August 23. Two games out of the second wild card.

With only 34 games to go, a challenging schedule and numerous teams in the mix, it would seem that the New York Mets baseball club, while playing exciting baseball, have their work cut out for them to reach the postseason.

On the other hand, this is not the first time our beloved Mets have faced such a challenge. We all know what happened in 1969 and 1986. But what about the other years?

1973: It’s no secret that the Mets came from last place on August 30 to take the division, but because of mediocrity in the National League East, they were able to win the division with a paltry 82 wins.

That is extremely unlikely to get them into even the second wild card slot this year. The franchise won 86 games in 1976, but that was only good enough for third in the pre-Wild Card era. And that was the last time they were remotely close until…

1984: Davey Johnson’s managing debut coincided with their return to relevancy after the aforementioned dry spell.

They won 90 games behind the Cubs, which would have been good enough to get them into even a first Wild Card position, when there still wasn’t one.

In fact, this theme would continue through the Johnson era, with the exception of their two playoff years.

1985: Winning 98 games and not making the playoffs is painful, and that’s is exactly what happened, as the Cardinals won 101.

98 would however, have been good enough for a first Wild Card.

1987: Injuries got the best of any chance the Mets had to repeat in 1987, particularly to the pitching staff.

In addition to Dwight Gooden’s admission to the Smithers Clinic for addiction issues, almost every other starting pitcher was out for a significant period, including the newly traded for David Cone.

Ninety-two wins would have still gotten them the first wild card.

1988: A hundred wins returned the Mets to the playoffs, but it was the Dodgers year, as they lost the NLCS in 7 games to the eventual World Champs.

1989: Believe it or not, the 87 wins the Mets underachieved would have gotten them a first Wild Card. Alas, not the division.

1990: Davey Johnson’s guys took one more run at it in 1990 and got to 91 wins, once again good enough for what could have been a first Wild Card, but no division.

That was it until…

1997: Former third base coach Bobby Valentine had returned to the team as manager and almost immediately turned their potential into relevancy.

Their very solid 88 wins got them third place, but only one Wild Card was in use at this time, starting in 1995.

Interestingly, 88 would have tied them for a second Wild Card position. Since we have no way of knowing what the tiebreaker would have been, we can only take solace in a theoretical second Wild Card slot in 1997.

1998: A disappointing year, as the Mets repeated their 88 wins with a now Mike Piazza-stacked team, and had the chance to best it, only to lose the last five games of the season and miss the playoffs again.

Not only did they finish second in the new-ish three division alignment, but the 88 wins would NOT have gotten them into even a second Wild Card slot that year.

1999: Ninety-seven wins this time was certainly enough to get them into the one Wild Card slot.

After an exciting NLDS win against the Diamondbacks, the Mets  ran up against their long time foe and division mate, the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS.

Despite Robin Ventura’s grand slam single and showing a lot of fight, the Mets fell to the Braves in six  games.

2000: Their 94 wins was good enough for the one and only Wild Card slot, and excitingly, they somehow won both playoff series to return to the World Series for the first time since 1986.

Unfortunately, it was against a great Yankees team, and the all NY series was over in Game 5.

They weren’t close again until…

2006: This Willie Randolph managed group won the division handily with 97 wins, but disappointingly lost the NLCS in a seventh game nail biter to the Cards.

2007: Take note here and below.

The 88 games the Mets won in ‘07 did not get them into the still one and only Wild Card. Famed crashes and painful losses to the Phillies here and below did not get the job done.

2008: Then-Mets general manager, Omar Minaya, flew to the West Coast for a midnight Randolph firing mid-season, but the amiable Jerry Manuel could only get them to 89 wins, which again was not good enough for one Wild Card.

And the Mets were not again relevant until.

2015: similarities abound between ‘15 and this season, so far…an under performing first half and magical run in the second led the Mets to the division and their first World Series since 2000.

Enough said…

2016: Again, take note.  Despite too many injuries to mention, the Mets went on a late season run that got them into not just the second Wild Card ( which had finally been added in 2012), but the first, despite only 87 wins.

Unfortunately, Jeurys Familia (yup) was not able to hold serve in the then 0-0 Noah Syndergaard/Madison Bumgarner masterpiece, and the Mets were foiled at Citi Field by the Giants.

And that was it until…

2019?: We will see. But what we do know is, with a tough schedule, only 34 games remaining, and at least the Cubs or Cardinals, Nationals, Phillies and maybe more as competition for the two wild card slots, the Mets may have to win 90 games, or more, to make the playoffs.