It does. This season it feels good to be a Mets fan. We can walk around with our Mets hats, shirts and jackets and can have our chests puffed out. It’s not just the record that has us happy. I mean that is a huge part of it. But the other big reason is the way they’re playing.
If you’ve been watching the games the feelings have changed. If the Mets still have at-bats left in the game I feel like they can still win. Last night’s game in Miami is a prime example.
Going into the ninth we’re down by one. Lagares comes up and gets a double that should’ve been an out. (Side note: You think when Juan sees people fail to make catches, he wonders how that’s possible? It’s a completely foreign concept for him) Duda walks. And then Murphy blasts a home run out of that big green monstrosity. That’s enough to almost make me forget all his fielding foibles. Almost.
The past few seasons if the Mets were down after 8 innings going into the ninth on the road I would have thought oh well pack it up let’s see what Simpsons episode is on. But this season a switch was flipped. The way they’ve been playing it’s different. They play until the last out every game. There’s no rolling over and dying.
So the Mets are now up 3-1 going into the bottom of the ninth. And our closer comes in. Jeurys Familia has been lights out early. Since Mejia got suspended (He disappointed me. I’m not mad at him, I’m just disappointed. Okay I have a seething rage toward him too) Familia has made it clear he’s the closer. His stuff is so nasty. When Bobby Parnell comes back Terry will have a hell of a problem on his hands as to who is the closer. Talk about first world problems.
He comes in and shuts down the Marlins. With a little help from Murphy. He made the play of his career. With one out Mike Morse hits it to Murph’s left. I almost thought it was going to be a hit and we were going to have to try for a double play. Silly me. Murphy flashed the leather and did a spin-a-rooney (ala Booker T) and getting Morse at first. Where the hell’s that been all season? Him doing that makes me more aware of his mistakes now.
This season is different. In the past few years if I had told you Wright would be out for a while with a hammy injury.Edgin and Wheeler both out with Tommy John, Mejia suspended half the season AND d’Arnuad and Blevin out with fractures you’d have said”Well Maybe 16 will be our year.” But no. Everyone has picked up the slack. There’s been no one player carrying the team. Everyone has been playing well. The team is playing like a team.
Last week I went to two games. Wednesday night I went with my father and saw them beat Braves (always a good thing) and got to see Juan Lagares channel his inner Willie Mays with a catch. The next day my wife and I took our daughter (middle name of Shea, gee wonder where I got that name from). The atmosphere and attitude of the crowd is different. There’s jubilation and confidence. It’s great.
So throw on your blue fitted, your pinstripe jersey and your satin team jacket. Tell any Yankee fans who tease you that this is a Mets town, they just live here. Cause damn…it feels good to be a Mets fan.
(BTW follow me on twitter @TheWill_1984 if you want to read some live tweeting of mets games….when I’m able)
