5 Reasons Why The Suddenly Amazin' Mets Are For Real
By Daniel Friedman
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Every time we think the Mets are about to live up to their past reputation as choke artists, they come through in the most unexpected ways.
How are they doing it, and what makes this year's team so different? Here are five key factors:
1. David Wright Is Healthy And Effective
The Mets were starting to hit well before the captain returned. But now that he's playing well, it just gives them yet another weapon in the batting order. It makes a tremendous difference.
2. The Rotation Has Gotten Deeper
When you have Bartolo Colon throwing well and eating innings the way he has lately, it makes your rotation that much more effective. Everyone knows what Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz are capable of.
3. Clutch Hitting
Curtis Granderson's come up with timely hits, as have Yoenis Cespedes and rookie Michael Conforto. This team can rake.
4. They Can Close Out Teams In The Ninth
Jeurys Familia – a closer who can actually live up to his job description. What a concept.
5. They Win Even When Everything Goes Wrong
As my good pal Eric Hornick pointed out, since August 21 the Mets have four wins when surrendering seven or more runs in a game. The rest of MLB? Zero. This team never quits. They overcome not just deficits, but innings limits and distractions. It's very impressive and is the mark of a good team.
