The league-leading, red-hot Mets won their ninth straight game in a row to move to 11-3 on the season – the best record in baseball. Here are Three Takeaways from the game last night.
1. The Mets are CAPITALIZING on other teams’ mistakes.
There has been much talk from fans and broadcasters alike about how many errors have been committed against the Mets early in the season. Are teams making mistakes against the Mets? Yes. But teams didn’t play flawless ball against us from 2009-2014, and the Mets didn’t make much noise during that time. The difference isn’t that every opposing fielder has suddenly turned into Dan Uggla on the field, it’s that the Mets are capitalizing on the mistakes of their opponents, who had been doing the same to the not-so-Amazin’s for the last six years. The Mets loaded the bases with none out early against Trevor Cahill and they got four runs out of it, thanks in part, but not entirely, to an Atlanta error. You need a bit of luck to win, whether it’s a soft pop-up to left turning into a ground-rule double or a couple tough plays inexplicably being too tough for fielding maestro Andrelton Simmons. But when a lucky break cracks the door open, you need to be good to burst through that door. Nine in a row? I think it’s safe to say the Mets have been good.
2. Next Man Up
When one guy (or two, or three) goes down, the next man up has to come through. The Mets have been answering the call all season, with Jeurys Familia racking up the saves in place of Jenrry Mejia, Eric Campbell producing in David Wright‘s absence, and Jerry Blevins pitching perfectly place of Josh Edgin. When Blevins was done in by a line drive to his now-fractured pitching arm on Sunday, gloom and doom started to set in, aided and abetted by the subsequent injury to Travis d’Arnaud. But Alex Torres filled Blevins’ shoes tonight, striking out Freddie Freeman in a huge spot in the sixth. Strike three ended up in a mitt belonging not to d’Arnaud, but to Kevin Plawecki, called up to replace the injured catcher. Plawecki had himself a heck of a Major League debut, showing why he entered the season as the Mets’ #2 prospect. Plawecki notched two hits, hit another one very hard (but right at Freeman), and showed off his strong arm by gunning down a runner at second. The Mets have been special so far this season, but injuries will still happen. Will the Mets continue to find solutions when problems arise? They should. The good teams do.
3. Niese is in a groove
Jon Niese isn’t Matt Harvey. He doesn’t need to be. Harvey and deGrom are an awesome punch at the top. But Niese is sporting an ERA of 1.50, which sure isn’t bad for a guy who doesn’t even have a clear right to the “#3” title over Bartolo Colon. Ron Darling said during the game that the Mets’ starting pitchers should have a “seven innings or bust” mentality. Jon didn’t quite get there as he exited after 6.2, but if he can give the Mets six innings of three-run ball every night, he’s filling the role of a capable #3. If he’s giving them six-plus and only giving up one run, those are #2 numbers at least. Zack Wheeler‘s injury before the season took some of the upside out of this rotation, but if their #3 and #4 guys are pitching like #2s (I won’t expect Jon to keep up that superstar-level 1.50 mark), this team will continue to keep rolling, even when the bats don’t back the hurlers with seven runs).
This team is on fire. Enjoy it, guys.
