Why the 2015 MLB season was one of the greatest ever

Almost two months have passed since Wade Davis caught Wilmer Flores looking at Citi Field to end one of the most amazing seasons in recent memory. With another 12 weeks to go until Opening Day, though, baseball fans will have to subsist on the memories from this past summer to make it through another seemingly endless offseason.

So, with winter chugging along at a pace that would make Clay Buchholz sigh, let's look back at some of the teams, individuals, and unforgettable performances that made the 2015 campaign one of the greatest ever:

Royals

Despite their relatively modest payroll of $113 million - the 16th-highest (or 15th-lowest) in baseball - and a roster largely devoid of household names, the Royals manufactured a 95-67 record in 2015, dominating the American League in workmanlike fashion before trouncing the New York Mets for their first World Series championship in three decades. Decidedly better than the sum of their parts - none of their players hit more than 22 homers, and only two of their pitchers made more than 24 starts - the Royals used elite defense, lots of speed, and a strong bullpen to dismantle baseball's typical postseason narrative, which usually pits the Cardinals or Giants square against the Red Sox or Tigers.

Though their two-year dynasty is on the verge of crumbling - Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist are gone, while Alex Gordon is unlikely to re-sign in Kansas City - the Royals' success in 2015 was an inspiration for any mid-market executive foolish enough to believe his team can't compete in today's landscape of unyielding salary inflation.

The kids are all right

No baseball player on the planet was as good as Bryce Harper this summer, and Mike Trout fell just shy of his second straight MVP award despite leading the American League in wins above replacement. Harper and Trout, the putative leaders of baseball's increasingly star-studded youth movement, performed at such a high level in 2015, it was downright historical. Obviously, both led their leagues or finished among the top five in every meaningful statistic. Perhaps more impressively, though, they became the first duo age 24 or younger to each post at least 9.0 WAR in a single season since Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays in 1955.

Together, they were part of one the most impressive crop of youngsters in baseball history in 2015, with 28 players age 24 or younger producing at least 2.0 WAR, tying an MLB record. Between Kris Bryant and Carlos Correa and Noah Syndergaard and Francisco Lindor, it was tough to keep up with all the young talent throughout the league.

Bartolo Colon

Seriously, how awesome is this guy? Colon, who turned 42 in May and boasts a physique evocative of your least-favorite uncle, reaffirmed his reputation as one of the game's most entertaining players in 2015 with his frequent misadventures at the plate, surprising deftness afield, and the occasional gem on the mound. Even when trying to be inconspicuous, Colon was still immensely entertaining.

The best thing about Colon, though, was how he continued to enjoy a modicum of success at an age when most are already well into retirement, turning impeccable command and a profound understanding of his craft into nearly 200 innings for the New York Mets. In a rotation populated almost exclusively by hard-throwing youngsters, Colon was an old, plump anomaly - but the former Cy Young Award winner was still "good" enough to land a one-year, $7.25-million deal to come back to Queens in 2016.

NL Cy Young race

Determining the best pitcher in the National League in 2015 was an exercise in masochism, with the voting members of the BBWAA forced to anoint one Cy Young winner from a pool of three terribly deserving candidates. It was Jake Arrieta, the Chicago Cubs' newfound ace, who took home the award, but it could've just as easily ended up in the hands of Zack Greinke, who posted the fourth-lowest single-season ERA (1.66) since the mound was lowered in 1969. Clayton Kershaw could've taken the award home for the 17th year in a row, too, after becoming the first pitcher since 2002 to manage a 300-strikeout season.

Watching them fight for that award was simply breathtaking, particularly in the second half of the season, when a single bad start from any of the three would've seemingly derailed his candidacy.

2015, Second Half

The bat flip heard 'round the world

With all due respect to the Royals, the above photo - depicting a triumphant Jose Bautista moments after his series-clinching, three-run blast in Game 5 of the ALDS - is easily the most indelible image from the 2015 season. With one unapologetic display of showmanship, Bautista secured his spot alongside the likes of Carlton Fisk and Kirk Gibson in every "Greatest Postseason Moments" highlight package from now until the end of time. In 20 years from now, when nobody outside of Missouri remembers who won the 2015 World Series, baseball fans will still recall Bautista's bat flip (fondly or otherwise). And should bat-flipping become a common practice throughout the league, Bautista will be hailed as a pioneer.