Because they’re on a roll.
I’m both pleasantly surprised and very, very pleased with the Mets right now. Sweeping the Orioles and Indians is something they needed to do, but never did I think they would actually do it. Francisco Rodriguez tried his darndest to not let that happen, but the Mets and K-Rod were able to snatch victories away from the jaws of defeat each time.
Now, with the Mets on a seven-game winning streak, including six straight on the road – which is a shocker in it of itself – they’ll come back “home” to New York for a series against the Yankees in the Bronx.
The Mets, as likely none of us would have expected, are just one half game out of first place, trailing the Atlanta Braves. They’re also a full three games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Braves will be taking on the lowly Kansas City Royals this weekend, so winning against the Yankees is going to be important.
But – and here’s the gist of this whole post – I’m confident in the team. And that’s something that hasn’t been said in a while.
Yes, it’s only mid-June. Yes, the bullpen is way too shaky for my liking. Yes, Jenrry Mejia is still on the team for no good reason.
But I like the way they’re playing. I like that Carlos Beltran is inching closer to a return. I like that R.A. Dickey continues to be lightning in a bottle for the team.
Confidence in the Mets is something I haven’t had in a while. After last season’s fundamentally- and health-challenged team, it was hard to “believe” in 2010. Heck, I was already looking forward to 2011. But the team has played well recently, and now I actually expect the team to win when they take the field. Usually, it was just a happy surprised.
And that is an amazin’ feeling.