You just can’t kill these Mets.
I challenge anyone to think the Mets had a shot after losing two of three to the Phillies last Sunday.
Or maybe when they lost six in a row to the Braves and Cubs.
Or even that game in Washington where they blew a six-run lead in the ninth.
These Mets were dead in the water so many times and rose from the grave that you have to wonder if this if this team is doing something special or is it just a bad horror movie we are watching.
“When you work hard and do things the right way, you should get to your goals,” said manager Mickey Callaway. “We have a chance to do something special.”
Oh, the Mets did something special this week. They totally cooled off the Arizona Diamondbacks, who came into Citi Field as one of the hottest teams in baseball. Two close games and two blowouts and the Mets are back to six-games over.500 and just two out of the second Wild Card spot.
“We swung the bats well,” Callaway said. “And we put everything together. We just played good baseball and when we play good baseball, we can compete with anyone.”
But here is the dirty little secret that no one is talking about: The Mets are not just relying on one big bat like they did in 2015 with Yoenis Cespedes. Now they have everyone contributing.
Yesterday, the Mets rested Robinson Cano and Michael Conforto. Today both hit home runs. Wilson Ramos got a rest today and Tomas Nido also homered.
Even Juan Lagares who was left out to seed, earlier in the year now has become a vital hitter with a grand slam in the fourth to blow the game open.
Amd Marcus Stroman had his best game as a Met with 6.1 innings of one run ball.
The Diamondbacks didn’t have a chance and now the Mets certainly do.
“I We are young and have a lot of energy and a lot of new guys in the league,” Conforto said. “Obviously, Pete (Alonso) who always helps out, even on days he is not in the lineup. You have Rosario, Nimmo, JD Davis and McNeil and you put that with the pitching staff and when we play a little defense behind them, it a recipe for success.”
The best part of this team is that it has become a bunch of interchangeable parts. With so many guys coming back from injuries, Callaway can afford to take out someone with little to no dropoff.
And now the Mets go into this weekend with the Dodgers with a fully rested bench and team and they are going to need that because the Dodgers won’t let up.
“That won’t do that,” Callaway said. “They are not going to do that. They are not a team to do that if they take that approach. They are going to try to get as many wins as they possibly can and they are going for home field advantage. We have our hands full.”
Yes, they do. But if the Mets can escape this weekend with two wins or even one win and keeping par with the Wild Card (IE two games out still) then you have to like their chances with the next three series against Colorado, Cincinnati and the four against Miami at home.
It all the Mets ask for. It’s giving them a chance.
“We enjoy playing together and have a lot of fun out there.,” Conforto said. “We know we have a shot for this thing and we are going to enjoy playing for it.”
That’s for certain. The fun is just beginning. The Mets are alive and well.
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