Just Mets

Last night, the Mets were coming off a weekend in which they looked sloppy and out of sync at times.

The starting pitching – which had been so good for the first 16 games of the year – hit it’s first road block, they committed a lot of errors, they made mental mistakes.

They didn’t look like the 13-3 club they were entering their series against the Yankees. And, based on how they played, a series loss to the Yankees seemed quite deserving.

What’s more, they were tired and drained, and opening a series against a suddenly red-hot Marlins club, winners of five-straight games and all of a sudden looking like the contender industry experts expect them to be.

Game on.

Through the first seven innings – which passed by in about 95 minutes – the two teams were matching each other pound for pound on the mound. Neither Dillon Gee or Jared Cosart would give in, and neither lineups had an answer for the opposing pitcher.

But then in the eighth inning, the Marlins cracked Gee and scratched across a run. Suddenly, it seemed like the Mets were headed for their third loss in four games on their six-game road trip.

The Mets had other plans. They knew 15-5 looked a hell of a lot better than 14-6.

It started when they caught a break on a long flyball to center off the bat of Juan Lagares. Marcel Ozuna simply misjudged it, and the ball went over his head to the wall. Then, Lucas Duda reached base on his third walk of the night.

That setup the perfect opportunity for Daniel Murphy, who cracked a go-ahead (and deciding) three-run home run against Steve Cishek, a guy who he’s had prior success against in his career.

The Mets did what good teams do. They caught a break, capitalized and stole a win from their division rival.

But, it was more than that to me. The fact I’m sitting here 15 hours later and still thinking about the game, thinking about Gee’s performance and about Murphy’s homer tells me this game meant more than the Mets simply recording their eighth come-from-behind win of the year.

This was different. It was emotional. It was inspiring. It showed how much character this group of players has. For the first time in years, this team gets it, and they’re together for one single purpose, and that’s winning for the name on the front of the jersey.

It seems like this will be one of those games the Mets will circle as a defining moment in their season, should they not be excluded from the playoffs in 2015. It was the very essence of a team win, and as exciting and meaningful a game as the Mets have played in almost seven years.

“This is the greatest bunch of teammates I have ever had in my entire life and I’m real humbled to be on this ball club,” Murphy said after the game.

It’s been about just that since the sun rose on Spring Training in early February. The cohesiveness and camaraderie has been unusually strong since this all started. It’s been fun and interesting to witness, and it’s translated to their play on the field. There’s something special here right now, and the respect and admiration the players have for one another (along with their talent) is the foundation for that. I don”t know what it will all mean by game 162, but it’s clear what it means in the second ten percent of the regular season.

It’s clear only one thing matters to these Mets now. It’s not a single 0-for-5 or someone’s 5-for-5, no pitcher’s rough outing or stellar performance. No moral victories count for anything anymore, either.

Their success can be broken down in any number of ways statistically. But, the most important stat to these Mets now is this: winning baseball games.