It has been 18 years since a Mets team was in this position. If you go back to 1988, you would find that the Mets were in first place with a record of 41 and 23 after 64 games, identical to their current record after the same number of games. The only difference being that this year’s team has a larger lead. The ’06 vintage is now up by 8.5 games over the Phillies. In 1988 the Mets were 5.5 games over the Pirates. That year, the Mets went on to win 100 games and win the Eastern Division of the National League by 15 games.

It has been a long time since I have felt this good about this team. Oh sure, I enjoyed the scrappy wild card winning teams of Bobby Valentine but this is something different. This team plays with confidence and skill in all facets of the game. Everything is clicking right now. Offensively, the speed and power that the Mets have been demonstrating on this road trip has been devastating to the opposition. They are not only defeating the other team, they are crushing them in convincing fashion. All of a sudden, it has all clicked for the Mets and they are becoming not just a very good team, but a dominating one. While everyone said that the pitching could be suspect, it has not been. Certainly the Mets can’t play the rest of the season at this level, but building a lead as they have done over the past two weeks gives them a cushion for when things cool off which is bound to happen sooner or later. Barring some unforeseen injury, the Mets should not only make the playoffs for the first time in six years, they should win the division for the first time in 18 years.

A lot of credit for the Mets success has to go to Paul Do Luca. He isn’t the hitter that David Wright, Carlos Beltran, or Carlos Delgado is. He clearly does not have the speed of Jose Reyes or Lastings Milledge. But he has become the field leader of this team. Paul calls a great game behind the plate. He takes that part of his game as seriously or perhaps even more so then his offensive game. He is not afraid to have pitchers throw inside. He is a bulldog on the field and his head is always in the game with an undeniable intensity. That’s probably why he has been thrown out of a couple of games. I was a little stunned about his remark to “bury the Phillies” but you know what, he isn’t just blowing smoke. He believes what he is saying and I believe he is the catalyst that gets his teammates to rally to the task. And I always wondered how in the world the Mets would ever replace Mike Piazza.  

Last year, and even earlier this year, when the Mets won the first two games of the series as they have done often, it seemed they were satisfied to take 2 of 3. Don’t expect that this afternoon. Even with subs playing as I’m sure Willie will have in the line up, I expect the Mets to go for the jugular. Something has happened to the Mets. The raw talent that we knew was there has now matured. The team is playing as together as a team can possibly play. And man am I enjoying every minute of it.

Notes: Where were you on June 15, 1977, 29 years ago today? I’m sure some of you were not even born then. That of course was the day that the Mets sent the Franchise packing. Tom Seaver was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for pitcher Pat Zachery, shortstop Doug Flynn and outfielders Steve Henderson and Dan Norman. Talk about a contrasting emotion when compared to the euphoria we are feeling today.

Kudos to Joe Benigno of WFAN for hammering a Yankee fan caller during his show yesterday. The caller was trying to throw cold water on Mets fans for enjoying the success of our team. Joe’s point was right on the money. To paraphrase, Joe said that Yankee fans simply can’t stand when the Mets are good. He asked the caller why shouldn’t Mets fans be excited about their team. “What should Mets fans do, cry?” The Yankee fan of course spouted the typical condescending remarks that “the Mets have not won anything yet”, “when is the last time they won a World Series”, yada, yada, yada. But Joe was relentless in defending all Mets fans. Look, this has been a mantra of mine for a long time and will continue to be—it is the entitled, pompous Yankee fan that I despise, not the Yankees. Hey Yankee fans: good luck to you. Enjoy your team and please just go away.