Well. Here Goes Nothing.

On it's way after that called 3rd strike is a lull. No matter what happens from October 29, 2012 to February 13, 2013, we find out nothing as to what it will truly mean on the field. Spring Training helps get some kind of idea as to what you're dealing with, but even then, until that 1st day, there is nothing. Everything that happens in baseball and involving my favorite team will mean the world to me in the moment...but baseball. Baseball being played at the type of level it was played last night, does not come till Monday, April 1, 2013, which my newly downloaded iCalendar has told me is a 1:10 start time between the 2013 San Diego Padres and the 2013 New York Mets.

Yes, those New York Mets. The Highiest of Highs, The Lowiest of Lows. The Floppiest of Players, The Piccasso's of Pitching. The Marvelest of Marv's, The Miraculous Moon Walkers. The Yoiest of La Tengos, The Scummiest of Bunches. The Worst Team Ever.

The Champions of the World.

(of baseball.)

Around the 5th inning, even before I thought about the idea of Angel Pagan winning the World Series, or seeing the shot of him in center field when that last out was recorded, I was imagining R.A. Dickey on a World Series Mound at Citi Field in the 4th game in THAT uniform, pitching his heart out well enough to be on the mound in the 9th inning with 2 out, and the ruckus as he strikes the last batter of the year out with a wicked knuckler, the entire Mets family erupting into pure unadulterated elation. (In this scenario, the National League, after having won the last three All-Star games, gets its dose of what is disguised as the Citi Field Curse and loses next July in Flushing. And R.A. Dickey would have to have pitched a 7th game for the pennant and the earliest he could pitch is game 4.) It's a pretty specific scenario that played out in my head, but I'm sure other fans have similar moving pictures in their heads as they watch year in and year out other teams celebrate come Late-October.

The truth is, in all honesty, and with all my sincerest regards, we will know nothing till Friday, July 19, 2013, when the New York Mets open up the 2nd half hosting the Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets will have to play good baseball in the 1st half as well, but nothing will be secure in most Mets fans' minds till they see these guys lock it down in the 2nd half, whether that's in July, August or in meaningful games in Effin' September. This isn't just a recent issue. This is a historical issue.

There's a core forming within the depths of this Metropolitan franchise, and they have one more year under their belt. We saw glimpses of the kind of camaraderie this young group can have, and maybe with another year, and with The Older Professor and the Big Brother helpin' them along, it can translate into more success past July 19, and then into the kind of camaraderie those New York Giants of San Francisco have (that phrase was delivered to me at one of the NY Giant Fan Get-Togethers from this past week.)

There is a lot of work to be done, but I'm as excited as ever. I know the New York Mets will be the Orangest of Blues come 2013. And I look forward to extending moments like the one below into the 2nd half.

And beyond.

BASEBALL. FEVER.

LET'S. GO. METS.

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