The party had to wait after the Mets clinched a Wild Card berth in game one of their doubleheader on Monday in Atlanta, but once game two ended, the team headed straight to the dugout and popped the champagne. It’s something they never go to do in 2022, waiting to clinch the NL East title for their grand celebration, opting for a demure one when they clinched a playoff spot. Unfortunately, we know how that worked out, but many of those players got their turn now.
Before the champagne started flowing, manager Carlos Mendoza gave a passionate speech to his team. He noted, “before the year started, nobody thought we would be in this position. Everybody had us out.” He then talked about how when the team signed J.D. Martinez, the DH commented people, “laughed” when Martinez said he’s addicted to the playoffs. Mendoza capped off his speech with a nice little, “well here we are now.”
Francisco Lindor sprays David Stearns and the Cohens! ???? pic.twitter.com/oeyDplPIJd
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In his first year as president of baseball operations, David Stearns turned a 75-87 ball club to a Wild Card team. Stearns noted, “The Mets are a franchise who hasn’t had enough of these moments, and we need to have more of these moments.” Suffice to say, Stearns is a fan, and plans to keep doing this.
A well deserved champagne shower for Francisco Lindor ???? pic.twitter.com/1XVwoUKf4b
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Everyone knows about the team meeting Lindor called, but SNY’s Steve Gelbs brought up a moment to Lindor a couple weeks before. Lindor took a few players aside and noted, “we’re not going to let this season go off the rails like last year did.” Lindor notes that to be a leader, you have to first take a look at yourself in the mirror and make sure you’re doing everything you can be doing to win; if not, you change course
Alonso was part of the crowd that didn’t get to celebrate in 2022, but noted that experiencing it now is, “incredible” and “way more than he imagined.” The Polar Bear commented that the Mets “earned the right to play in the postseason, overcoming adversity time after time.”
Candelita was the first to comment how grateful he was to the Mets to give him the opportunity. After being unsure about whether or not he was done playing, Iglesias said, “they gave me the opportunity. I take it with two hands and never let it go. This is my home.”
Owner Steve Cohen was with the fans on the rollercoaster ride, feeling every emotion out there. Cohen noted Lindor was the “heart and soul” of the team, especially after calling his game-winning home run in the first game a dream-like moment.
And don’t worry, Luis Severino celebrated with a bottle of water in preparation of Tuesday’s night start in Milwaukee!
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