Nothing is guaranteed in professional sports. The New York Mets (and their fans) know that more than any team across Major League Baseball. Whether it is the infamous “seven up with seventeen to play” or having the worst freak injuries of all time thus preventing playoff runs (Luis Castillo falling down the dugout stairs or Ike David crashing into David Wright), the Mets know that nothing should ever be taken for granted. Considering this type of information makes the team that should have never made the playoffs that much more special. The Mets know about this as well with 1969 and 1973 going down as some of the greatest Cinderella stories in sports history. In recent memory, there have been numerous teams that have come from overwhelming odds to make the playoffs. Here are a few that are quite comparable to the Mets:
2003 Marlins
Of all the teams on this list, this actually might be the most interesting example. The 2003 Marlins stood 19-29 at one point and appeared to be living out the same story that Florida baseball had lived through since its creation in 1993. After a new manager arrived (which should have happened here in Queens), the team took off compiling an incredible 75-49 to compete with the seemingly unbeatable Atlanta Braves.
Where does this team stack up against the current Mets? Well, the rotation, of course. Jack McKeon watched four pitchers who appeared to have marvelous futures ahead: Carl Pavano, Brad Penny, Dontrelle Willis, and Josh Beckett. Obviously we all now know many of them were sold within the next three years or simply fizzled out, but for the postseason, the Marlins had a dominant stable of arms that carried them through the regular season and eventually to a World Series victory. The offense holds a few similarities with like production at numerous positions.
Catcher: Ivan Rodriguez/Travis d’Arnaud
First base: Derek Lee/Lucas Duda
Third base: Mike Lowell/David Wright
Right field: Juan Encarnation/Curtis Granderson
Of course the biggest comparison to the offense is the rise of a future all-star. The Marlins watched Miguel Cabrera play left field and third base while the Mets continue to watch Michael Conforto rise to stardom.
2006 Tigers
In the same year that the Marlins rushed the field as underdogs, the Tigers suffered 119 losses en route to the worst record in American League history. A mere three years later and a 52 win climb, the Detroit Tigers found themselves facing our greatest enemy, the 2006 Cardinals. They, of course, lost, but would then go on to be a feared team in the American League for the next eight years.
So where do the similarities lie? The pitching- it’s becoming a theme. It’s almost too similar as the Tigers supported a rotation with a few young studs including Jeremy “Bondo” Bonderman, Nate Robertson, and some guy named Justin Verlander. They even had a 41-year old Kenny Rodgers – remind you of anyone?
The offense is quite comparable to the Mets, as Placido Polanco and Maggilio Ordonez are quite similar to Daniel Murphy and Yoenis Cespedes. In addition, Curtis Granderson finds himself on both squads albeit a much different one now. Once again, Ivan Rodriguez is on a World Series roster and was putting up similar numbers to d’Arnaud.
The biggest similarity to the Mets current roster is the length of time some of these guys had to wait for their team to be a contender. Wright, Murphy, Duda, and Jon Niese had to wait as long as Carlos Guillen, Brandon Inge, Craig Monroe, and Bonderman.
2008 Rays
This was the greatest story in sports during 2008- by far. A team known for mediocrity over its first decade changed its name and subsequently sprinted toward knocking the Yankees out of the playoffs for the first time since 1993. Joe Madden led a team of seemingly unknowns and worn out veterans to an American League pennant where they would eventually fall to the Phillies.
Where do you think the similarities lie? The pitching, what else? This team supported a stable of young arms that would be feared by every hitter in a matter of years. James Shields, Matt Garza, Edwin Jackson, and then-reliever David Price would all become respectable starting pitchers. In fact, these guys are more similar to what the Mets have in their aces than any other team on this list. They all had legitimate swing-and-miss ability that had the durability to go deep into games.
The offense is set up a bit different than the one we watch in Queens, but there are a few similarities. The most obvious is the clear comparison between Carlos Pena and Duda, as both hold a huge power threat with a ton of strikeouts- and a nice glove. Evan Longoria is basically a young Wright, while Cliff Floyd’s production in 2008 is quite similar to Michael Cuddyer this season.
2011 Cardinals
If there was to be one team that has completely dominated its respective league for this entire millennium, it would be the Cardinals. In 2011, things were a little a different. The team that was a step behind the Brewers at the time, they made a few moves at the deadline and Chris Carpenter led the red birds to a 18-8 September. Carpenter would start six postseason games, which included four wins and a blown out arm by 2012. They stood 11.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves at one point, but managed to win the World Series. Anything is possible.
While the Cardinals focused on their pitching to get to the Fall Classic, much of it came from other places (ie. Edwin Jackson, Jake Westbrook, Kyle Lohse). However, they have a bullpen set up quite similar to the Mets potential bullpen.
Fernanda Salas, Octavio Dotel, and Marc Rzepeczynski were staples of the 2011 Cardinals bullpen. They match up to Tyler Clippard, Hansel Robles, and Sean Gilmartin in pitching style and production. In addition to similar pitching styles, the Cardinals believed it to be their x-factor, comparable to what we hear about now.
2014 Royals
The most recent Cinderella team came from the 89-win team over in the American League central. Very few had the Royals sniffing a winning record after letting Ervin Santana leave, but this team believed in itself. They took down the A’s, Angels, and Orioles with zero losses, but eventually lost to the Giants in an even year.
The starting rotation does not match up well with the one we see in Queens, as the Royals heavily relied on their veterans to get the job done. However, they had (and still have) a bullpen that is set up almost identically to the Mets. Greg Holland, Wade Davis, and Kelvin Herrera were the mainstays of the bullpen- but it seemed that everyone else struggled. In the Mets case, Jeurys Familia, Clippard, and Addison Reed seem to be relief aces, but almost everyone else struggles at times. In addition, both teams have a young lefty prospect that appears to be on the verge of breaking out. Brandon Finnegan was a huge addition to the Royals last season, while Steven Matz has already provided a boost in the rotation.
The Royals offense was quite different than the Mets, as the Royals did not strikeout while walking a ton. However, Alex Gordon and David Wright have both been with their respective team for a long time and deserved the turnaround. In addition, both teams are littered with young and players that played for their respective organization for a long time. Billy Butler, Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer, and Danny Duffy deserved this chance as much as Murphy, Niese, Duda, and Ruben Tejada do.
These five teams came against all odds to share one common goal: reach the World Series.
eem to be relief aces, but almost everyone else struggles at times. In addition, both teams have a young lefty prospect that appears to be on the verge of breaking out. Brandon Finnegan was a huge addition to the Royals last season, while Steven Matz has already provided a boost in the rotation.
The Royals offense was quite different than the Mets, as the Royals did not strikeout while walking a ton. However, Alex Gordon and David Wright have both been with their respective team for a long time and deserved the turnaround. In addition, both teams are littered with young and players that played for their respective organization for a long time. Billy Butler, Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer, and Danny Duffy deserved this chance as much as Murphy, Niese, Duda, and Ruben Tejada do.
These five teams came against all odds to share one common goal: reach the World Series.
Good comparisons, but I don’t think you can label a team Cinderella until they’ve made it to the big dance. Since most previews didn’t pick us to make the playoffs, but did pick the Nats, Dodgers and Cardinals, getting past all of them to the WS would indeed require some magic.