Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, break up the New York Metropolitans! Victors of 7 straight, owners of a 9-1 homestand, and don’t think they haven’t bothered to collect their rightful spoils! Who’d have thought we’d be in this position this year…1st place atop the National League East! That’s two years in a row an early 7-game winning streak has landed the Mets right at the top of the division. Things are great right now in Metland, and manager Jerry Manuel’s certainly got our boys playing some fantastic baseball. But where has this surge come from all of a sudden? Well, if you asked me, I think there are a lot of factors leading to the Mets great play as of late, but here are my picks for the three largest explanations.
Number one – The pitching staff has completely outdone itself. And there’s no way you can deny it. Anyone who told you this pitching staff would perform as well as it has this year prior to the season’s start was lying through their teeth. Seriously, no one saw this coming, no one at all. This staff isn’t even firing on all cylinders, with guys like John Maine and Oliver Perez pitching anything but consistently good baseball, and yet the staff has done a fantastic job thus far. And of course, we can’t forget to mention how super the bullpen has been, a pen that was a real mystery during the winter. Hat tips to Japanese imports Ryota Igarashi and Hisanori Takahashi, who are so far the best Japanese imports to ever suit up for the Mets. Pedro Feliciano and K-Rod have been lights out lately, both with ERA’s below 1, and Raul Valdes, Jenrry Mejia, and Fernando Nieve all deserve kudos too. Anybody think that Sean Green’s – remember him? – tenure with the Mets has officially met its demise? Keep up the incredible work gentlemen!
Number two – President Ike Davis is in the house. And as a result, 1st base production is booming. The youngster’s posted a .355/.432/.548 line (.981 OPS) over his first 10 games, and I really believe that having our top prospect called up and producing has really energized both the club and the fanbase, making everybody uber-excited over the potential. He really has looked great so far. He emits that feeling that we all got back in 2003 when Reyes first arrived, and in 2004 when Wright first burst onto the scene: that feeling of a home-grown hitter who looks as if he’s the real deal, and here to stay. Hats off to Ike Davis, I’m love what he’s brought so far and I hope it continues for a very long time.
Number three – The 20 inning victory. If the Mets go far this season – and as we’ve learned from the past, there is no such thing as a guaranteed playoff spot for this team – and their successful run never ceases, it is more than sensible to consider the Mets 20 inning win from two Saturday’s ago as a turning point in 2010. The Mets took down the Cardinals in an epic stalemate of a ballgame, and the Cards aren’t any slouch, they currently own the best record in the NL. The effect such a win can have on a team’s morale is irreplaceable. After such a win, every guy on the team should have been thinking "You see this feat we just accomplished? Against the top team in the league! If we can do this, we can do anything."
The Mets confidence should be soaring into orbit right now. 1st place after 20+ games, a sight nobody ever thought they’d see a week ago. Of course one could make the argument that the Mets are beating up on lowly offensive teams like Chicago, Atlanta, and Los Angeles minus Manny Ramirez, but what’d be the point of such talk? The Mets position right now is gold. They had super-low expectations entering the season, and there’s absolutely nothing to lose! Let’s not spoil this glorious run with negative chatter, let’s save that for when – or if – the Mets begin to flounder and fail again. Right now, the majority of the spokes in the Mets wheel are turning. I’m loving every moment of Mets baseball right now, it’s become fun to watch again, and the team’s got me dreaming as big as I possibly can. Their recent dominance has turned them into facepalm material, into must-see TV, and with all the heartbreak we’ve endured over the past handful of years, we just can’t take this for granted. So let’s stuff the pessimism in the drawer for a little while and enjoy watching the Mets win. It’s good for you, very very good for you! The 2010 Mets are our Spoonful of Sugar to help the bitter medicine of 2007-2009 go down, and out of both sight and mind. Enjoy this superb run my friends. Always and forever, Let’s Go Mets!
