The baseball gods must be smiling down upon the New York Mets this season. While most of us complained about the four west coast trips in April and May, the good thing about that grueling ordeal is that it’s smooth sailing from here on in.
The only ones that can keep the Mets from winning the division are the Mets themselves.
The schedule by all accounts was unfair in that of all the NL East teams were spending lots of time on the east coast, while the Mets labored out west during the first couple of months of the season.
The Mets now get some payback in the next 34 games. Dayn Perry of FOX Sports breaks it down for us.
Remaining Opponents’ Avg. Win%: 0.488
Home Games Left/Road Games Left: 19/15
Biggest Series: 9/5-9/7 Phillies
They’ve got a remaining schedule that’s similar to Philly’s, albeit slightly easier. Throw in their slim lead in the East, and you’ve got the makings of a critical-mass series between those two teams. It may come down to that three-game set in Shea.
The way the starting pitching has performed and the energetic enthusiasm brought on by the new kids on the block have completely rejuvenated this team. Throw in Jerry Manuel’s managerial philosophy of playing the hot hand, and you got yourself the makings of a champioship caliber team. The Mets are firing on all cylinders. With a new manager, an infusion of youth, a rotation that is going deeper into games, and a schedule that is in their favor…
It’s now or never for the Metsies… It’s put up or shut up time!
