The New York Mets overcame a six-run deficit on Monday to defeat the Miami Marlins by a score of 8-6 in what was arguably the most exciting win of the season for the Amazins. It was the biggest comeback victory of the season and the fourth-largest in franchise history.
After losing four games in a row including a disheartening sweep at the hands of the Washington Nationals in DC, you had many fans and bloggers out on their ledges and ready to jump. We even had one blogger actually asserting that the Mets were obviously in a Wild Card race and out of the running for the NL East. Really?
But as I wrote last week, this Mets team is too big to fail and I could see them reeling off a 10 game winning streak at any moment. Guess what, we’re halfway there.
The Mets have now won five in a row including an incredible four game sweep of the Chicago Cubs – who were outhit, out-slugged, out-pitched, and out-managed. Their vaunted MLB leading pitching staff were demolished by the Mets who roughed them up for 32 runs on 44 hits including 12 home runs. By game four of the series, Cubs manager Joe Maddon could be seen talking to himself and arguing every strike call against his young hitters. Sorry Joe, but go home and get your shine box.
Give Terry Collins credit (this should be good for 500 negative comments) for rallying his troops after a gut-wrenching road trip.
“We talked to the team before the Cubs series and I said we’ve got a lot of games. We’ve got 11 games,” Collins said. “And then we get a nice little rest. But we got to grind it for 11 days. And if we do, we’ll be OK where we’re sitting going into the break. And so far they’ve done that.”
“But as we head into the next seven days of this homestand, I like what’s going on right now. And hopefully we finish strong and get into this break strong, and then come out of the gate playing well in the second half. This is where we caught fire last year, and we need to do it again.”
The interesting thing about this streak is how it has been an all-hands-on-deck effort and not limited to one or two players carrying the team. It’s what gives me hope that the Mets can steal this division away from the Nationals by the end of this week.
When I said that Brandon Nimmo would bring a youthful energy and exuberance to the Mets clubhouse that it desperately lacked, not even I expected him to impact the team the way he has. He’s been a joy to watch and his bat has exceeded expectations thus far. I hope that continues.
A lot of people laughed when Terry Collins said that getting Travis d’Arnaud back from the DL would give the team that quality bat that had been lacking in the lineup. All he’s done is hit .448 (13-29) with seven RBIs in his last nine games.
Yoenis Cespedes looks like he’s poised for another second half like the historic one he delivered last season after he was acquired at the trade deadline. He extended his hitting streak to eight games on Monday and it was his two-run double that completed the dramatic comeback win over the Marlins. In his last 24 games dating to June 8, Cespedes is hitting .366 (34-93) with six doubles, five home runs and 13 RBI.
Everything seems to be coming together for the once stagnant Mets offense. James Loney and Wilmer Flores have contributed in big ways, Curtis Granderson has returned with a bang, and even bench players like Rene Rivera, Kelly Johnson and Juan Lagares find ways to come up big.
And what about the amazing job by our bullpen yesterday… They completely shut down the Marlins offense for 5.1 innings after Matt Harvey got tagged for six runs, five earned. There’s no comeback without them and to top it off, Jeurys Familia earned his 29th save the hard way after letting the tying runs get on base in the ninth. I love watching how Familia turns it on after he gets himself in a jam – hey whatever works, he’s a perfect 29 for 29.
Look, there’s always going to be that Chicken Little element in the fan base. But if you ignore them and simply focus on just how good this team really is you’ll eventually find yourself in the midst of a very gratifying and exciting season.
The Mets are now 45-37 and last year at this time they were only 41-41. Last season we won 90 games and this season we are heading toward a 95+ win season. So just chill out and enjoy the spectacle. Stop being so hot and cold after each win and loss. I hate to sound cliche but it really is a marathon and not a sprint and I am confident that this Mets can go all the way this season. It’s a better team than the one that went all the way to the World Series in 2015.
