Well if it’s any consolation, something similar happened twenty years ago. The 1986 Mets, you remember them, went on the road in mid September needing to win one game to clinch the National League East. The first stop was
The Mets lost the series opener at Busch Stadium by a score of one to nothing in thirteen innings while the Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs. Now four games had passed and the magic number remained at two. The next night, a Tuesday, the Mets finally won a game. So the Mets split with the cards but the Phillies once again defeated the Cubs so the magic number was down to one. The Mets returned to Shea Stadium on September 17, twenty years ago yesterday, and with Dwight Gooden on the mound, the Mets finally won “the damn thing” (oh if only Murph was here) by beating the Cubs three to one.
How ironic that this year’s edition of the Mets finds themselves in such a similar situation. With needing only one win to sew up the NL East title, the Mets lose three in a row while the Phillies, again the second place team, win three in a row. This time of course the two clubs did not face each other. And like twenty years ago, the Mets return home and will be able to clinch in front of their own fans, hopefully that will happen tonight.
I always try to see the glass half full and as disappointed as I was this weekend, as I’m sure all Mets fans were perhaps there are positives in the results. You cannot tell me that the Mets have not felt pressure in trying to wrap this thing up. The players and Randolph have said all the right things but you know this is a hurdle they know they need to get over. And actually I think it is a good thing that they have not “backed in” because there is no “backing in” once the playoffs start. In order to move to the next level in the playoffs the Mets must win. It would do the Mets well if tonight they come out and play the kind of ball they are capable of. With Steve Trachsel on the mound it may not be easy. He has struggled recently. But it certainly would be appropriate since Trachsel is the Mets with the most tenure.
Of more concern are the Mets struggles with lefties. As you are now aware since the media has been pounding this, since July 31st, the Mets are 5 and 14 against lefties. I cannot believe it has much to do with Nady’s departure. People site this fact as if Nady was Willie Mays. Nady was a nice player but as his recent struggles in
Fortunately for the Mets the only team with good left handed pitching are the Phillies who the Mets cannot play in the first round. So if the Phillies win the wild card, the Mets would face a division winner from either the Western or Central division. None of those teams have dominant left handed pitching. But for sure, Omar is taking notes and will rectify this problem in the lineup during the winter.
Willie is to blame too. I don’t understand why he insisted on playing Shawn Green against lefties, especially the way the right fielder has struggled lately. Lastings Milledge is showing signs of breaking out of his funk, and I think it would have been better to have him go against the left handed pitching.
The Mets, including Willie Randolph, need to relax but there is a Catch 22 here. In order for them to relax they need to clinch and the clinching seems to be what is causing the anxiety. I know the party line is the Mets are relaxed, focused, and just looking at this as another game. Don’t you believe it for a minute. The Mets are pressing and hopefully the home crowd, some right handed pitching, and maybe a ball that falls in here and there gives them the jump start they need to get this thing done. And hopefully that will be tonight.
