MILWAUKEE — If the Mets made it to this postseason derby, most would have considered it a win. And so it was. But they're here and they're acting as if it's their place, and what's more, they're playing as if they might stay there for a while.
The Mets' atmosphere and their moves give them a chance to go far in October. Even if they get past the Brewers, they will likely be at a disadvantage again in the second round against the rival Phillies. Some are calling this team a championship contender. But the Mets are showing they have a chance with a wide range of competition right now. Here’s why…
1. The Mets are acting like they've been here before.
No one except team president David Stearns expected them to make the playoffs. But here they are, looking dissatisfied, which is a plus. The day after the regular season was scheduled to end, they sneaked into Game 161 in Atlanta and had a wild celebration with champagne and cigars, but it was hard to tell from their demeanor whether they had won or lost. There wasn't. After defeating the Brewers 8-4 in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series here. That's a positive sign.
Thanks to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, the Mets will be able to handle things better. People around the team say he's as positive as anyone they've ever known. He believed, or at least acted like it, even when his opponents were 0-5 or 22-33.
“We always knew we had really good players, so at some point we would be able to turn things around,” Mendoza said. “We never panicked.”
That's it.
2. The Mets are getting significant contributions from complementary players.
Jose Iglesias, who hit .337 in the regular season (which would have been good enough to win the batting title if he was eligible), will likely finally end the four-year season in which he had to accept a make-up minor league deal. You can hit it. It's difficult to understand. JD Martinez offered the best theory for Iglesias' unwarranted unpopularity. [screwed] he. “
Although he was initially a part-time player, he continued to play well in both directions, and Geoff McNeil suffered a broken wrist (recent evaluations suggest it is healing well). Iglesias became a key member of the infield and batting lineup (he could return if the Mets had a big performance and wanted him back). He was on a 23-game hitting streak heading into Game 2. It seems there is more.
Iglesias' $1.5 million is a godsend (seriously, he's the best of all time!) and may be the best bargain since hiring RA Dickey for a similar song. But there were many. Other contributors, including Mark Vientos, Jose Butt, Ryne Stanek, Reed Garrett, Phil Mayton, Luis Torrence, Jesse Winker, and Martinez, all started the season elsewhere or in the Mets' minor leagues. did.
At the MLB minimum of $740,000, Vientos is as good a bargain as Iglesias, and after several years of planning, he looks like he'll be a mainstay going forward. Vientos was traded a few years ago and was more highly regarded as a starting pitcher this season, but second-year Brett Batty's struggles were more of a driving force behind Vientos' promotion than anything else. Vientos has more slugging power than Pete Alonso (and others) and looks like a core presence whether at third base or first base. (Of course, that may depend on whether they re-sign Alonso.)
The quartet of Butt, Stanek, Garrett, and Mayton helped rebuild nearly half of a previously feared bullpen. Butt looked fine as a starter, but he's really dynamic in relief. Stanek is a 99 mph bullet and, like he was in Game 1, provides a late-game option if star closer Edwin Diaz is unavailable. Mayton is an unflappable guy, which is exactly the type of guy we need in October.
If Iglesias is this year's bargain, Torrence is no less. Plus, he came over from the crosstown Yankees for $100,000. Who would have imagined that the Yankees would be so generous in helping their neighbors? Torrence isn't as good a hitter as Francisco Alvarez, but he's actually a good thrower and can help stop games where he concedes a lot of runs. This is important in a postseason that has traditionally been dominated by low-scoring games.
3. They are a real team.
Scouts have liked the team's “selfless” play so far. Since the beginning of September, he has noticed major changes, such as hitting behind runners, pitching that allows teammates to steal bases, and shortening his pitches to two strikes. The team concept is alive and well here.
4. Their superstars are playing like superstars.
I don't want to hear that Francisco Lindor as an MVP candidate was an example of East Coast bias. Before his back injury, and before Shohei Ohtani took sole control in September (1.225 OPS for the month), Lindor looked like he could really hit the outside shot.
Even with injuries, he's a key player for the Mets. Exhausted and with back pain still plaguing him, he hit perhaps the most important home run in Mets history in that fateful first game in Atlanta, sealing his second comeback and his first of the season. Finished my comeback.
Lindor has always acted like the Mets are a threat, and it looks like he's ready to prove it. Even if he can't surpass Ohtani, he's still putting together one of the best individual seasons as an everyday player in Mets history. He's also a teammate. He never talked about the MVP race, only we talked.
