Kallet: With Brutal Schedule Ahead, Expect Mets To Fall Out Of Race In July
By Brad Kallet, WFAN.com
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The Mets are remarkably fortunate to be just 1 1/2 games behind the Washington Nationals for first place in the National League East.
But that number -- 1 1/2 -- is just going to get bigger and bigger and bigger until the games are rendered completely meaningless.
Because of the Nationals' poor play this season -- they, like the Mets, have been hampered by injuries -- New York has been able to hang around atop the NL East, despite playing poor ball following an unlikely 13-3 start.
This weekend foreshadowed how the rest of the season will likely play out. No, the Nats won't play this well moving forward. And the Mets won't play this badly. (It's not possible, is it?) But the sobering reality is that the Nationals, even with their many injuries, are significantly more talented than the Amazin's. And they're only going to get healthier. Terry Collins' squad, meanwhile, is simply not very good.
The Mets have been exposed for what they are. They can't hit, they can't field and their bullpen is suddenly unsteady and unreliable. What they do have is incredible starting pitching. But as we've come to learn oh so painfully, that only gets you so far when hitters can't drive in runs and fielders can't catch the ball.
Let's recap the weekend, shall we? Washington swept an excellent Pirates team, and the Mets -- after scoring one run in 18 innings in Toronto on Wednesday and Thursday -- were pathetically swept by the mediocre Braves at Turner Field, also known as the house of horrors.
I know, I know. Many illogical Mets fans are going to respond to this column by saying, "They're 1 1/2 games out of first place in late June! You would have signed up for that at the start of season! Stop complaining! There's plenty of time left."
Sorry, but your argument doesn't hold water. Yes, I would have signed up for that. But I didn't know that the Nats would play this poorly. Given how they've massively underachieved, the Mets have blown a golden opportunity to run away from a far superior team. Instead, they're somehow behind them! And don't give me the "it's a long season" excuse. By that rationale, anything can happen. Maybe A-Rod will hit 65 home runs! Maybe the Phillies will win the remainder of their games and complete the most unbelievable comeback in sports history! Maybe David Wright will come back at the break, hit .465 and win the MVP! Who knows, right?! Long season!
As for the 1 1/2 games, please. Let's not play the numbers game. If you're clinging to the standings, then you clearly have not been watching these guys play on a nightly basis.
Actually, scratch that. Let's play the numbers game, just for fun. Since starting the year 13-3, the Mets are an abysmal 23-32. Away from the friendly confines of Citi Field, they're 10-24. Only the Phils have fewer victories on the road. In a league where 81 games are played on the road, that is a bit of an issue.
Outside of the NL East, they're just 13-20. The Mets can only beat up on Philadelphia and Miami so many times.
Oh, and have you happened to glance at the upcoming schedule? It's daunting, to say the least.
The rest of June isn't too challenging, with series against the Reds and the Brewers. But once July comes around, New York will be fighting for its life. The docket is brutally difficult.
Bear with me here as I run down the month from hell. Try not to pass out or get too depressed, for it's awfully ugly: three vs. the Cubs (first game is in June), three at the Dodgers, three at the Giants, three vs. the Diamondbacks, three at the Cardinals, three at the Nationals, four vs. the Dodgers, three vs. the Padres and one vs. the Nationals, taking them into August.
Yeah. Drink that in.
Finishing .500 in July would be a tremendous accomplishment (as sad as that may be). Anything better than that is borderline unrealistic.
And don't look to the wild-card standings for comfort. As the Mets have sunk closer and closer to .500, other NL teams have -- as expected -- surpassed them. New York is now three games behind Chicago for the second wild card, with San Francisco in between.
The division appears to be the easiest path to the postseason, but as the Mets battle the best clubs in baseball this summer, the Nats will more than likely go on an inevitable run and leave them in the dust.
Hey Sandy Alderson, maybe you should make a mo ... ah, forget it. At this point it's not even worth it. You've sat on your hands this long. It would be nothing more than a cruel tease. Might as well stay put and continue to watch the parade go by.
By August 1, you can count on a losing record and a secure spot in third place.
It's been ugly. And rest assured, it's only going to get uglier.
Brad Kallet is an editor and columnist for CBSNewYork.com. He has written for TENNIS.com, MLB.com and SMASH Magazine, among others. You can follow him on Twitter @brad_kallet.
