Many times throughout the season, manager Terry Collins proclaimed Curtis Granderson as one of — if not the — most valuable Met.
It took just three pitches into Game 5 of the World Series Sunday night at Citi Field for Granderson to show why.
Leading off the bottom of the first, Granderson drilled an 0-2 Edinson Volquez hanging changeup to center field for his ninth career postseason homer and third this year.
Granderson thus became the fifth Met ever to hit a leadoff homer in the postseason, the fourth to do it in a World Series. He joined Tommie Agee (1969), Wayne Garrett (1973) and Lenny Dykstra (1986) in that club. Jose Reyes also had a leadoff postseason homer in the NLCS (2006).
Granderson also joined Donn Clendenon (1969) as the only Mets ever with three homers in a World Series. Additionally, the homer gave Granderson 12 RBIs this postseason, tying John Olerud (1999) for the club’s single-postseason mark.
“Obviously, any time you get a chance to put runs on the board early, it’s big,” said Granderson after the Mets’ World Series dream died a 7-2 death in 12 innings to the new champion Royals. “But you’ve got to continue to put runs on at the end of the game which we weren’t able to do and the Royals were.
Granderson’s leadoff home run off Edinson Volquez.Bill Kostroun“It’s not how you start but how you finish and the Royals were able to finish it off.”
So Granderson, considered one of the ultimate teammates in the Mets’ clubhouse, set his mates up for a potential return trip to Kansas City. His drive kept hopes alive and looked like it could be a game-winner — until the ninth inning when defense again helped undo the Mets. And in the end, it became a footnote.
“Our confidence will continue to stay high,” Granderson said. “Everyone will get home rest and relax. … It’s been a long season with a lot of good things to take away. There are still a lot of things to build off of, ways to improve. No matter how good anybody’s season was individually or as a team, there still are ways to get better.”
Granderson has been one of the key leaders for the Mets, ever since his in-town switch two years ago.
“He’s a pretty special guy,” said Lucas Duda, whose locker stall is caddy-cornered to Granderson’s. “I don’t want to make his head too big, but he’s an unbelievable baseball player and an even better human being. I can’t say enough about him.”
Granderson has undergone transformations — from high-average hitter in Detroit to power slugger with the Yankees to all-around type with the Mets, whom he led in walks (career-high 91) while hitting .256 with 26 homers and 70 RBIs. Granderson repeatedly has stressed his belief in the Mets organization and that was why he moved from the Bronx for four years and $60 million.
And the Mets have believed in him.
Leadoff homers are just one reason why.
