Their regular catcher was benched after driving in one run in the season's final month.
Their star slugger, struggled with a strained quadriceps, hit one home run after Sept. 11.
And four of their five highly touted projected starting pitchers were on the sidelines after seasons more notable for surgeries than strikeouts.
There was an emotional start to Wednesday night’s National League Wild Card playoff game in Queens. Prior to the game, the Mets honored fallen FDNY Deputy Chief Michael Fahy with a moment of silence. His 11-year-old son Michael then threw out the ceremonial first pitch as his family watched from the field. The Mets also presented his family with a...
In a season where MRIs were discussed more often than ERAs, not even seven shutout innings from Noah Syndergaard was enough, given the decimated offense for the defending NL champions.
"I'm really proud of these guys, to handle all that adversity," Syndergaard said after Wednesday night's season-ending 3-0 loss in the NL wild-card game to Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants.
Last year, they won their first NL pennant since 2000, reviving a franchise that seemed to be on spin cycle after the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme. And this year they filled the seats regularly at Citi Field, which rocked with energy as they overtook the Yankees in local television ratings. Just 60-62 in mid-August, they managed to finish 87-75 and clinch a playoff berth with a game to spare.
"I don't think you can say enough for what these guys did," said Jacob deGrom, one of the injured star pitchers. "Everybody was pretty much counting us out at one point, and we battled back. ... I'm proud to call them my teammates."
@TheSnortherner/ Twitter
Lets Go Mets
@SamiaHanna/ Twitter
Lets Go Mets!
@NYMichele/ Twitter
Lets Go Mets!
@Meurer_Lorraine/ Twitter
Lets Go Mets!
@Metsgal313/ Twitter
"Tucker getting ready for Habe 3. Lets Go Mets"
Melissa Davidovic
Let's Go Mets!
Audrey
Lets Go Mets!
@LyndaVal/ Twitter
"Lets Go Mets"
Lori Dunaisky
"A very Mets Halloween. The Family dressed as a Mets version of Thor, the black night and captain america."
Maureen Mitchell
"Lets Go Mets!"
@LorettaPadden/ Twitter
A Mets Halloween
@Kateedegan/ Twitter
Happy Game 4!! Lets Go Mets
JustinMets
"Starting him early."
@JohnChandlerNBC/ Twitter
"The school teacher couldnt afford a pricey WorldSeries ticket so her students bought her one."
@Jeffreygoldgrab/ Twitter
Lets Go Mets!
Janine Burke
"Mets Fanimals."
Jackie Cavalla
"Emmy love the Mets."
@ElementaryColor/ Twitter.
"Happy Halloween Let's Go Mets."
@Dyanks625/ Twitter
"You can still do it Mets!"
Donna
"Anthony loves the Mets."
@DiWilson719/ Twitter.
"Biggest Mets fan in a little body."
@DaisjeW/Twitter
"Lets Go Mets!"
Christopher Kersul
A Mr. Mets Halloween Costume
@Aguilar_Darleen/ Twitter
A NYMets Tattoo
@Paul_robinson27/ Twitter
Lets Go Mets!
@LyndaVal/ Twitter
A NYMets Family
@ElenisCookies./ Twitter
"Stop by our store in ChelseaMarket to pick up our sweet mets cookies."
@Curlyq1Dianne/ Twitter
Posing for The Mets
Vincent Venetucci
"This is a picture of my wife, Missy Venetucci in a dress that is made of Baseball skins made by a local artist and autographed by the Mets Team during Spring Training in Port St. Lucie FL. In March 2015. My wife won the dress on the last Spring Training day in a raffle where the money went to a local kids Baseball program."
@SteveyMerc/ Twitter
Lets Go Mets
@Sibilia4ny/ Twitter
"How sweet it is! Lets go Mets"
@LaurenScala4ny/ Twitter
"JacqueReid caught me snacking on Mets macarons after NewYorkLiveTV"
@idiart/ Instagram
"Whose awesomely cool wife got some special cookies to celebrate the East Division Championship win? My wife, that's whose! Thanks Brookie!"
@cdevita26/ Twitter
"NYMETS"
@Ahey11/ Twitter
"Ready to bring their championship home."
@Adallos/ Twitter
"Lets Go NYMets on sixth avenue NYC"
Michelle Bomser
Our Mets photo. My Dad, me, Mr. and Mrs. Met.
@LyndaVal/Twitter
"She's ready for tonight!"
@raffiweather/Instagram
"Let's go Mets!!!"
@ccnyg16/Instagram
"MJ is ready!!!"
This was my 6 year-old son's idea to make a Mr. Met Pumpkin! Lets go Mets!
@JenMetfan/ Twitter
"Buddy is ready for game 1"
Jen Madsen White
A Mets puppy fan
Bennyc Djpepe
A Mets baby ready for the World Series
Angela Cuozzo
"NJ Mets Love at Citifield"
@zhdzz/ Instagram
Mets Street Art
@zarosbakery/ Instagram
Yum! Lets Go Mets!
@jordanaz/ Instagram
"Lets Go Mets."
@emsnyc83/ Instagram
"Let's Go."
@Adallos/ Twitter
Lets Go Mets!
@CeliaCostigan/ Twitter
"Tigger loves the Mets."
Anthony Pinto
"Let's Go Mets!"
Kim
Lets Go Mets!
Tom ORourke
"My day with the Mets."
Ken Sorkin
Homage to Jacob DeGrom in pumpkin
Ken Sorkin
"Carving up the national league."
@bxjoeyg/ Twitter
Lets Go Mets!
@essatu/ Instagram
"Meet the Mets."
Raul
Lets Go Mets!
Vanessa Miller
Lets Go Mets!
Damiano Dilorio
An 8-year-old boxer Dublin from Totowa,NJ with his game face on
Jill Paley Cohen
"Augie in her Mets jersey."
Angela Cuozzo
"Scotty loves the Mets. puppy pride."
Angela Cuozzo
"NY Mets cousin love."
Tania Ayala
"Mets game with the family. My family are die hard Mets fans."
Nevin
"Lets Go Mets!"
Lisa Sinclair
"Yes now onto the world series."
Lauren Clayton
Just married for the love of Mets
Kim Siciliano
Rocking the Mets attire
Julie DelPriore
This Mets baby, Noah is a big Mets fan already.
Courtney
"NY Mets biggest puppy fan."
@cjoline/ Instagram
Lets Go Mets!
@FIGJAM83/Twitter
"Is that a Mets sky?"
@jmcneil14/Twitter
"Brian was born the day the Mets clinched and he's proud to be a Met fan!"
@sprvoiceover/ Instagram
An Amazing pumpkin carving that screams Fall and Mets
Joan Williams
An "84-year-old life long Mets fan."
Howard
Apparently, this little cat named Clementine is a huge Mets fan.
@BTWwhich1pink/Twitter
@jamesandjack76/Instagram
Mets Fans gather at CitiField Stadium
@vagonyc21/Instagram
"Shout outs to the friends that I've been catching every Mets playoff game with at Studio Square! We have a few more games to watch now!!"
@pj_brady/Instagram
"It wasn't a dream! The #Mets are going to the World Series!!"
@marlinskimusic/Instagram
"Party in midtown! Lifelong Mets fan.. Employee of the Mets at SNY for the past few years.. Best night to work! Can't believe the Mets are going to the World Series!! #LGM"
@kellymescall/Instagram
"After watching him suffer through eight years of baseball seasons there is nothing like seeing Brian after a Mets win. #LGM"
@johnchandlernbc/Instagram
"Fans lining up to "Meet the #Mets" at Citi Field"
@byronvjr/instagram
A Mets Flat is raised in Floral Park, Queens
Michael Adler
"Huge, long time Mets fan Michael Adler cheers for Mets before game during Mets-Cubs NL Championship series."
Maria Lainez
"Twins brothers Jacob, Joshua and their best friend Klhoe rooting for their favorite team."
@Eleniscookies/ Twitter
"We're stuffing our faces with Mets cookies in honor of last night's game! Want any?"
@wallyb_9/ Instagram
"Rise and shine fellow Mets fans, we're going to the World Series!!"
Tara Cunningham
"At a Mets game!"
@pretty_lily_schnauzer/ Instagram
"Lets Go Mets!!!"
Marie Alice Lavache
"Soooooooo Happy for THE METS! LOVE THEM! You Gotta Believe! World Series here we come!"
Andrea
"Snooki demonstrates how much she loves the Mets by wearing her Mets flare!"
@mcneil14/ Twitter
"Brian was born the day the Mets clinched and he's proud to be a Met fan."
@gzfotografias/ Instagram
"Lets go Mets."
@NYCKatieP/ Twitter
Rocking the Mets attire
@FIGAM83/ Twitter
"Is that a Mets sky?"
@ccnyg1/ Twitter
"All ready for tonight."
@aiden1022/ Twitter
"Met fans since birth."
@theofan/Twitter
@MiaFins1/Twitter
"Me and my son"
Kelly Terrio
"Love them so much I have them on my nails. Hand painted!!"
@eacisneros/Twitter
Mets fans in Chicago gather at Merkle’s
@BERLINNYMADE/Twitter
"Let's Go Mets!"
@newyorkdaze/Instagram
@retiredpo/Twitter
"Rooting for the home team!!!"
@Tuckmantweets/Twitter
@SheldonDutes4NY/Twitter
"Bundled up for #NBC4NY morning live shots at #CitiField but excited for the #Mets."
@ScEisenberg/Twitter
"Me & La Familia!!"
@lkadams31/Twitter
Linda Pedersen
"This photo was taken in August to celebrate Brayden's 1st birthday, his love of hot dogs, and his dad's love of the Mets! :)"
@bxjoeyg/Twitter
"LETS GO METS !!! 1 DOWN 3 TO GO !!"
@Bogs4NY/Twitter
"Me and my little girl are ready for game 1 of the #NLCS"
NBC 4 New York
We were celebrating a birthday in the NBC 4 New York newsroom for a major Mets fan with this Mrs. Fields cake featuring Mets pitcher, Jacob Degrom.
@vagonyc21/Instagram
"We gotta keep New York in these playoffs!"
@katcreag4NY/Twitter
"Longtime Mets fan Richie Santana from Brooklyn gets the newest Mets T-shirt at the team store"
@Joshfromny/Instagram
"It's time. Let's Go Mets!"
@esantana/Instagram
"NY WANTS IT MORE! I lost my voice last night."
@emsnyc83/Instagram
Taken Tuesday afternoon at 42nd Street-Bryant Park no. 7 subway station
@BruceBeck4NY/Instagram
Before Game 4 of NLDS at Citi Field
@joshfromny/Instagram
Taken on the way to Citi Field: "#TEAMWORK… It’s when you run into a rough patch and your team members come to help you out. HELP YOU OUT… It’s when you are in a situation and your team comes to assist you. ASSISTING… It’s when your teammates help you up but at the same time you do your part or more to get up! Mets did this last night for Harvey. Everyone should do it in their own lives as well."
@scene_in_nyc/Instagram
Citi Field before Game 4 of the NLDS on Tuesday, Oct. 13
@BruceBeck4NY/Instagram
"Is tonight the night that the @mets return to the NLCS? We're live at Citi Field all night on @nbcnewyork 4!"
@sixx923/Instagram
"This is my handsome son! We took this with daddy's towel they gave out at last night's game and he's back there tonight hoping for the big win!" Tuesday, Oct. 13
@mey_photography/Instagram
At Citi Field on Game 3 of the NLDS on Monday, Oct. 12
@mey_photography/Instagram
At Citi Field on Game 3 of the NLDS on Monday, Oct. 12
@mey_photography/Instagram
At Citi Field on Game 3 of the NLDS on Monday, Oct. 12
@BruceBeck4NY/Instagram
"A blast interviewing The 7 Line before the game!" Monday, Oct. 12
@BruceBeck4NY/Instagram
"The 7 Line Army is out in force! The largest traveling supporter section in baseball is ready to rock @citi_field tonight for the @mets first home playoff game in 9 years! Thanks gang - you were awesome for my newscast on @nbcnewyork 4!" Monday, Oct. 12
@chris7021/Instagram
"That was last Friday when the Mets won the first game, at Lowery Street"
@crispygreco/Instagram
Taken Game 1 of NLDS at Citi Field
@amandphilsmom/Instagram
Syndergaard pitched up to his Thor nickname , striking out 10 and walking three, throwing 42 thunderbolts to 98 mph or higher - more than Philadelphia or Cleveland's pitchers all season, according to Inside Edge. Curtis Granderson made a run-saving catch in a Willie Mays impersonation.
But Jeurys Familia gave up a three-run homer to Conor Gillaspie in the ninth inning, a drive into the right-field bullpens that stunned the Citi Field crowd into silence.
No more comebacks. No more hope.
"They're hurting, but there's no reason to be," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "They were written off so many times this summer and yet they kept fighting back. ... You've got to have special people and special character to play in this town and in this environment, and that's in that room."
[[396074401, C]]
Last year, Familia allowed a tying home run to Alex Gordon in the ninth of the World Series opener, and he was charged with three blown saves - partly because of his defense. He knew the 96 mph offering to Gillaspie would be a home run as soon as the bat made contact.
"I missed the location," he said.
Time to heal. Less than 4 1/2 months until pitchers and catchers, ones the Mets hope have soothed muscles, mended tendons, resuscitated ligaments and rejuvenated spirits.
"We're disappointed," Collins said, "but we'll be able to get healthy, and we'll be back."
