deStreak is Over

I envy folks like Jacob deGrom. From what we know of the pitcher, he’ll take a setback like last night's loss to the Twins, as angry as it will make him, and use it to make himself even better. He’ll analyze what he did wrong, even if certain things are out of his control, and go into the next start that much more determined to be the best possible Jacob deGrom he can be.

(Not sure where the photo went
when I clicked on the link, but google
said it was this link from nypost.com
yet it's not on that page and
so I got no mandatory credit to write.
Take it up with them I like this photo
too much for this post to not use it)

Even when things are out of my control, I struggle to keep the positivity and focus, not letting the negativity just completely ensconce with my emotional wherewithal. It always feels like 1 step forward, 3 steps back, and even though I will be reminded at a certain point that everything happens for a reason, I can’t help but feel my emotions get the best of me every time a setback occurs.

This morning, I woke up ready to drive Lyft after a fantastic day yesterday, one that got me more or less exactly where I wanted to be going into the middle of the week. Once I got on the road, however, I discovered my back tire so low it was at 12 PSI, which, if you’re city kid unaware of what this means, isn’t a good thing. Knowing I may be one pothole away from a flat one way or another and also knowing I needed an oil change today anyway, I tried to take it in stride. The negativity, however, just completely overwhelms me and I just feel like I’m always on the brink of completely losing it. I went to put air in the tire because I would just rather drive over to my local pep boys instead of being forced to change the tire (admittedly something this Manhattan kid has never done.) As I filled the tire up at the Speedway gas station in Hoboken, I saw exactly where the issue lied: a nail/screw at the top of the tire, the fates giving me the chance to glare directly at the issue based on where the tire was after I had rolled to a complete stop. As I filled it up, I could hear the air mocking me, expunging with a “hissing” sound, making me all that more upset. Instead of driving a couple hours before the oil change, I’d have to change my schedule completely, a benefit of the Lyft gig but annoying as I miss the morning rush that can be so lucrative.

I should, however, recognize immediately what moments like this provide me. They provide me reflection, the ability to build from these struggles and get some writing done, which I had planned on doing one way or another while the car soon hereafter had originally been planned on being serviced anyway. Maybe it is just my emotional immaturity and my nature to be dramatic in the moment, immediately thinking the worst about what this life throws my way. I am fully aware how blessed I am. Whether it is just the news filtered through places like Twitter or the TV or just the examples from some of the people I pick up as a rideshare driver, there are constant examples of how I have it relatively easy and how my life is substantially better than a lot of what this world gives a lot of other people. It just becomes hard for me to not consider that every step I take towards feeling better about myself and gaining more success in this world, the world just keeps pushing me 3-4 steps back.

Oh, I’m sorry…did you come here to read about the Mets? That could very well be one of the reasons I became a Mets fan in the first place; I feel I can relate to the rest of Mets fans and the Mets overall. After a game like yesterday, and at many different junctions the Mets find themselves at, the nature of Mets fans after the experiences we have gone through leads us to a “sky is falling” mentality. They’ve trained us to hope for the best but expect the worst, even though we also have the knowledge a miracle could be on the way. Reading the pulse of Mets fans last night, you could very well find plenty of examples of immediate remorse, immediate “woe is me” moods, immediate feelings of, “There goes the season.” If deGrom isn’t going to be our knight in shining armor that keeps us afloat at the top of the division, what do we have to look forward to? 

The thing is, once I’m back on the road, just like once the Mets play tonight, there will be something to remind us why all of this makes sense…why we love this team, or personally, why my schedule had to be rearranged this way. Even last night, there were glimpses of what to look forward to. Pete Alonso just continues to rake. The offense overall continued to fight, even through all the pitchers' struggles. Last night was just one of those games where no matter how hard you push to get closer to the goal of winning the game, the finish line just keeps being pushed back. The Twins’ runs continued to climb farther from where your runs stand. A failure like last night gives us a chance to be reminded of how remarkable Jacob deGrom has been 26 straight games. He will forever be listed next to one of the greatest pitchers to ever play this game, Bob Gibson, when the subject of “quality starts” is discussed. He may have not been able to break the record, but he sure reminds us of how Amazin’ this game can be, and how Amazin’ life overall can be even when the score continues to get away from us.

All I can do is remind myself of all the positivity I have in this world even as air slowly edges out of my back right tire. It’s all any of us can do.

KEEP. ON. PUSHIN’.

LET’S. GO. METS.