By Mike Steffanos
Game 153: Mets 9 - Braves 5
With nine games left to go in their regular season, the New York Mets reclaimed first place with a win that featured anything but their crispest baseball.
Over the past couple of months the Mets have worked their way back into contention for the division by playing remarkably fundamentally sound baseball. This has allowed them to persevere despite all of their injuries, the shaky bullpen and an inconsistent offense.
In a season that's been decidely not predictable, however, it seems somehow fitting that the Mets managed their first win in Atlanta this season despite their sloppiest performance in recent memory.
Great starting pitching has also been a factor in their resurgence, but Ollie Perez was only adequate last night. To his credit, he showed a resilience and ability to limit the damage that hasn't always been a hallmark of his game.
I've been following the Mets since the miracle season in 1969, and I just don't remember a young hitter that had such an advanced approach at the plate as Daniel Murphy. David Wright certainly comes to mind, but I think Murphy is a level above where Wright was in 2004. Of course, Wright's ceiling was higher, but Murphy looks to be legit.
A young player can come up and have a hot streak and look a lot better than he really is, but the patience and sophisticated approach Murphy displays is likely to ensure that he will be a really solid major league hitter for a number of years. The real question with Murphy will be whether he can hit with enough power to be a major league corner outfielder -- unless he takes to second base, in which case the bar will be quite a bit lower in that regard.
I talked to my mom after the game last night, and she asked me what I thought might happen these final nine games. I realized I honestly didn't have an idea. It wouldn't completely shock me if the Mets went 9-0 or 0-9, much less anything in between. Whatever happens, though, I'm glad they were able to rebound from those two brutal losses last weekend and the awful first two games in DC.
What a strange ride this has been...