It’s easy to identify big moments late in the season or in the playoffs. But identifying watershed events in the first month of a baseball season is another matter entirely. It’s possible we witnessed one of those Monday night in Miami.
Coming into the season, most people had the Mets and Marlins pretty much even. A fair summation of expectations were that these two teams were battling for second place in the NL East and if everything went right, they could make it as a Wild Card team.
Meanwhile, the Mets got off to a terrific start, in part due to a four-game sweep of the Marlins in New York. But the Marlins rebounded to win five in a row, while the Mets lost two of three against the hated Yankees.
The stage was set with New York traveling to Miami for the second meeting of the year between the two rivals. The Marlins could make a statement by returning the favor and sweeping the Mets, which would give them not only momentum, but an eight-game winning streak.
And Jarred Cosart, a pitcher best known for either costing his team prize prospect Jake Marisnick or for his headlines for alleged gambling ties, did his part by emulating Sandy Koufax for eight innings. Dillon Gee matched him for most of the night until the Marlins scratched out a run in the eighth inning to take a 1-0 lead.
The stage was set for a stirring Marlins victory. But the Mets rallied for three runs in the ninth inning for an improbable win, raising their record this year to 5-0 versus the Marlins. If you’re a Marlins fan, wouldn’t you have to consider this a bad omen?
Of course, there are still 14 games still to be played between the two teams this year. Miami could come out tonight and jump all over the guy just called up from the minors to make a spot start for the Mets and it could be silly to consider Monday night’s game as anything more than one out of a 162-game season.
But Monday night felt different to me.
Facing a near-certain loss that, combined with the ugly performance in the Bronx, would have gone a long way in erasing much of the season’s positive vibe, the Mets instead forged a thrilling comeback and added to the impressive early-season narrative. Not only that, they came back on the road, on virtually no sleep, against a team that figures to be a main competitor.
It just feels significant. It feels like a game that we’ll look back on in two months and say, “This is where we knew this year could be special.” And if it helps sinks the Marlins in the process, so much the better. Now, to not let up. When you have your opponent reeling, go ahead and deliver the knockout blow.
It’s time for another sweep.
The Marlins have reveled in breaking the hearts of Mets fans over the years. Well, maybe not *these* Marlins, but there’s an irrational disdain I have for that team.The more the Mets can bury them, the better.
Never forget 2007-2008. Ha.
It’s not irrational Rob. Trust me on this one.
Rob, you just took the words out of my mouth. Don’t forget the BS backloaded contract they gave Reyes too.
Great read Brian. I hope we look back and still feel this way come August. For all the reasons you mentioned, this felt different. I certainly was overcome by a sense of resigned loss after the run scored. I guess I’m still too close to the past to believe games like last night should be our expectation. A sweep here would be delightful.