Is the Mets 6-3 record more than just a hot start?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nine games are not a lot. \u00a0There is a LOT of baseball to be played yet. \u00a0Even the 1962 Mets had a stretch of games where they won six of nine. \u00a0In fact, they won nine of 12. \u00a0Of course, they followed that up with a 17 game losing streak, mostly to the Giants and Dodgers.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I don’t think this team is 1962 bad. \u00a0I’m pretty sure of it. \u00a0I don’t even think they’re 2011 bad. \u00a0I think this collection of players is a winning ballclub. \u00a0I said in March that this division would be a race down to the wire<\/a>. \u00a0I still believe that they are all going to be more bunched up this season, compared to the Phillies winning 102 games last year. \u00a0As we know, this means winning the games against the division opponents becomes even more important. \u00a0The Mets are 6-3 against the division, 2-1 against the favorites, and are playing good baseball.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I was more optimistic, obviously, about this team to begin with. \u00a0I believe. \u00a0I think others are starting to believe too. \u00a0Maybe not that this team could actually compete, but that they might actually win more games than they lose. \u00a0They’ve shed the negativity that’s so\u00a0prevalent in the offseason for what looks like a very fun team to watch. \u00a0You could see the expected win totals creeping up from the offseason, through Spring Training, and now even further with a nice start.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Obviously nothing’s perfect. \u00a0The Mets won’t win 67% of their games. \u00a0They probably won’t go 159 and 3. Bay still is very spotty and seems to get hurt\u00a0every time\u00a0he does anything good. \u00a0The defense is a work in progress, and may actually be really bad. \u00a0Mike Pelfrey is still Mike Pelfrey. \u00a0Although I’d offer this counter point to those saying it’s a pain to watch Pelfrey pitch: \u00a0Think about how the Phillies fans feel watching guys get soft blooping singles off of him and unable to make much of them. \u00a0 Is there anything more frustrating than watching your players make soft contact?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There is much more good than bad in this short part of the season. \u00a0Ike Davis and Lucas Duda have started slowly, but they’re already hitting home runs. \u00a0 The rotation has actually been excellent. \u00a0Santana is still standing and pitching well, Dickey is still awesome, Niese so far looks to have taken his new contract to heart, and even Pelfrey is generating the groundballs he needs to be successful. \u00a0 Let’s not forget David Wright. \u00a0Many of you joked about his jammed finger and day to day status leading to a three month DL stint. \u00a0Instead he missed merely three games and homered in his very next pitch. \u00a0I think Rich Coutinho said it best:<\/p>\n Lets face facts If Derek Jeter played with a broken bone and hit a homer, in Boston say, they would be airing a spec Yankeeography 2 nite<\/p>\n \u2014 Rich Coutinho (@coutinho9) April 14, 2012<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n