Remembering Mets Opening Days (2016) Mets Raise the 2015 NL Championship Flag with a Victory

The Mets came into 2016 as the reigning NL Champions. The 2015 team had won 90 games (90-72) finishing first in the NL East. They beat the Dodgers in the NLDS, swept the Cubs in the NLCS but lost the World Series to the Kansas City Royals.

In the off season, the Mets let Daniel Murphy go free agency. It seemed although Murphy was one of the team's best hitters in that era, he was always on the trade block & now after his amazing 2015 post season run, the team let him go for good. Murph went on to have two monster seasons with the Nationals.

The Mets also traded away long-time pitcher Jon Neise & saw bench coach Bob Geren move on to L.A.

The Mets brought in new players Neil Walker for second base & infielder Asbrubal Cabrera. They also brought in pitchers Jerry Blevins, Alejandro De Aza & Antonio Bastardo. They resigned Yoenis Cespedes & Bartolo Colon.

The largest crowd for a regular season day game at Citi Field came to see the Mets raise the 2015 NL Championship flag & start another run for a Championship in the 2016 season.

The pregame ceremony led to the unveiling of the 2015 NL Champions banner. Mets alumni Rusty Staub Edgardo Alfonzo & John Franco participated in raising the NL Championship banner above right field. 

Mets Trivia: Rusty Staub was a member of the 1973 NL Champion Mets team; John Franco & Edgardo Alfonzo were members of the 2000 NL champion Mets club.

Terry Collins Mets had opened the season a few days earlier, splitting a series in Kansas City. It was the first time two World Series teams opened up the following season against each other. 

On this home opener, the Mets hosted Pete Mackanin's Phillies. They had finished last the previous season & would finish fourth this season, they had already started out at 0-3.

On the mound for the Mets, was Jacob deGrom, who was becoming one of the game's best pitchers. In 2015 he was 14-8 with 2.54 ERA (4th best in the NL) & 205 strikeouts (8th most in the NL). 

In the post season he was 3-1 with a 2.88 ERA. deGrom was standing by, ready to leave as his wife was ready to give birth to the couple's new baby. 

Friday April 8th, 2016: In the 1st inning, both teams had base runners but no scoring. In the bottom of the 2nd, Michael Conforto was hit by a pitch from pitcher Jerad Eickhoff. 

Then new Met, Asdrubal Cabrera making his home debut, reached base on a throwing error by short stop Freddy Galvis. Travis d'Arnaud then walked to load the bases. The Mets were only able to put up one run, coming on Jacob deGrom's ground out, making it 1-0.

Jacob deGrom Batting Trivia: deGrom would drive in two runs that year. In his seven years with the Mets he drove in 29 runs, with at least two RBIs or more each season. In 2019 & 2021 he drove in six runs each year.

deGrom struck out two batters in the 3rd inning & two more in the 5th inning. He kept the Phillies off the board through the first five innings, holding them to three hits.

In the top of the 6th, Phillies pitcher Jerad Eickhoff led off with a double. After recording two
ground outs, Odubel Herrera singled scoring Eickhoff to tie the game. 

deGrom's day was over as he suffered a lat strain on his right side. In six innings he allowed one run on five hits with no walks & six strike outs. He would miss the next two weeks of action, not making another start until April 24.

In the bottom of the 6th, the Mets answered as Lucas Duda led off with a double. Then another new Met making his home debut, Neil Walker singled to center field scoring Duda making it 2-1. 

Next, the young Michael Conforto continued his hot start as well with a double down the line scoring Walker who had been hustling all the way from first base. It was a 3-1 Mets lead.

In the bottom of the 7th inning, David Wright drew a one out walk, Yoenis Cespedes singled to left field & Lucas Duda walked to load the bases.

Neil Walker then collected his second hit & second RBI of the day with a base hit to right field bringing in Wright with the Mets fourth run. 

Niel Walker Trivia: Walker had a hot start as a Met, in his first three games had had four hits
with a HR & five RBIs. In an incredible April he hit 9 HRs & drove in 19 runs, batting .307.

Michael Conforto, who also had a fine start remained on fire as he singled to right field bringing in both Cespedes & Duda giving the Mets a 6-1 lead. 

Michael Conforto Trivia: On the day Conforto had two hits & three RBIs. In April he would bat .365 with 4 HRs & 18 RBIs drawing ten walks posting a .442 on base % with 15 runs scored.

After Asdrubal Cabrera popped up, Travis d'Arnaud finished off the Mets scoring with an RBI base hit making it 7-1. 

The Mets bullpen saw Jim Henderson put in another fine inning with a pair of strike outs in the 7th inning retiring the side in order.

In the top of the 8th inning, with one out David Wright made a throwing error. Hansel Robles then gave up two singles, leading to another Phillies run.

With two men on & one out Jerry Blevins came on. Odubel Herrera popped out to Wright at third base. Cesar Hernandez was caught off first base & got thrown out in a run downplay for an inning ending double play. 

In the bottom of the 9th, Antonio Bastardo came on to close it out. Darin Ruf led off with a single. Bastardo then struck out Andres Blanco & Tyler Goeddel. 

With Cameron Rupp at the plate, Bastardo threw a wild pitch, then there was defensive interference before he grounded out to Cabrera to end the game. The Mets won the home opener 7-4.