The Mets are not a great ball club. But aside from the Phillies — flawed in their own right — there are no great clubs in the National League. So that means the Mets have a shot — not a great shot, but a shot — at the wild card.
Consider: We are now a quarter of the way through the season and the only team to get their record above .600 is the Phillies. The Marlins, at .590, are next, but no one should expect that to continue, given an uneven lineup and mediocre back-end pitching. (With Josh Johnson, however, they have one of the five best starters in the National League at the top of the rotation.)
This is what the Mets have going for them, if they can avoid a prolonged losing streak and find a way to stay close in the wild card through the trading deadline (if they fall back, look for Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and possibly Francisco Rodriguez to be dealt).
1. Reyes and Beltran are performing better than they have in at least three years and right now are among the league’s better hitters.
2. Ike Davis was off to a massive start.
3. Rodriguez is pitching great and is getting 8th-inning help from Jason Isringhausen, the first time he has had this kind of setup work since he got here.
4. Chris Capuano has looked good in the rotation and Mike Pelfrey may be turning it around after a bad start.
Those are the early positives. Add to it: Johann Santana is expected to return in July. It is hard to make any assumptions about what he’ll bring to the table, but his presence will make the team better.
The team cannot expect David Wright and Jason Bay to both continue slumping. One and hopefully both will start hitting, which will deepen the lineup.
Since Daniel Murphy and Justin Turner began sharing second, the position has stabilized.
And both Angel Pagan and Davis will be back soon.
Over all, I like the length of this lineup, providing everyone lives up to his potential.
Can they win the wild card? Yes. Will they? Unlikely, but if they can make a run it will be worth keeping their soon-to-be free agents.
- Send me an e-mail.
- Read poetry at The Subterranean.
- Certainties and Uncertainties a chapbook by Hank Kalet, will be published in November by Finishing Line Press. It can be ordered here.
- Suburban Pastoral, a chapbook by Hank Kalet, available here.
Hank Kalet 