Some Chicken Littles out there endlessly proclaim that the sky is falling, but this has already been a great season for Mets fans.
Some Mets fans are still blaming radio and tv "personality" Sal Licata, who infamously declared the NL East "over" on May 31, for the Mets eventually losing their division lead to the Braves last Friday night. Other, more famous, Mets fans think Timmy Trumpet is the culprit. But neither Licata's silly hubris nor any residual "[b]ad Mojo" from Mr. Trumpet's performance for closer Edwin Díaz has cost the Mets a single game of that precious lead. The Braves managed to sustain a .727 winning percentage over an 87-game stretch. Winning at that pace pretty much cancels out any other mojo, good or bad.
When the Braves were hot in June, I honestly thought they were an "okay" team on a real hot streak. Clearly, I was wrong. They are better than just okay. But for those in the national baseball media who are already burying the Mets, I'd ask you to hold your horses, buckaroos. Maybe the Braves will keep winning just about every day through the end of the season. But that's no sure thing for any team.
The Braves have been very good over that stretch, but they don't have an all-time great roster in Atlanta, as good as they've been for these past couple of months. They've played well, but also enjoyed plenty of good fortune in winning so many games. Baseball is a game of peaks and valleys. Sooner or later, Atlanta is going to endure a cold stretch. Unfortunately, that may not happen until the postseason or 2023. I'm hoping sooner rather than later, but it will definitely come.
For all of their winning this summer, the Braves' 28-32 record against teams with > .500 records sticks out like a sore thumb. They just lost 2 of 3 to the Mariners. It should be easier with the dying husks of the San Francisco Giants next up on their schedule, but then they have the Phillies. Meanwhile, the Mets need to take care of business and avoid letdown games. While decades of Mets fandom has sometimes left me somewhat overly pessimistic towards my team, I still like their chances to win this thing.
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Mike,
ReplyDeleteExcellent article. I think we all want to see the team perform, as they are quite capable, to win the world series. It's been an outstanding season.Let's finish it with a win.
If Max is healthy, we will be very hard to beat.
ReplyDeleteDeGrom,Scherzer and Diaz
ReplyDeleteVery well said, Mike!
ReplyDeleteThis has been a great beginning to the Mets' turn-around. They are on a trajectory for the playoffs. They have a solid roster. They have the right arms for a playoff run.
The Mets actually have quite an advantage over the Braves when it comes to the playoffs, and even the regular season. As Mike mentioned, Kelly Jansen is not doing well, and that will play in his mind and his team's mind in late, close games. Meanwhile, Diaz is full of confidence so the reverse is true. deGrom and Scherzer have not been overtaxed this season, so if healthy will dominate in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Knight and Strider are beyond a reasonable number of innings for their young arms. This could fall apart quickly for them.
The Mets' success in winning the East and making a long playoff run will depend on whether the team can get on one of those runs that makes everyone feel like they can't lose. Right now that is not happening, as their big hitters are slumping. This "easy" schedule full of lesser pitching is just the right recipe for breaking out, but it can't be timed - if it will happen, it has to happen within the next 13 games.