Thanks to a plethora of interesting things the New York Mets lineup is suddenly as dominating as their young, studly pitching is.
By Robby Sabo
If MLB commissioner Rob Manfred was granted the opportunity to hire the greatest screenwriter in the world he still wouldn’t be able to match this.
This, is the roller-coaster craziness that has been the New York Mets season, culminating in the dominance we now lie privy to.
Monday night was the culmination of what we’ve now known for a while: This Mets club now has a lineup just as dangerous as the pitching staff. If you still don’t believe so after the 20-hit, 8 HR, 16-7 thrashing against the Phillies, you might need your head examined.
Their 15 extra-base hits set a new franchise record.
It started with Wilmer Flores crying on the field, turning into Yoenis Cespedes becoming a Met, and now comes together with Wright finding his way back.
Last night, with the Mets in Philadelphia taking on the bottom feeding Phillies, the captain, David Wright, made his triumphant return to the lineup. It was his official MLB game since April 14.
Without lofty expectations – as spinal stenosis is a serious condition nobody can sneeze at – Wright promptly smashed an upper deck solo shot in his very first at-bat.
With Wright now back in the fold, Mets fans can hardly believe their eyes when they look at the lineup card. Reality strikes them: This lineup is pretty damn good.
At first glance the hitting is solid at most positions.
- Curtis Granderson (L) RF
- David Wright (R) 3B
- Daniel Murphy (L) 2B
- Yoenis Cespedes (R) CF
- Lucas Duda (L) 1B
- Travis d’Arnaud (R) C
- Michael Conforto (L) LF
- Wilmer Flores (R) SS
- Michael Cuddyer (R)
- Ruben Tejada (R)
- Juan Lagares (R)
- Kelly Johnson (L)
- Juan Uribe (R)
- Anthony Recker (R)
Going from Triple-A players in Eric Campbell and Kirk Niehwenhuis a couple of months ago to this must have Terry Collins doing handstands in the Mets day-to-day facility.
Think about the lineup flexibility he now possesses. They’re so deep now that somebody will have to be left out when Duda returns.
On any given night any of these guys can be sat down. For example, last night it was Curtis Granderson who received the night off. A month ago that would’ve been a sheer impossibility. With Juan Lagares now hitting – perhaps spurred on by his recent benching – it can be done.
Having either Michael Cuddyer, Lucas Duda or Michael Conforto on the bench is incredible ammunition. Something this organization hasn’t had in a long time – danger looming on the bench late in games.
The only thing Collins doesn’t have in his arsenal is speed. Lagares remains the only base-runner who can possibly swipe a base at a moment’s notice. Still, if timely hitting couples dominant pitching in October, success will be captured.
New York has scored the most runs in the National League since July 25. That’s right, the Mets. The squad who’s still in the awful positions of second to last in batting average (.242) and 11th to last in runs scored (496).
The Mets are now world-beaters at the plate after going through epic nights of futility in attempt to back up Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey and the rest of their brilliant staff.
Even Wright cannot keep his emotions in check once realizing everything that’s happening at the moment.
“I had to be careful,” Wright told reporters following the 16-7 win over thePhillies. “I almost pulled a Wilmer Flores out there,” via Marc Craig.
So while Mets fans pick up the paper today and sip their coffee, they’ll naturally wait for the other shoe to drop. After all, these are the Mets.
Be careful though, something stronger might be at play here. Something that only the year 2015 could provide.
Be careful about being negative Mets fans. Your team might just be for real.
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