Good Morning Sunshine. And Happy Eleventh de Mayo to Mets Fans everywhere; even Floridians! Consider this your early bird financial report. But first……
Right off the bat, let’s face it – Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing is busier than South Beach and Calle Ocho combined, and with better food too. So, for all the New York snowbirds, retirees, sick of the city slickers, and South Florida transplants – and we know you’re out there – here come the Mets to help you out with your otherwise mundane South Florida existence and bring you back some of the enjoyment we up north are currently experiencing these days, and regrettably for you, some good times you left behind.
After a three game sweep over the rival Phillies and a well deserved day off on Thursday, the Mets wake up Friday morning in sunny Florida to take on their other, other, N.L. East rival, the rechristened Miami Marlins. This will be the Mets’ initial saunter into Dade County’s new ball park, and their first look into the aquarium along the back stop. And if that doesn’t scream baseball…, it’s because they’re fish. Don’t kid yourself.
I also can’t wait for current and former New Yorkers to start parking their cars on the front lawns of the residents in Little Havana the way football fans used to, in what they called Orange Bowl style parking; for a reasonable price of course. Fugheddaboudit!
After thirty-one games, the Mets enter tonight’s series opener five games over .500 off an 18-13 start. Not incidentally, after wrapping up a sweep of the Phillies, the Amazins are winners of their last five in a row. They also now sport a 13-5 record within the division and are positioned in third place above both Philadelphia and Miami. So put that in your orange juice and drink it. That’s the way your day starts. Once the Umpire yells, “PLAY BALL!” – I have no control what happens next of course. That’s up to the Mets and Marlins.
In the case of us Mets fans though, still held in the grip of northeastern damp weather, a day off for Gotham was a good time to review where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going.
If you remember, the Mets began their 2012 season with four straight wins. In 2011, the Mets started out a cool 3-1, but then went on to lose ten of their next eleven games. While this season, they have not lost more than four in a row. The team finished April 2012 with a 13-10 record. In 2011, they stumbled into May with an 11-16 record.
As of May 10th this season, the Mets are 5-3. Last year at this time, they sported a 5-4 record. Not much room to nitpick there. That’s why we are left with April for now. And this goes back to what you will hear me say often – You can not win pennants in April, but you can lose pennants in April. A decent May can only strengthen our situation heading into Summer. For I do believe in strong starts, but in the Dog Days of Summer as well. Nothing more; nothing less. I’m not talking playoff baseball here. I merely speak to being competitive within the life of a season. Pom-poms be gone.
Last year at this time, the Mets were bobbing about, four games under .500 with a 16-20 record after thirty-six games played. As I stated, the month of May from this year to last, are similar. April is what makes a comparison of this year and last akin to the two masks of comedy and drama; or in our case, smiles and frowns.
On May 13, 2011, after thirty-eight games played, the Mets secured win number eighteen of the season. This year, they won number eighteen against the Phillies on May 9th in just their thirty-first game played.
Last year, while the Mets underachieved as a whole, Jose Reyes, emerged as the Spring favorite for National League MVP, while also embarking on what would be his batting title winning campaign. This season Jose plays for the Marlins while Justin Turner became the most recent player to play shortstop for the Mets since Reyes’ departure.
As much as any player in Tuesday’s multiple comeback efforts against the Philadelphia Phillies, Justin Turner was at the heart of the Mets’ efforts with his glove at short, and with a productive bat in his hand; this while only playing for the recently disabled Ruben Tejada.
From playing .444 baseball with Jose Reyes, and without Johan Santana last season at this time, we’ve improved to playing .581 baseball without Jose Reyes, and with Johan Santana, this season. You do the math. I just paint the picture.
But not so fast, right? Jose Reyes and the Fish appear to be straightening themselves out just in time for this series, lest we forget they were languishing in last place and have corrected themselves to get back to .500 in time to face us. You won’t see any flies on Mets Fans though. Not this year. Not these kids. This one is no sweat because we’re doing something different now. Besides, us Met Fans have been down that Calle with Jose before.
Bank of Flushing Bay received a .137 turn-around on our divestment from the REYES FUND already. And isn’t that what ultimately makes everyone happy? Isn’t that reason enough to smile and let the Florida sunshine burst through your windows upon waking up and rushing to read Rising Apple Blog? Oh sorry…, it only makes us real Noo Yawkuz happy. In Florida, a .137 return on the Reyes Fund isn’t tax deductible, is it?
But you’ll be out there rooting for the Mets anyway, won’tcha?
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