Diamondbacks in the World Series proof that Mets gave up too early on season

In 1995, the introduction of the wild card in baseball had purists concerned about the significance of the regular season. Now, with the third all-wild card World Series and a second consecutive sixth seed participant, those concerns have become a reality. Welcome to a thrilling postseason where the 84-win Diamondbacks have surprised everyone and made their mark. Their perseverance and commitment to playing the game the right way has been commendable. Buck Showalter, the former manager, must be watching and thinking about what could have been for his team.

Showalter expressed his regrets after the 2023 Mets season fell apart, wishing he had been consulted about the team’s decisions. He believed the Mets had a chance at a wild card spot, especially with the team getting healthier and Edwin Diaz returning in September. Showalter’s philosophy was simple–making it to the playoffs is what matters, anything can happen from there. The Diamondbacks have proven this.

Unfortunately, Showalter’s opinion was ignored, much like his suggestions to promote Ronny Mauricio earlier and remove Daniel Vogelbach from the team. It was clear that the Mets’ management had given up on the season long before the trade deadline and had no interest in supporting Showalter.

The wild card has produced some incredible World Series winners, including the 1997 Marlins, 2002 Angels, 2003 Marlins, 2004 Red Sox, 2011 Cardinals, 2014 Giants, and 2019 Nationals. This year, however, MLB has a reason to feel conflicted. The decision to expand to three wild cards per league in 2022 is now haunting them.

During this postseason, the regular season’s significance was shattered when three 100-win teams, the Braves, Orioles, and Dodgers, were defeated in the divisional series. Additionally, the 99-win Rays were eliminated in the wild-card series. The postseason is unpredictable as anything can happen, but it cannot be spun that the top three teams in baseball are absent from the World Series and even the League Championship Series.

The lack of starting pitching seems to be the most significant factor behind this outcome.

The Braves, known for their powerful lineup and impressive run differential, were built for the long 162-game season. However, their rotation was inconsistent throughout the year, with injuries plaguing Max Fried and rookie Bryce Elder struggling in September. Charlie Morton, a reliable veteran, also missed the division series due to a finger injury. The Braves’ rotation was patched together, although their hitting in the series was subpar. In a longer seven-game series, they might have had a chance to recover.

The Dodgers faced similar challenges, losing Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May to injuries and needing Tommy John surgery. Additionally, Julio Urias faced sexual assault charges and was placed on administrative leave in September. With their rotation depleted, it was clear they wouldn’t go far in the postseason.

The Orioles, on the other hand, can only blame themselves for their AL East title hopes being dashed by the Rangers in a three-game sweep in the division series. Their failure to acquire frontline starting pitching in the offseason and unwillingness to trade top Triple-A prospects for established pitchers hindered their chances. Instead, they settled for the underperforming Kyle Gibson and acquired Jack Flaherty, who struggled with a 6.75 ERA in seven starts.

Lastly, despite having only two more wins than the Yankees, the Diamondbacks have impressed with their athleticism and energy on the field.