Sports: Reimagined - What If Carlos Beltran Didn't Strike Out In Game 7 Of The 2006 NLCS?
If there was one play I could change in my life, it would be this right here. If the Mets somehow came back to win that game 7 at Shea, I have full confidence they go on to dominate the Tigers the same way the Cardinals did. If you remember correctly the Tigers threw the ball all over the field, much like the 2015 Mets blew it with their defense, and the Cardinals ended up ROLLING. No way that we could ever know if the same play would have held true had they been facing the Mets, but what I do know is the Mets were a WAGON. Their pitching was banged up with injuries (If Pedro and El Duque were healthy I think they would have cruised to a World Series), but the makeshift rotation featuring the Human Rain Delay Steve Trachsel and Oliver PER-ez was doing just enough for that bombsquad lineup to carry them through Detroit. Reyes Lo Doca Beltran Delgado Wright Floyd Shawn Green Jose Valentin and Endy "The Catch" Chavez...what a phenomenal lineup. The first 2/3 of that batting order is about as good as it gets, and even the back third with the Stache Jose Valentin and The Chosen One Shawn Green was made up of solid gritty veterans.
Goddam, man. I loved that team so, so much. I was 21 at the time. I watched every. single. game. that year. 2006 and 2007 were the years I was most dedicated to Mets baseball in my life, and both ended in equal-but-different heart breaking agony. If I were to do a Sports: Reimagined for 2007, it would have to be a 20 minute long video as I would have to reimagine the entire month of September. Blowing 7 games with 17 to play doesnt come down to one single pitch like 2006 did. But that one at bat with Carlos could have altered my life forever.
Important to remember a few things - the Mets were down 2. The only reasonable ask of Carlos in that situation was to hopefully tie it with a base knock. Its not like we had the winning run 90 feet away. And Lord knows the only way our boy Paulie Lo Duca was scoring on that at bat is if the ball went over the fence. (I'll never forget one time when the bases were loaded, I dont think it was this at bat, and Howie Rose was on the call....he goes "The Mets have wheels on the bases. Chavez at third, great speed. Reyes at second, great speed, Lo Duca at first, great guy!" One of my favorite play by play jokes ever.) Love ya Paulie, but it would have taken an act of God to have you score from first like Griffey in the 95 ALDS. SO, the point is, on top of the fact that Carlos Beltran was the best free agent signing the Mets ever made, on top of the fact that 2006 was the best season any Met had ever had up until that point, on top of the fact that he was the best center fielder in baseball, on top of the fact that the Mets wouldnt have even made it to game 7 if it wasnt for his home run in game 1 which he singlehandedly won, and his 2 homers in the game 4 blowout...its also NOT his fault the Mets lost that game. If you want to motherfuck anyone, its Aaron Heilman and Yadier Molina. Do not put your stank on Carlos Beltran. He's still the best player this franchise has ever seen. There's nothing he could have done with that curveball. Wainwright made the pitch of a lifetime when he was a little known rookie, and nobody could have done anything with that pitch.
But man oh man would it have been nice to at least fight that pitch off and get another crack at a fastball. Who knows what would have happened.
