(Bill Menzel/Sportsday)
Once there was Tommie Agee and Ron Swoboda.
Then there was Endy Chavez.
And now welcome to the club, Curtis Granderson.
The Mets rightfielder etched himself into the Mets history books today with a homer stealing catch from Chris Coghlan’s bat in the second inning. Granderson went back, back, back, jumped and extended his glove just over the right field wall, preventing Coghlan’s drive from going into the erstwhile Mo’s Zone at Citi Field.
“I knew he hit it well and I knew I would get to the fence,” Granderson said. “I got to the fence and then it’s seeing how high it will be and if I had to jump. The answer is yes. I could and I went up and got it.”
Needless to say this was the biggest catch in Granderson’s career. If the Mets win it all this year, it’s a highlight film moment.
Much like Agee and Swoboda.
“I have before in the past, but now in a game like this,” he said. “A combination of things lead to that. I have to be deep to begin with and those guys are trying to drive the ball. It’s a lower fence, so it’s a combination of those things. And being in the right place at the right time and I was there.”
It was a key moment in the game, which allowed Noah Syndergaard to keep the Cubs off the board early on in the game. The Mets were touching up Jake Arrieta, so the Mets starter didn’t want curtail any Chicago momentum.
“That was a huge play for us,” Syndergaard said. “It saved a run. Potentially saved what could have been a comeback for them. But just being able to throw the pitch at a certain time, make a mistake, and have my defense back me up was unbelievable.”
For a team that was not filled with many Gold Glove players, the Mets are playing really good defense this October.
“Yeah, it was huge,” said manager Terry Collins. “It was a great catch by Grandy. Both sides of the ball, you’ve got to play this game on both sides. Even in the ninth inning, it hurt us, but not covering first base, boy, it can come back and really bite you. Fortunately we got away and it didn’t matter, but Grandy made a great play on that ball.”
Much like Endy, right Curtis?
“I remember seeing highlights of (Chavez’s Catch),” he said. “We (The Tigers) already advanced and I remember seeing highlights of it. I also saw it again either yesterday or today. Definitely a very athletic guy and he made a great play in the postseason.”
All in a day’s work for Granderson, who along with Daniel Murphy is carrying the Met offense this postseason. Granderson led off the game with a single and scored on David Wright’s double. He also led off the third with a walk, stole second and third and was driven in on Yoenis Cespedes’ infield single.
For a guy who the Mets signed as a middle of the order hitter, he sure took to the leadoff role this season. And now he may be the table setter for a World Series team.
“You try to find ways to help your teammates and buy into what they do,” he said.
Sounds like Agee. Sounds like Swoboda and Chavez.
Actually it sounds like Granderson.