swollen knees and legs in tow, the Mets season comes down to one day. “If anybody was going to pitch two games in the series for us, it would be Jacob deGrom. I worked out that way,” Collins said. “There’s a reason why we thought if we’re up 2-1 in Game 4 that we’re going to save him because he’s the guy we want on the mound. You kind of feel real confident that he’s pitched well out there that he’s going to go out and do it again. And once again, this is a time when you need your guys to step up and you certainly think he’ll do that.”

Mike Puma | New York Post- All volunteers will be considered. As Mets manager Terry Collins surveys the scene for Thursday’s Game 5 of the NLDS against the Dodgers, two big names have been added to the list of potential relievers: Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard. “We’re going to be smart about it,” Collins said. “We’re not going to be foolish and go right to Matt Harvey if Jake is in trouble in the second inning. “He wants to pitch, He never, I don’t think he ever shied away from the fact he wanted to pitch in the postseason. We’re here now and he’s ready to take the ball when he needs it. We’re talking about guys going only one or two innings tops, anyway.”

Kristie Ackert | NY Daily News- Conforto will likely get his second start of the playoffs Thursday as the Mets return to Dodger Stadium for the winner-take-all Game 5 of the NLDS. With the righthanded Greinke going again for the Dodgers, Terry Collins is expected to stick Conforto in left field. I had two at-bats against him, I saw maybe three pitches to hit,” Conforto said. “The approach we had was pretty solid. It worked out for me. I was just kind of trying to keep him in the middle of the plate, make him elevate. Then just try and get something you can hit the ball hard, but he has a lot of good stuff.”

(Chris Soto: Here we go! The one game [so far] that's going to be for all the marbles. Nothing is off limits tonight. No pitch counts, no rules. If using Wright to bunt the runner over to 2nd base with 0 outs is going to set the table for Cespedes, then so be it! If sacrificing your body to stop a groundball is needed, even if you can't get the out, then so be it! If deGrom is gassed and the heart of the order is coming up....and using Thor or Harvey is the best option......Guess what? Then SO BE IT!

     The Mets know first hand that next year is never a guarantee....they need to take advantage of being in the playoffs now and make the most of it. Winning tonight.....means getting back to NY and to the inevitable matchup between young star studded pitching and young star studded hitting.)

The Morning Report 10.14.2015 | Game 4: Matz Ok...But OK Not Enough vs Kershaw, Bartolo Colon Solid in the Pen, Mets Lucky to Have deGrom up Next.

Mark Bowman | Mets.com-  Steven Matz will forever remember the thrill he experienced on Tuesday night when he took the mound at Citi Field for his beloved Mets in Game 4 of the National League Division Series. Unfortunately, it will take some time for him to forget how the Dodgers soured the experience with a sudden and decisive third-inning flurry. "He pitched very good," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "The one pitch I know he wants back is the pitch to Kershaw." "A couple mistakes cost me," Matz said. "When you face a guy like Kershaw, you want to put up zeros and I wasn't able to do that today. I'm going to build off the positive here today."

Zach Braziller | New York Post- Who says you can’t teach an old pitcher new tricks? Bartolo Colon entered this season with eight relief appearances in 18 big-league seasons, and the 42-year-old right-hander quickly has become the Mets’ most reliable reliever not named Jeurys Familia this postseason. “Anytime you mention Bartolo Colon’s name, it’s the same,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “He pounds the strike zone, keeps the ball down for the most part, fields his position — all the things you want done.” Colon needed just 26 pitches to navigate two innings, striking out two and allowing one hit.

Jason Keidel | CBS New York- If you didn’t know before, now you know. Kershaw is the best pitcher on the planet. It’s not a debate, discussion, or dialogue. But there’s a wide, silver lining that the Mets can ride into the NLCS. They know they can beat the Dodgers, and beat them in Los Angeles. And they have the pitcher who already beat them at Los Angeles. For all the hype and hyperbole, all the flaming adjectives and social media branding and anointing of the Kershaw/Greinke duet, the Mets got some arms of their own. And if this series has done anything other than double as a stage for their two pitching savants, it has also cast a blinding light on an ace up the Mets’ sleeve......Jacob deGrom.

(Chris Soto: Darn....I want to say that the Mets had a chance....but Clayton Kershaw was on point last night. He left Matz with little margin for error and, sure enough, it only took 1 string of base hits to win this game for the Dodgers. The Mets certainly had their chances though, especially in the 8th inning, but closer Kenley Jansen was able to bear down and hold the lead.

     That said, I honestly have only 1 pain point to bring up.....how bad does Michael Cuddyer look? My goodness....with a runner on base he showed no patience, swinging at every pitch, and on an 0-2 count he got the weakest hanging curveball Kershaw threw all Night! Right in the middle of the plate and he took a pretty feable swing at it.

     Good thing the right handed Grienke is on the mound tomorrow night, cause Cuddyer looks pretty bad right now. I would much rather have Conforto in LF against both lefties and righties at this point. )

The Morning Report 9.23.2015 | Mets Fans Need to Learn to Be Happy, Conforto Stuck In A Platoon, Terry Collins = Manager of the Year?, RIP Yogi Berra

Andy Martino | NY Daily News- It’s a Monday in late September, the magic number is [six] now, and the only job remaining for the Mets is clinch and pour champagne on one another — and yet, people here are agitated. Again. Seriously, has there ever been a more dour march to the postseason? Collins noticed the impact after Sunday’s loss to the Yankees, when he entered a stoic room, and felt the need to remind his players that they were six games ahead of Washington, with 13 to play. “Did we not stay in first place?” the manager shouted to a silent crew. “Turn the damn music on, and let’s get ready for tomorrow.”

(Chris Soto: Here is the wonderful thing about the magic number...it goes down after every Mets win, AND, every Nationals loss. With only 11 games left to play, the Mets are still 6.5 games ahead in first place. Heaven forbid the Mets only win 3 of the next 11 games.....that means the Nationals would have to finish 10-2 over these final 2 weeks of the season....10 wins, 2 losses. That is damn near in surmountable. Let's take a chill pill folks, let the Mets keep doing what their doing in regards to resting players and rotating guys in and out to get them ABs.)

Brian Lewis | New York Post- The rookie wall clearly hasn’t slowed Michael Conforto in the regular-season. But will a dearth of right-handed pitching to rake stop him in the postseason?
It’s increasingly likely the Mets will not only make the playoffs but face the Dodgers, who are capable of throwing three lefties in the NLDS, begging the question of whether there’s anything Conforto can do to break out of his platoon with Cuddyer? “I don’t think at this particular moment there’s a lot he can do to change it,” manager Terry Collins said. “Everything can change, but we’re looking at one lefty in the next seven days, maybe even the next 10 days. His opportunities are going to be pretty thin. There’s some people here whose job it is to hit left-handed pitching. … Down the road this kid will be one of them. But right now I think we’ll stick with what we’ve done.’’

(Chris Soto: Do I think Conforto CAN hit left handed pitching? Absolutely! However, IS Conforto a better hitter against lefties then the Mets other available options? At this current point in time, that answer is no. The Mets have these heavy platoon split hitting guys for a reason, to take advantage of their strengths and utilize them against what is going to be the toughest LHP the Mets will find in all of baseball. I have no quarrels with the Mets continuing to use Conforto against RHP only at this current point in time.)

Mark Herrman | Newsday- When Terry Collins broke into professional baseball in 1971, there was no such thing as a designated hitter. There were no pitch counts or innings limits [and] Tommy John was a pitcher, not a surgery. [And yet] it all fits. The white-haired, 66-year-old Collins is the perfect guy to deal with Harvey and the rest of the Mets' stellar, young, handle-with-care rotation. He has been around long enough to let them know that this is going to work out, and that you never stop learning in this game, even after 44 years. "It's easy for us old guys to say, 'Suck it up, go out there and throw strikes, change speeds,' '' he said. "But there is a different mentality. Our players are playing good. That makes me a lot happier than anything else if we can finish this off."

(Chris Soto: I never thought I would be saying this...but Collins deserves to be in the conversation for National League Manager of the Year. I mean, I doubt he's going to beat Chicago's Joe Maddon who has done a phenomenal job as well this year, but he absolutely deserves the recognition of being in the running. This has been a really hard job this season managing thru what was a tough summer, multiple SPs on innings restrictions, and a roster that quick frankly wasn't even in the top half of the division until Sandy FINALLY provided him with some help.)

We mourn the passing of Yankees icon and Hall of Famer Yogi Berra. pic.twitter.com/60mwHGj33R

— MLB (@MLB) September 23, 2015