N.Y. Mets: Joyous Victory and a Bundle of Nerves

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

Bridging Time

OPENING DAY

Polo Grounds

1962 - 1963

Shea Stadium

1964 - 2008

Citi Field

2009 - 2010 - 2011 - 2012 - 2013 - 2014

*  2015  *

2016

NEW YORK METS: Amazin's hoist their 5th National League pennant, then deGrominate Phillies in home opener.

Nothing like winning on Opening Day ... except for maybe winning a World Series championship that is.

That's what happens when your team wins a pennant - anything less this season is going to be a bitter pill for Mets fans to swallow.

So, what better time to throw out an old baseball truism than now...

All teams will win 60 games, and lose 60 games.  The main question is what will they do with the other 42 games?

Friday's 7-2 victory over Philly kinda makes the Mets 1-0 on the season then ... kinda.

But make no mistake, the rest of the season will be riddled with anxiety, and Friday's game provided fans with their first stress test.

Jacob deGrom was lifted after the 6th inning as a not-so-precautionary measure.

How many times have you heard pitching in the cold, and lat strain in the same sentence?

My recollection says many.

And how many times have we listened to clubs downplay lat strains, only to watch said player get placed on the 2-week DL or longer?

I realize I'm most likely making something out of nothing, but, strained lats are just that way - they're freakin' ponderous!

Then there's the baby.  Yes, the baby!

Jacob deGrom and wife are expecting their new Grominator to enter this world any minute now.

Stress - how would you like pitching with that on your mind?  Remember when Jon Niese did it last year?  You know, pitching instead of being with his wife during labor? Niese said that ruined the whole second half of his 2015 season.

As if...

Jacob on the other hand experienced little trouble with the Phillies.  He faced 22 batters, allowed one earned run on 5 hits and no walks, and fanned 6 in gaining his first victory of the season.

But I digress...

You know how they say life imitates baseball and baseball imitates life?

That means it's gonna be a long stressful season indeed.

On that note, congratulations Jacob and to Mrs. deGrom in particular.  She's near labor while her husband was out with the fellas playing in dirt.

Yeah - real life - sound familiar?

Happy Opening Day everyone!

Time to get your Stress on.