A bright start to this season led me to some very qualified optimism. The Mets managed to stay at or above .500 for most of April, but it's been pretty much downhill since then. Last week I got to wondering how this year's team compares to the notorious 1962 first edition, which set a Major League 20th century record by losing 120 games. This year's Mets have played 48 games and have a record of 19-29, for a winning percentage of about .388. The '62 Mets didn't get to game 48 until June 6 because the season started later. At that point, their record was 12-36, putting them at .250. So the 2013 Mets are, at this moment in the season, decidedly ahead of the '62 gang. With 162 games in the current season, if today's Mets keep to roughly the same performance level, they should lose about 100 games. Should they get worse, they could challenge the 120 loss record.
I started to write this post last week. Since then, the Mets avoided a sweep by the Braves, then won the opening game of their four game series with the Yankees. From this I know two things: the Mets this season can occasionally beat their traditional nemeisis in the NL East, and their season record with the Bronx Bullies won't be 0-4. I'm keeping my enthusiasm in check.
Update: Mets score a second 2-1 victory over the hated Yanks, thereby sweeping the home end of their four game series. The remaining two games are in enemy territory, but at least we're assured of an even split of the season's series. I'm trying very hard not to get too enthusiastic.
Update-update: It's sure getting hard to curb my enthusiasm now that the Mets have swept their four game season series with the Yanks. I'm telling myself that this is as good as it's going to get this year, and I'm satisfied. Yanks fans will no doubt fall back on their tired "Got rings?" meme, but so what?
Update cubed: Reality bites. Back in play in their division, Mets get speared by Marlins for three straight.
