The last nine games have altered everything. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like it. The closest thing I’ve seen to it in recent Mets history is the now largely forgotten almost comeback of 2001. Oh, people still remember Piazza’s homer in the first game after 9/11, but many seem to have forgotten that starting at the end of August, the Mets went on an 18 out of 21 streak that almost took them past Atlanta, almost redeeming a disappointing season after a pennant-winning year. A few decent outings from Armando Benitez in a crucial series against Atlanta, and the Mets might have pulled off a miracle that would have been historic on a great many levels, a miracle that might have been a new myth for us to live on for a few decades. But it didn’t happen.
The closest analogy to all this in earlier Mets history was 1973. That did happen. We were having a garbage season and then we did something like we’re doing now. Everything came together all at once and we won the pennant and went all the way to the seventh game of the World Series.
What ’73 and ’01 and ’08 have in common is a sense that there is suddenly a new team on the field, a team that has nothing in common with the team that disappointed us. Yeah, they have the same names and faces but the similarity ends there. There is that sharp, audible crack in Carlos Delgado’s bat, there is that sense once again that Jose Reyes is such a unique talent that he will always be finding new records to break, there is that sense that the bullpen will hold, that the bench will shore us up, and there is that sense that for the first time in two decades, we may be able to enjoy that greatest of all Mets pleasures: the dawn of a pitching superstar.
What’s most fun is having what we had in ’73 and ’01: that sense, that although we were heading for the exits, we have to get back to our seats. We were, as you may remember, just about ready to turn our attention to the other things is our lives and worlds. Now the Mets are back, better than ever, it almost seems, possibly better than any team in the National League this year except maybe the Cubs. I’m sorry to have to qualify everything I’m saying, but you understand why I need to do that. We’ve been burned a lot lately. We’ve got a ways to go before we can feel confident in our hope.
But here we are at the All-Star break, 51-44, a half game out of first. A month ago, you would not have thought it possible. 67 games are left. If we can win 39, losing 28, not a tall order for the team we see now, we’ll win the 90 that will probably get us the division title. Hope for the Mets is no longer just a passionate existential assertion. It is, kind of rational. Isn’t it? Don’t you like what you see? Don’t you get a kick out of Jerry Manuel’s remarkable cool? Don’t you get a sense that David Wright is no longer trying to swat something he knows is there but he can’t see? I think I know what I’m looking at. I’ve seen games like Pelfrey’s been pitching before. I remember what it feels like. I think I know what it means.
They are a lot of fun to watch right now and certainly remind you of those teams that never said “Die”. There was a time when despite being down by multiple runs in the ninth inning, we would still believe the Mets could come back, and often they did. Those days are back.
I like Manual’s style. As crazy as it sounds, I think something like a beard has actually helped make Mike Pelfrey a better pitcher. Look at him as he stares in to homeplate. With the beard covering part of his face, I truly think it gives him a more intimidating look. Whether the opposing hitters are more intimidated or Pelfrey just feels that way, it doesn’t matter. He, as well as the rest of the Mets, is on top of his game and I am looking forward to the second half.
Let’s Go Mets!
Pelfrey is 6′7″. He needed something to make him more intimidating on the mound? Oh whatever– he did mention once that his college nickname was Big Bird, so I guess he’s not a very intimidating 6′7″.
I did see him becoming a different pitcher several starts back. He looks completely different from the kid getting thrown to the wolves out there last season.
One thing that is annoying about the All Star Break is the wholesale wresting of the baseball world to ESPN. I could tune out completely, but I am too much of an addict. It’s more of my same problem with the NYC sports media and the blogs. If there was a baseball drip, I would hook myself up to it. When my team isn’t playing, I need more, more more. So I’m stuck with whatever they’re dishing out to me. But for me, ESPN is just a whole other level of loud and stupid.
I watched the Home Run Derby last night, and I suppose on balance, I’m glad I did. Of course, their usual two inane drones in the booth were not sufficient to the majesty of the occasion, so they had a panel of four inane dribblers to squawk, drone and exclaim through the evening, plus a chick in short skirt and high heels circulating through the players– don’t get me started on this. Do they think that the players won’t speak to a woman reporter in a non-bimbo outfit? Maybe.
All was not lost, thought, because Josh Hamilton did put on an extraordinary show– a really extraordinary show in an environment so full of hype and linguistic inflation (although I did get annoyed at the incessant repetition about Hamilton’s “story”).
All in all, the best thing about the evening was the sheer joy evinced by that huge contingent of little kids on the field– that hysterical crew of little Boys and Girls clubs galloping around the outfield, and the players’ own little rugrats; the best of those was an wonderfully giddy little pixie who appeared to belong to the Marlins’ Hanley Ramirez.
I love the way the Mets are now. They are like the 2006 team in that you never counted them out. How they lost that in 2007 is beyond me.
I love Jerry Manuel’s managing. He is a no nonsense manager who won’t take crap from the players, but he is willing to go the extra mile to get the most out of them. I also like that he works with them one on one. I think that is what has made the difference. He is not afraid to shake up the lineup, not afraid to play a hot player, even if another player has a long term contract. He has them playing hard every inning, even if it looks like it is going to be a blowout. I like that he makes the starting pitcher hand the ball to the relief pitcher. He style of managing is really the closest to Gil Hodges that they have had. IMHO, Gil was the best manager the Mets have had, even though Bobby Valentine and Davy Johnson have had more wins.
I think as long as Jerry keeps to this formula, the Mets have a good chance to make the playoffs.
Sorry to keep whining about the All Star Game, but I’m pathetic and that’s all the baseball I had over the past few days.
I’m only going to talk briefly about this, because I really have a lot to say about it, and I have to organize it in my mind.
But JEEEZ WTF!!!!! is wrong with the Yankee fans? Trust them to take what is supposed to be a “Celebration of Baseball” hosted in Yankee Stadium, and turn it into a !@# Yankees Nuremberg Rally.
All the media hype about the incredible special specialness of Yankee Stadium only makes them worse.
Theresa,
I am so glad that the whole damn thing is overwith. I was thinking that it is great that they are knocking down “the Stadium in the Bronx”, maybe next year we won’t have to hear about the “history”, the “house that ruth built”, or those f-ing “ghosts”. I barely watched at all last night, on and off, here and there(of course I saw Billy’s inability to get one out with nobody on), but every time I put the game on, somebody else was lavishing praise on yankee stadium or yankees…..what an awful all-star break.
Time to get down to the second half. I just hope we can continue to play great baseball as we enter the months of August and September.
Lets Go Metsies!
10 in a row!!! Woohoo!!!
What a game!!!
Actually in many ways these Mets look far more dominant than the 1973 Mets. That team finished below .500 and for all season it was win 2 lose 1, win 3 lose 2 in a grind it out last man standing display to the playoffs (followed by a thrilling World Series that gets unfortunately overlooked too much in Mets post season history, especially considering how phenomenal Dick William’s As were). Right now, our boys look they they are stomping on the competition and striking fear in the hearts of the second division teams. In other words, looking more like 2006, or (god willing) 1986.
Yes, JD, 2006 backwards. I’ll take it.
Also, meant to correct a misstatement. 1973 Mets finished 82-79. Above .500……barely.