Ya Gotta Believe: 2015 edition

It’s easy to forget that the Mets were in the World Series fifteen years ago because as is often the case they had to take a backseat to the Yankees who beat them in five games.

I often think back to how that series might have been different had not Armando Benitez blown a 9th inning lead in the opener, a game the Yanks eventually won in 12 innings. However it was not to be as three of the Yankees wins in the series were by one run and we Met fans were left disappointed once again.

Since 2000 we’ve had more to lament then cheer as only in 2006 did the Mets reach the postseason and going into this year the team had suffered through six straight losing seasons and there was no reason to expect much better. Then of course came a few late July trades and the rest as they say is history.

So tonight it begins in Kansas City in the first-ever World Series featuring two expansion teams and one whose fan bases have waited a long time. The Royals won their only championship in 1985 although they came close last fall before losing to the Giants in 7 games.

Ironically the Mets followed KC in 1986, winning the second World Series in franchise history with the other being the 1969 Miracle Mets. The team that prevails will give long-suffering fans a well-deserved reason to celebrate and I’m sure hoping it’s the team that wears blue and orange.

While the Super Bowl is a one-day mega event the World Series remains special and dates back to 1903. Maybe it does not produce massive TV ratings and at $520,000 for a 30-second TV commercial it pales in comparison to the $4.5 million advertisers paid for an ad in February’s Super Bowl. However baseball still holds a very special place in this country and for fans and followers of the Mets and Royals the next week or so will be gut-wrenching and leave many of US sleep deprived. I say US because Wednesday and Thursday are not going to be easy days following late nights.

Of course if Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom are “lights out” then I’ll be fine and coffee will be enough to get me through. However if things go bad I’ll be in need of something much stronger. By the way at age 59 I’m going to my first-ever World Series game on Saturday night which is game #4 and in true Mets fashion I’m worried about being down 0-3 and being there was we get swept.