The 2015 MLB postseason certainly did not disappoint. If you take a look back at my predictions heading into the postseason, you will see how far off I was, but hey that’s the nature of sports, always expect the unexpected. Entering the season, who would have thought that they were even going to contend for the playoffs; a hot start and a deadline acquisition of Yoenis Cespedes changed everything and got the Mets offense to where it needed to be. Even once they made it to the playoffs, who would’ve thought that they would make it to the Fall Classic. That’s what makes playoff baseball a blast.
It was certainly a tough loss for the Mets, with game five being eerily similar to a painful memory in Red Sox Nation. New York Manager Terry Collins opted to leave Matt Harvey in for the ninth after being nothing short of dominant in eight innings of work. He ended up surrendering both of the tying runs, losing both his shutout and the game five win for the Mets after Kansas City went on to score seven runs in the 12th inning, winning the series.
A tough loss in both the game and the series for New York, excitement was high after the Mets dominated the Cubs in the NLCS, with their rotation looking seemingly unhittable. However there are still plenty of reasons to be excited in both New York and Kansas City.
Everybody knows how deadly the Mets’ starting rotation is. With guys like Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, and Noah Syndergaard. The rotation looks to be even more deadly with a healthy Zack Wheeler ready for next season. Where the problems lie is in the offense. Postseason hero Daniel Murphy, and big bat Yoenis Cespedes are both unrestricted free agents. Losing those guys could present some problems for the Mets. Their offense is already depleted, so losing those two would put a lot more strain on the pitching staff than there already is. Ultimately, I think Murphy goes back to NY out of loyalty, and Cespedes also returns after finding a niche with the Mets.
The Royals also find themselves in a difficult spot. Johnny Cueto was viewed as a huge pickup for the Royals, who struggled with their starting rotation in the first half of the season. Cueto didn’t live up to expectations after the deadline, posting a 4.76 ERA with the club. However he certainly came around in the postseason, with a couple of dominant starts including game two of the World Series when he pitched a complete game, surrendering one run on two hits. Cueto is entering unrestricted free agency, and the question is whether his price tag is up or down. The cliché is that great players make their money in the postseason. He could land a similar contract to Pablo Sandoval after his record postseason with the Giants. In addition to Johnny Cueto, the Royals also have to worry about Alex Gordon, the versatile outfielder that is a great piece to have in your lineup. He is a guy that certainly buys into the Royals’ philosophy of grinding out at bats and getting on base with singles and doubles. Ultimately, I believe Gordon will be back in a Royals uniform, taking a pay cut to do so. KC will not be so lucky with Cueto after he opts to sign with the Boston Red Sox for big money that the Royals just can’t afford, similar to what happened with James Shields.
Next season should be a very fun one overall, and it is especially exciting to see teams have continued and sustained success, which both of these clubs will. The free agent market is stocked with an insanely deep market of starting pitchers with Greinke, Price, and Cueto just to name a few. A lot of clubs will have a chance to get where they want to be in contending for a playoff spot. Pay close attention to this offseason, because it could very well shake up the balance of power in Major League Baseball.