Cespedes made Mets tougher? Not for Pirates
One constant theme this postseason has been how much Yoenis Cespedes’ arrival on Aug. 1 changed the Mets, how they rocketed from being the NL’s worst-scoring team through July 31 to its best thereafter.
The bottom line certainly reflects that: The Mets were 53-50 on July 31, then blew 37-22 to the wire.
Different, all right, but not to the Pirates. Which, in retrospects, only brings a new layer of respect for their ’15 accomplishments — also, a new degree of torment for how it ended.
The Bucs swept New York in PNC Park in May. Then they went into Citi Field on Aug. 14-16 and did it again — with not only Cespedes but also Juan Uribe, the Mets’ other big pre-Trade Deadline pick-up, on board.
In those three games, Cespedes was 5-for-14, Uribe 1-for-15. Each had a solo homer for their only RBI of the series.
It may be no more than an isolated snapshot in a long season, but I keep thinking about that every time the Mets’ midseason rebirth becomes a talking point of the postseason coverage. Needless to point out, that was the Cespedes Mets’ only series sweep until they had the East Division clinched and eased up on the gas.
Ah, if only the Pirates could have swept the one-game Wild Card ‘series.’ Who knows where this could have gone.
Change for a Nickel 
Pirates were the best team in the NL, despite their 2nd place record. They would be WS team now, had they beaten the Cubs. Still would have a tough time with the AL Royals, as the Mets are finding out now..
Probably, except worth noting the Pirates DID play KC in regular season — beat up on Game 2 starter Yordani Ventura, had a look at their other pitchers — while Mets’ unfamiliarity with Royals is another World Series storyline.