![\"unoWild\"](\"http:\/\/www.ceetar.com\/optimisticmetsfan\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/unoWild.jpg\" "\\"unoWild\\"")
<\/p>\nTwo words that have no place in Mets discussions: “Wild Card”<\/p>\n
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I’ve heard it a bunch of places, even\u00a0 Ron Darlings.\u00a0 The Wild Card is not a term that needs to be mentioned right now, about a team that’s in first place with 18 games still to play against the biggest challenging team.\u00a0 The Wild Card need not be mentioned until August at the earliest.\u00a0 The Wild Card should never be the goal.<\/p>\n
The division is not out of the question for the Mets.\u00a0 There is no doubt in my mind that the Phillies will not run away with anything.\u00a0 They are a team that won 93 games last year, and the Mets are at the very least 10 games better, and the Nationals are better.\u00a0 The Phillies play almost 25% of their games against those two teams, so it’s likely that the increased talent would shave a couple of games off the Phillies win total.\u00a0 The Phillies have a couple of guys injured, and aren’t all that improved over last year anyway.\u00a0 They had guys have career years last year, and career years often don’t get repeated.\u00a0 They\u2019re even picking up guys off our scrap heap, which doesn\u2019t say a lot for their pitching or infield depth.\u00a0 The Mets were criticized for having no depth and having to go with Wilson Valdez and Nelson Figueroa last year, yet the Phillies are doing the very same thing this year.<\/p>\n
Anything can happen in a baseball season.\u00a0 Nothing is decided in the offseason, or in April.\u00a0 However, it\u2019s going into May soon and the Mets are standing in first place.\u00a0 I said earlier last week that the goal I would like of the Mets is to get through this home stand with a chance to play the Phillies for first place this coming weekend. \u00a0After some excellent baseball games it\u2019s looking like it could be the Mets playing the Phillies to help lengthen their division lead.<\/p>\n
Ron Darling had a great comment during a replay of David Wright\u2019s bases clearing triple.\u00a0 As he was rounding second, Ron said \u201cAnd right around here is where the monkey jumped off his back.\u201d It\u2019s a good start along those lines, and if the Mets could beat the Phillies, play the Reds and return home solidly in first place it\u2019d go a long way towards erasing 2009.\u00a0 A lot has been made of the attendance figures at Citi Field so far, but I think a lot more of us would start making the trip to the stadium if they returned home conquering heroes and reclaiming their rightful place atop the National League East.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Two words that have no place in Mets discussions: “Wild Card” I’ve heard it a bunch of places, even\u00a0 Ron Darlings.\u00a0 The Wild Card is not a term that needs to be mentioned right now, about a team that’s in first place with 18 games still to play against the biggest challenging team.\u00a0 The Wild … <\/p>\n