Dreaming of a Better Outcome

I had to go to bed before I listened to a single pitch last night. I was hoping for similar alerts on my phone to when I woke up yesterday morning, most of them focused on Michael Conforto's game-winning grand slam. Unfortunately, the first alert I saw before the At Bat ones showed me the blown game was a friend of mine in LA texting, "nice finish by LA." Other fans really know how to push Mets fan's buttons, that's for sure. I texted back, "Terrible text to wake up to."

Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
Photo via northjersey.com

I cannot make absolute statements, however, that Edwin Diaz is just another bum closer and the Mets lost the trade. Yes, Cano has left a lot to be desired, but Diaz has been pretty lights out up until last night, give or take a couple home runs during tie games. It is a symptom of the reactionary social media environment, as well as the Mets track record, that we would make definitive statements about the legacy of certain players, or even seasons, before anything has actually run its course. Robbie Alomar was a letdown, we know that now. The 2005-2008 Mets stretch was a great disappointment, we also know that now. Jason Bay didn't pan out, that is for sure. No matter how well Jared Kellenic is doing in single-A, however, and no matter how poor we think the players we got back are performing, nothing is definitive as of yet. We do ourselves a disservice by making such statements before everything has played itself out, as far as I'm concerned. I'm guilty as much as the next, but I'm trying to train myself wherever possible to remember the words, "So far."

This stretch will continue to be a big test for this team, and so far, they have unfortunately fallen flat when they had a chance to gain a lot of goodwill last night. We're only 3 games into it, and though it will not feel like a lot have progress has been made if they don't come out of this over .500, we have to remember you're supposed to go .500 on the road, win at home. They've been so bad on the road, if they can go .500 on this stretch, that will certainly be progress. Maybe I'm settling for mediocrity, but you have to start somewhere.

Considering I am having trouble in my personal life this week staying optimistic, color that progress for me to even stay this optimistic about the Mets.

I'm going to be talking to Gil Hodges, Jr. about his father's Hall of Fame candidacy at 12pm ET on my Bedford & Sullivan podcast today. That's certainly something to be optimistic about. Please, take a listen when you have a chance.

KEEP. ON. PUSHIN'.

LET'S. GO. METS.