It Comes Down to This Weekend

I’m going to put this plain and simple for everyone.

If the Mets are going to play truely meaningful games in August and September it HAS to start right here.

Win this weekend series against the Phillies and show the National League that you aren’t going quiet into that good night.

The three game series against Atlanta wasn’t very good. One spirited come from behind victory in a well played game sandwiched between two poor efforts. Not exactly what the Met fans were hoping for.

Well this is it. Philadelphia just came off a sweep of the Marlins (helped by a bad call in last night’s game) and is missing Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino and Chase Utley.

The Mets have played terrible on the road. There is little reason to think they’ll suddenly turn it around, but on the horizon is a bunch of games that are more than winnable. You have The Rockies, a team that has actually played worse than the Mets in the second half so far, at Citifield. Then after another three games against the Phillies in Citi, the Mets have a stretch of thirteen straight games aginst teams under .500 in the Astros, Pirates and Marlins.

It starts with tonight. Jon Niese has been excellent despite his lousy last start. Joe Blanton is one of the weaker pitchers the Phillies have. Make your Opening statement tonight. The Mets don’t have to sweep… just win 2 out of 3 and show they can win an important series against a huge rival in the rival’s ballpark. Show the grit and character the Mets showed in the first half. Start to wash off the stink of the incrediblely terrible second half that has been until now. Tonight is a MUST win. You have Johan Santana going against Cole Hamels tomorrow in a game that is winnable is the team is focused and determined enough. Then Sunday R. A. Dickey faces off against Roy Halladay in a game that figures to be low scoring.

This weekend series in Philly is not an easy one, but looking at the state of the Phillies roster right now it’s not out of the question to think the Mets can take two. It’s time to stand up and show if this season is over in the 2nd week of August or the Mets are going to at least make it interesting. A playoff spot is fairly doubtful, but not out of reach. The question is, how bad do they want it?

We’ll pretty much know by Sunday night.