N.Y. Mets: Flushing Four Offer Diamondbacks No Quarter

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

HURLERS OF THE METROPOLIS

TURN AWAY DIAMONDBACKS

Sure, life can be a box of chocolates.  But everything still comes with a grain of salt.

Flip back the calendar to Tuesday, Aug. 20, when the Mets schedule takes a sharp turn down the boulevard of playoff contenders.  They've posted a 12-10 record over their last 22 games, and are presently in the midst of a four game winning streak via a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks (an Arizona team I feel worth mentioning no longer featuring Zack Greinke nor Paul Goldschmidt).

By close of business Thursday, the Cubs and Brewers are tied for the second wild card, while the Mets and Phillies are likewise tied two games back with only 16 games left in the season.

Being this close this late leaves us no choice but to believe.  The Mets are proving themselves to be the most wild of variables in this race because of their starting pitching.  Through four games they limit a formerly surging Arizona team to just four total runs:

• GM1 - Jacob deGrom: one earned run on just three hits and one walk with eleven strikeouts through seven innings.
• GM2 - Zack Wheeler: one earned run on seven hits and two walks with seven strikeouts through seven innings.
• GM3 - Steven Matz: no runs on four hits and three walks with seven strikeouts through six innings pitched.
• GM4 - Marcus Stroman: one run on four hits and four walks with six strikeouts through 6.1 innings pitched.

• TOTAL: three earned runs on 17 hits through 26.1 innings for a 1.03 ERA, with ten walks and 19 strikeouts.

• BULLPEN: one earned run on six hits through 11.2 innings for a 0.98 ERA, with three walks and eight strikeouts.

Sweeping the Arizona Diamondbacks at this juncture in their season is commendable.  But there's an old saying: If you wanna be the best, you gotta beat the best.  That being said here come the west leading Los Angeles Dodgers whom own a National League best 95-53 record.  They are the first MLB club this season to clinch their division.  The occasion also marks their seventh consecutive N.L. West flag.

That's one division title more than the Mets have won in their entire history.