1 reason Mets fans should be confident for Game 3, 1 to feel neutral, 1 to start sweating

Winning one of the two games against the Philadelphia Phillies in their ballpark was a must for the New York Mets to head back to Citi Field with any sort of confidence. The Mets nearly got them both. Then again, the Phillies could say the same.

Can the Mets just play a game already where it doesn’t feel like life or death? Are the MLB playoffs always this much fun? Excuse us. It has been a while since we’ve cared.

Tied 1-1 with three to play, there are reasons for Mets fans to remain confident in the team. But after the way they lost Game 2, you aren’t going to ride the 7-Line to the game without some perspiration. 

Remain confident in the Mets because they played two very good games against the Phillies

The Mets loss in Game 2 wasn’t a brutal one. Call me crazy, it was as close to a “good loss” as the team could have had. Luis Severino pitched fine (until he didn’t). The bullpen usage was strange yet a result of not having enough available arms Carlos Mendoza could trust. This won’t be a factor on Tuesday with the day off on Monday.

Strangely, the weakest point of the Mets in the first two games of the NLDS were the first innings against Zack Wheeler. He shut them down completely. All the while the Mets pitching staff did the same against Philadelphia with the lone exception being the Kyle Schwarber leadoff home run.

These teams are far more evenly matched than their regular season records or even what it says on paper. Most aspects of the Phillies are superior to the Mets. That doesn’t matter in the playoffs. It’s about who is hotter and who can take advantage of situations more frequently.

Yes, the Mets bullpen blew it in Game 2 with Edwin Diaz as the main culprit. Once is a mistake. Twice is a pattern. Three times is a habit. Save the bad habits for us, Mr. Diaz. We’ve already chewed through our nails multiple times this week.