Before I divulge into what this post is actually about, let me quickly share this with you: I remember an old coworker of mine once telling me a story about how one autumn day they had to take their dog to the vet because she was acting different and they couldn’t pin what was wrong. She wouldn’t eat, she whined, and she slept more so than usual. It turns out little Roxie was going through depression because the children of the household returned to school, and she missed them. Let me tell ya, I know that feeling all too well right now. My Devils have gone back home and boy do I miss them. For the last 9 months I have watched Devils hockey on a consistent basis. For the last 2 months it had taken over my life. I do love the Mets and all, but it’s like a relationship; Even though it may have ended on a positive note, you need time to grieve before you can throw your full commitment into something new. I think by the All Star break I should be okay.
Enough with the dramatics however, moving on…
With the sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays (you’re welcome, Yankees), the Mets seem to have gotten their act back together. For the Love of God even Jason Bay got a homerun. Ike Davis seems to have finally come out of his slump. Although I admit I had fiercely disagreed with keeping him in the lineup, good job Terry Collins and the Mets for sticking with him until he worked it out on his own. Now let’s hope Bay follows in Ike’s footsteps.
I can’t say it enough: This year’s Mets squad has an incredible amount of heart. I feel like they are a genuine, dig deep, nose to the grindstone kind of team. They outscored the Rays 29-9 in this series. The Mets are a team who do whatever it takes to not only get on base, but make sure they get home. They hustle, they bunt, and they steal. They earn their runs, they don’t manufacture them. Just to show a comparison, let’s look at the last series for both the Mets and the Yankees. The Yankees scored 12 runs in their 3 game sweep over the Braves. 9 of those runs were a result of homeruns. Of the Mets 29 runs, only 6 were due to the long ball.
For some reason I take great pride in knowing that my team worked their way around the bags instead of getting on base and waiting for some all-star homerun hitter to come to the plate and knock one out of the park so they can trot home at their leisure. Call me crazy.
This weekend is big. Cincinnati is hot this year, and they are coming of a 3 game sweep of the Indians. The Mets need to keep doing what they’re doing. And the Yankees can help out the Metsies big time with a sweep over the first place Nationals. Okay fine, I’ll even take 2 out of 3. No pressure.
Have a great weekend everyone! Let’s go Mets! And errr… Let’s go Yankees!
P.S. Though I focused on the offense in this blog, BIG BIG BIG time props to R.A. Dickey. Beast!