Listen, we know it’s tough to catch up on everything happening in the baseball world each morning. There are all kinds of stories, rumors, game coverage and Vines of dudes getting hit in the beans every day. Trying to find all of it while on your way to work or sitting at your desk just isn’t easy. It’s OK, though, we’re going to do the heavy lifting for you each morning, and find the things you need to see from within the SB Nation baseball network as well as from elsewhere. Please hold your applause until the end, or at least until after you subscribe to the newsletter.
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There have been plenty of unpredictable events that have occurred during what's been an incredibly interesting season of baseball here in 2015. The Blue Jays are back in the postseason after a two-decade hiatus. The Pirates are on a three-season postseason appearance streak. The Twins are still somehow fighting for a Wild Card spot. The Astros are actually in the hunt — even if they're in the throes of a minor collapse. The Cubs are actually good and could be good for a long time! However, there's one story that absolutely nobody saw coming, and that's the Mets' improbable rise to the top of the NL East.
Now, we all figured that the Mets were probably going to be decent this season. They weren’t going to be the laughingstock of the past, but we’d probably still get plenty of #LOLMets moments from them. After all, this was supposed to be the Washington Nationals’ division to win. Washington was most of baseball media’s unanimous pick to not only win the NL East, but also lift the Commissioner’s Trophy at the end of October as well. Now, fast forward from late March to late September, and it’s the Mets who are popping champagne while Bryce Harper tries his best to be gracious in defeat. It’s a stunning sight to see, truly.
After nine years of turmoil, tumult, and sometimes flat-out wacky baseball, the Mets are back on top of the NL East. In typical Mets fashion, it’s been a weird ride for them, but the good news for the blue-and-orange team from Queens is that this particular roller-coaster ride didn’t go off the rails. Instead, it’s taking them straight to October, and their wild-and-crazy run to the 2015 NL East crown is a prime example of just how fun and intriguing this season has been all across baseball.
- Mike Trout climbed the fence in Anaheim last night to steal a home run, and made it look absurdly easy. This Trout guy is just really good at this baseball thing, you guys.
- Barry Zito and Tim Hudson were supposed to be the center of attention in the Bay Area on Saturday, but Jarrett Parker stole the show by hitting three homers — including a Grand Slam.
- With that being said, both Zito and Hudson still received the admiration that they deserved from the Oakland crowd on what was still an extremely special day.
- Brad Ausmus was largely seen as a lame duck manager just a few weeks ago. Now, the Tigers have decided that he'll be staying on board as manager.
- The Astros hit six home runs in a comeback victory over the Rangers. Those two are in an absolute dogfight for the p3ostseason right now.
- Elsewhere in the AL West, the Mariners are getting close to figuring out who their next GM will be.
- Speaking of Seattle, they are now the owners of baseball's longest playoff drought. To think, they were actually a sexy pick to go to the World Series this year!
- St. Louis will obviously miss Carlos Martinez for the rest of this season, but at least they've got plenty of capable arms to pick up the slack. Good ol' Cardinals Devil Magic.
- In what has to be some of the least-shocking news that you'll read today, the Phillies won't be picking up Cliff Lee's option for 2016.
- Munenori Kawasaki let a cigar get the best of him during the Blue Jays' celebration of their return to October baseball. He's got some learning to do when it comes to the cigar game.
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