During Spring Training Billy Bean was going around to baseball teams to promote
Inclusion to MLB. Murphy a Religious man stated "I do
disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual. That doesn’t mean I can’t
still invest in him and get to know him. You can still accept him but I do disagree with the lifestyle, 100%." After these comments became controversial
to some, Murph said he'll stick with baseball & not tell reporters about
his Religious beliefs anymore.
Daniel
Murphy was the Mets Opening Day second baseman batting in the 5th position.
Murph would be the teams main second baseman but would also see action at third
as David Wright went down with an injury, missing Most of his season.
He had a
slow start in April ending the month batting under .200 (.198) but did have a
big four RBI day against the Atlanta Braves on April 23rd in a 6-3 Mets win. At
the end of the month he has two RBIs in a subway series loss across town &
then the next day, drove in all three runs in 3-1 win over the Marlins in Miami. In May the hits started to come easier as
In June he
went on the DL for three weeks missing action from June 5th through the 30th.
In his return he had four hits in a series in which the Mets got swept by the
team they would end up sweeping in that year's NLCS, the Chicago Cubs.
Considering the amazing post season run Murph would have, it's funny to see that the most HRs he hit any month during the regular season was four, as he did it in both August & September.
Considering the amazing post season run Murph would have, it's funny to see that the most HRs he hit any month during the regular season was four, as he did it in both August & September.
On August
2nd he hit a HR off the Nationals Jordan Zimmerman in a 5-3 win at Citi Field,
as the Mets swept an important series from Washington taking over first place. Murph
collected three hits in the series. This came during a six game win streak, in where
Murph hit another HR in Tampa off Jake Odoizzi in a 4-3 Mets victory. 
In September
Murph would drive in 17 more runs while hitting eight more doubles &
hitting HRs against the Atlanta Braves twice, the Phillies & the AL New
York club. On September 26th Murph had two hits & two runs scored in the NL
Eastern Division clincher at Cincinnati.
He ended the
year batting .281(best on the Mets team) his lowest batting average since his first full season 2009
where he hit .266. Murph was the hardest man in the league to strike out (13.1)
going down just 38 times in 499 at bats. He collected 140 hits (2nd on the Mets) with 38 doubles (5th in the NL) 2 triples 14 HRs 73 RBIs (first on the club tied with Lucas Duda)56 runs scored & a .322 on base %. He was walked intentionally ten times (8th most in the NL).
Defensively he posted a .279 fielding % at second base (69 games) making six errors, he made six more errors at third (42 games) with a .935 fielding%.
2015 POST SEASON:
On October 9th, 2015 Murph got to play in his first post season game, finally enjoying
the benefits after playing seven struggling seasons with the Mets.
2015 NLDS: In the
bottom of the 4th inning of Game #1 against the LA Dodgers, he put the Mets on the board with their first post
season run as he hit a solo HR off one of the games best pitchers; Clayton
Kershaw.
In the Game #2 loss he collected a base hit off Zack Greinke.
In the
Game #3 Mets 13-7 rout at Citi Field, Murph added a 4th inning RBI base hit off
Dodgers reliever; Alex Wood.
In the Game #2 loss he collected a base hit off Zack Greinke.
In the
Game #3 Mets 13-7 rout at Citi Field, Murph added a 4th inning RBI base hit off
Dodgers reliever; Alex Wood.
In Game #4
at Citi Field, the Mets only had three hits total in the 3-1 loss. The only run
came when Murphy hit a solo HR off Kershaw once again, giving the Citi Faithful
something to cheer about.
As the NLDS
moved back to LA for the decisive Game #5 Murph's star was really about to
shine. In the top of the 1st, Curtis Granderson led off the game with a bse
hit. After David Wright struck out, Murph doubled to left field off Zack
Greinke, another of the games best pitchers, making it 1-0 Mets.
With no one covering third base Murphy alertly trotted to second & then took off to third base sliding in safely. The Dodger blunder was huge for the Mets possibly being the turning point. Murph then scored the tying run on Travis d'Arnaud's sac fly.
As Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom settled in
shutting down the Dodger offense, Murph put them away with a solo HR to right
field, this one coming off Greinke as well. Prior to this Murph had only
homered in back to back games, once in his career. The Mets went on to the 3-2
win and advanced to their first NLCS since 2006.
Overall in
the NLDS Murphy led the Mets in hits (7) runs scored (5) HRs (3) RBIs (5) while
batting .33 with a .333 on base % as well.
2015 NLCS: On October
17th, 2015 the Mets hosted the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS Game #1. The man
everyone was talking about; Daniel Murphy electrified Citi Field as he blasted
a line drive HR to right field, off Cub pitcher Jon Lester, putting the Mets up
1-0. It was Murphs third straight post season game with a HR, his fourth
overall. The Mets went on to a 4-2 win.
In Game #2 the Cubs sent their ace &
possible Cy Young winner, Jake Arrieta to the mound. The Mets took care of him
right away as Curtis Granderson singled & then came home when David Wright
doubled.
Then the hottest hitter in the universe came up Daniel Muphy, he
connected once again after fouling one off down the right field line just
missing a HR, this one went over the fence for sure putting New York up 3-0.
He would collect another hit later on as the Mets went on to a 4-1 win, taking a commanding two games to none lead in the NLCS.
He would collect another hit later on as the Mets went on to a 4-1 win, taking a commanding two games to none lead in the NLCS.
Trivia: With
that HR Murphy tied Mike Piazza for the most Mets HRs in a post season. He now
had hit HRs in four straight post season games, breaking Don Clendennon's 1969 franchise
record of three straight post season HR games.
As Game #3 moved
on to Wrigley Field Chicago, all the talk continued to be Daniel Muphy, people who had
never heard of him before know knew his name in New York. Baseball people knew
this kind of post season hitting was special & rarely done before.
Rumors circulating
that week, that no matter what kind of a playoff run Murph had, that the team
still wasn't going to sign him, kind of changed. Reports came in that the Mets would
possibly offer him double his salary in the off season, although that probably
still would be short of what other teams may offer.
In any event
Murph just continued his hot hitting, gave humbling interviews, complimenting
his team mates being a true soft spoken gentleman that he is. As he said in
post game interviews as long as the interviews keep coming that means the team
has won another game.
This HR tied Carlos Beltran's all time MLB 2004
post season HR streak that went five games.
In the 7th Murphy singled, advanced
to third on Yoenis Cespedes' base hit & then scored on Lucas Duda's
grounder to first base. The Mets went on to a 5-2 win taking a three to nothing
series lead.
Mets fans
were so excited about sweeping the series & advancing to their first World
Series in 15 years, they also figured with all that going on Murphy couldn't
possibly do it again.
Well with the score tied in the third inning, Murphy
defied all sanity by connecting with another shot that traveled & carried
into the Wrigley Field bleachers.
It was his sixth straight post season game
with a HR, a new MLB record. It was also his seventh HR of the post season, 7
Hrs in nine games, during the regular season he hit 14 HRs in 130 games!
Amazing. The solo HR put New York up 2-1, a lead they would never give up. The
Mets went on to a 5-2 win, and won the 2015 National League pennant.
Trivia: The so called curse of the Chicago Cubs stemed back to 1908 involving a Billy Goat named...............Murphy!
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