I know…I know. It’s a crappy time to be a Mets fan right now. They can’t seem to get out of their own way. The defense is horrible. The injuries are piling up. There is very little hitting to speak of. The veterans have looked old, the youngsters have looked unready. The style of play more closely resembles vintage Polo Grounds, 1963, rather than Citi Field 2015-16. Even the weather hasn’t been cooperative. They’ve lost nine of their last ten and looked pretty pathetic doing it, dropping games right and left to far inferior teams. When a quality team – the division-leading Washington Nationals — did show up in Queens, well, that became a well-earned sweep. Right now, this bumbling bunch most closely resembles one of those North Korean missiles we’ve been hearing so much about lately: big, imposing and fearsome on paper, but doesn’t get too terribly far from the launch pad.

But if you promise not to laugh, I’m gonna tell you one thing: if I were Washington, I’d be a little nervous right now.

The Nationals came into Citi Field on a high, all swagger and steam, deservedly so. They were – and are – the hottest team in the sport, their formidable engine firing on all cylinders. For their part, the Mets had just endured a cruel wave of injuries sustained in losing a series to the mostly pathetic Philadelphia Phillies. They went into the series without Lucas Duda, Wilmer Flores, Travis d’Arnaud and Yoenis Cespedes and with Asdrubal Cabrera basically playing on one leg. Jose Reyes, Neil Walker and Curtis Granderson have been mired in year-long slumps. It was almost a foregone conclusion that the Nats would sweep the series, and they did, but over three games, do you know what margin Washington won by? Six runs. That’s it. Six stinkin’ runs was the difference between the two teams. Yes, the series showed the Nationals’ superiority in every facet of the game. Yes, the Mets got swept. But they got swept missing half their offense. You don’t think Cespedes, Duda, et al. are worth six lousy runs? You don’t think the Mets showed something, going eyeball-to-eyeball with these guys while severely outmanned?

All evidence to the contrary, the Mets are going to be fine. Really. How many homers have Cespedes, Granderson, Walker and Jay Bruce lost to the wind? Reyes hits far too many popups, it’s true, but in the last week, he’s started hitting the ball harder, only to be foiled by opposing defenses. That kind of thing tends to even out. This team needs to start hitting a few doubles, then the homers will mean a little more. Slumps are contagious. So are hot streaks. We’ve seen both ends of that the last two years. This team wide slump just came a little earlier, that’s all. Right now, the Mets are six-and-a-half games behind Washington, in fourth place and by the end of this weekend, they could very easily have dropped another game in the standings. To that, I say, “So what?” They have another five months — and 13 games with the Nats – to make that up.

You’ll notice I haven’t yet mentioned the starting pitching. That’s because it’s been one of the few bright spots during this stretch. Case in point: Zack Wheeler had been struggling in his recovery from his elbow miseries of the last two years. On nationwide TV on Sunday night, he was strafed in the first inning, allowing a grand slam to former hero/current villain Daniel Murphy. Yet, he was able to right himself and match Max Scherzer zero-for-zero for the next six innings, his best outing to date. If he can be viable, he will add another quality arm alongside the Big Three of Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey. If that happens, look out, NL East.

It’s going to be OK. Really.

Follow me on Twitter @CharlieHangley.

11 comments on “Step back from the ledge, Mets fans…

  • Eraff

    Last Night was a low point…I Hope.

    There’s not much opportunity to show energy without baserunners. Add very sloppy defense, and it was a real mess…Lifeless!

    I was frustrated by the Reyes Steal, down 5 runs— is that “making something happen!!!????”

    Gsellman looks like a guy with 10 or so starts—and the League has their first “AHA!!!!”….. he needs to adjust. For one thing, he needs to pitch a bit more to the shifts they’re employing…or maybe they need to play it a bit straighter with him on the mound.

    Following an off day, the play of the team was entirely disengaged. I haven’t seen them look so Purposeless in all the time Collins has been here.

    I am officially sounding The Alarm

  • Mike Koehler

    While you’re never as bad as your worst (or as good as your best), I’m worried Reyes is washed up. They have a lot riding on him too…

  • Chris F

    Charlie, The Nats arent the least bit concerned with the Mets. And the isea they won by a few runs fails to see that the Mets were swept. I also fails to recognize that Harper, Turner, Zimmerman, and Murphy have already posted as many RBIs as the entire Mets team. They already have almost 100 more total bases and a team OPS of .817. Its an offense on fire. You many not be worried, but the exposure of the offense as completely one dimensional, defense that is suspect at best, a team speed comparable to plate tectonics, and a starting rotation incapable of going 7 represents a serious concern. Yes, there is a lot left, but given how imbalanced the moneyball team looks, dont expect an easy run through the NL East. In case you havent noticed, this afternoon could put us in last place with a loss.

    • Charlie Hangley

      They have not yet begun to fight!

      Call me crazy, but they’re gonna make a battle of this division. I’m convinced of it.

    • Charlie Hangley

      In all seriousness, though, my whole point is that I am of the firm belief that that Washington series would have looked a lot different with Cespedes, Duda, d’Arnaud and Flores in the lineup.

      • Chris F

        Im of the belief the Mets were swept.

  • Chris F

    Syndergaard scratched from todays start with biceps tendinitis.

    rah rah, go team. 🙁

    also clear now why they subbed Rivera in last night to get TdA rest before having to go out there today now that NS is on the shelf.

    • Charlie Hangley

      Well, if they put Syndergaard on the 10-day, he’d be eligible to come off on Sunday and he’d be able to pitch — which they’re saying is a possibility — against the Nats.

  • Jimmy P

    For all the over-hyped talk of depth, Mets are looking at Gilmartin/Montero as the next in line. Two guys who have been massive failures over the past year.

    Tough times.

    Long way to go.

    But yeah, a thought crossed my mind: I wonder if we’ll be sellers in late July? What’s Neal Walker & Jay Bruce worth anyway?

    Sorry: too soon.

    I haven’t given up hope. But I always saw them fighting for the WC spot, rather than being, say, an excellent team.

    Need Noah to be okay.

  • Charlie Hangley

    Now Cespedes leaves with a pulled (not “cramped,” pulled) hamstring. I wish I’d never written this article…

    • Chris F

      Not to mention Harvey, who sucked.

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