I have so many thoughts after the Mets' Game 1, 5-4, 14 inning loss to the Royals.
The prevailing emotion is disappointment, but here are my piece-by-piece reactions.
Matt Harvey: not bad, but not what the Mets were looking for.
After allowing a lead-off inside-the-park home run (which I still think should've been an error, but no matter), Harvey settled in really nicely for a few innings. He was himself, mowing down hitters and changing speeds really nicely.
But Ben Zobrist, a thorn in the Mets' side all night, came through big and Harvey exited after the sixth, having allowed 3 runs. The Mets need depth out of their starters if they're going to win the series, and Harvey's six innings just weren't enough.
Jeurys Familia is human.
Familia had a big 'welcome-to-the-show' moment last night. It's so easy to forget that this is his first season as a closer because of how good he's been, but that's the reality, and with inexperience comes mistakes.
Last night, he made a big one. Two outs away from a Game 1 victory, Familia served up a game-tying home run to Alex Gordon. It was crushing for the Mets, who nearly stole Game 1 on the road.
But it wasn't reasonable to expect Familia to go through the entire playoffs unscathed. He was going to slip at some point. The timing of this is tough, but I know that he will bounce back.
The Royals are extremely good.
Since they play in the American League, I hardly ever watched the Royals play this season. After last night, one thing is very clear: they are an outstanding baseball team.
There is no hole in their lineup. 1-9, they put up good at bats and come up with big hits and walks. They are the best contact team in baseball and it showed early, as Harvey seemed uncomfortable pumping fastballs. It messed with him, no question about it.
This is going to be an incredible series.
If I learned anything last night, it's that these two teams are ready to put on a spectacle. For neutral fans, this is going to be a total treat. For Mets or Royals fans, this is going to be a terribly nerve-wracking couple of days.
The MLB's office is going to be thrilled with the quality of the games. Last night was a really, really, really good baseball game. It had everything: baserunning, pitching, hitting, fielding, mistakes, drama, you name it.
It was a tough loss for the Mets in Game 1, but it's only Game 1. They can bounce back with deGrom on the hill tonight. I have faith.
Did you watch the game? What are your reactions?
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