Zombie Mets: They Keep Coming Back

As you read this, the Mets are going for a sweep this afternoon in Tampa. A week ago, I couldn’t imagine typing those words. Off the disastrous Yankee series last weekend, I was steeling myself for the annual June tumble when all the dew from spring training is finally blown away and hard reality snaps us Met fans into thoughts of 2013 and beyond. This June appeared especially cruel: series against the Cardinals, Nationals, Rays, Reds, Orioles and Yankees twice, all to take place between the 1st and the 25th. It was here where all dreams would die, it was said. Nice run to get to this point, but your fun is over now and it’s time for the spotlight to shift to the big boys. Same as every year, right?

Wrong.

It was said that the first nine games – at Washington, at Yankee Stadium, at Tampa – would be the killer. According to the All-Knowing Francesa, Met fans would “sign for 4-5 on the road trip. They’ll sign for that in blood.” Well, a win today, gets them to that 4-5 trip. A circuitous route – they should have won the first game in DC and the last in the Bronx — but there it is. For anyone who thought that the feeble Mets’ offense, this popgun attack would stand any kind of chance against the Rays’ terrific young pitching, here’s a cigar. If you had the Mets outscoring the Rays 20-3 the first two games, I’ll give you a call and have you funnel me lottery numbers. Yes, R.A. Dickey is a force of nature, but nine runs? Off David Price? No way.

These are the Zombie Mets. Back from the dead so often, this season should be a black-and-white cult hit. The cool thing is, we fans can still look ahead to 2013 and beyond – Zack Wheeler! Matt Den Dekker! Matt Harvey! Jenrry Mejia! – without sacrificing any of the joy and immediacy of what’s unfolding right in front of us. They probably won’t win the World Series. They may not even make the playoffs. Whatever: 2012 still might be the coolest year of all.

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