Last night we finally got back to .500 and now sport 34-34 record, so what’s next?
The Mets have an opportunity to do something very special this season if they can continue to scratch, fight and claw for wins they have. They are on a nice run and have won nine of their last 13 games and are 11-6 over their last 17 games. They are also winning on the road – something they couldn’t do last season. The Mets are 6-3 on their 10-game road trip, and 19-17 overall on the road this season. The 19 road wins are tied for the sixth-most in the majors. They’ve won six series on the road already, after winning just five series last season.
It’s been a stunning reversal of fortune for the Mets who started the season at 5-13, and talk of a fire-sale ran rampant in the New York papers. It seemed that everybody was giving up on the Mets except the Mets who have gone 29-21 since their gloomy start.
The Mets will attempt to sweep the Braves at Turner Field tonight, with R.A. Dickey leading the charge. Dickey has pitched into the eighth inning in each of his last three starts (7.2 innings on May 31, 8.0 innings on June 5 and 8.0 on June 11), and is in a good groove – the guy is a warrior.
You can’t say enough good things about the Mets starting pitchers. Over their last 20 games, dating back to May 26, Mets starters have posted a 2.47 ERA (36 earned runs/131.0 innings). That is the best mark in the majors in that span. They continue to mesh and pitch smarter, stronger and better. Over their last 12 contests, New York starters are 7-2 with a 1.63 ERA (15 earned runs/82.2 innings).
It’s not just the pitching either, instead of imploding after injuries to Ike Davis and David Wright, they got better… Since May 22, the Mets are batting .286 (225-787), the second-highest mark in the majors. The funny thing is that they are hitting and winning, but without any real power to speak of. The Mets have clubbed seven home runs since May 22 – that’s the fewest in the majors.
This Mets team is hard to figure out.
Clutch pitching performances, timely hitting, great defense, and solid managing by Terry Collins has brought this team where nobody could have predicted after their 5-13 start.
You look at the line-up and it doesn’t look intimidating at all, but somehow it works. They have one catalyst in Jose Reyes, one presence in Carlos Beltran, and then a collection of players who come to play everyday, aren’t afraid to get their uniforms dirty, and never ever give up.
You look at their rotation and you see no apparent ace or not even a number two pitcher. Just a group of guys who are pitching their hearts out, missing bats and getting big outs when they absolutely need one. It’s incredible.
The post games interviews are full of players boasting confidence, gushing with enthusiasm and all sporting a winning, never-say-die attitude. I’ll credit Terry Collins for that.
In many ways they remind you of the 73 Mets – a scrappy bunch that did everything right and came within a few outs of a World Series title. Coincidentally, that was the season Tug McGraw coined the now famous Mets rallying cry.
So hey Mets fans, why not… Lets Go Mets, Ya Gotta Believe!
