Mets are primed to make a run at wild card — even after mediocre start
NY Post
MIAMI — The Mets are going to make the playoffs. You heard it here first.
(OK, maybe not first, but pretty close.)
Before you accuse me of being a honk, fanboy, lightweight, loser, or even on the take (that’s apparently the latest way to “cook” someone) in the wake of their latest dismal, disheartening performance here Friday night — perhaps their worst of the season — please hear me out.
Consider all that’s gone wrong, and know they were still only one-half game out of the final wild-card spot before their 8-0 defeat to the Marlins on Friday night. Things don’t look great today, but it says here better days are ahead. And I’m far from the only one around here who sees the postseason in 2024.
“I agree,” Francisco Lindor said before the game. “We haven’t taken off, and we’re not far.”
“One hundred percent,” Pete Alonso said about the Mets’ October chances. “We’ve played decent baseball. But I think we haven’t played our best baseball yet.”
The Rangers hit the mark with their on-ice ceremony honoring Mika Zibanejad ahead of his 1,000th NHL game Monday night.
PORT ST. LUCIE — For now, Craig Kimbrel is choosing Mets purgatory.
‘Freak of nature: Zion Williamson’s resurgence could pose a Knicks problem versus motivated Pelicans
Zion Williamson is slimmer and healthier for his trip to MSG.
Don’t blame Mikal Bridges for his paltry stats. Blame the role.
Almost a year to the day after a goaltender interference call against Kyle Palmieri lost the Islanders a game against the Blue Jackets that started their season’s death spiral, they were on the wrong end of another controversial call against those same Blue Jackets that might have had the same effect.
On the Queens side of town, the reno began in earnest almost as soon as Francisco Lindor grounded into the 4-6-3 double play. That ended a 4-0 loss before a rare sizable crowd at Miami’s loanDepot Park last Sept. 27, all of them there to witness the final death rattles of an epic baseball calamity.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is being paid handsomely for his breakout season.
Next comes the harder part. Mostly because it can’t get any easier.
It was Kids Day at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, but for the Rangers, it’s been All About The Kids for months.
PORT ST. LUCIE — From the moment he was told he needed surgery on his left hamate bone, Francisco Lindor fixated on the recovery time. Trainers provided the Mets shortstop a six-week pathway to return to play, and Lindor was determined to hit every marker.
Dylan Garand knew the number off the top of his head. He knew that, between the regular season and playoffs, he’d logged over 160 games with AHL Hartford, and he was right. Before the Rangers recalled him Friday, Garand had served as the Wolf Pack’s goaltender 165 times.
SAN DIEGO — As you may have seen elsewhere in this newspaper (and also if you haven’t deleted me yet from your social media), I have a book coming out Tuesday called “The Bosses of The Bronx.” Much of it details the 37 years’ worth of antics, winning, losing, winning again and overall mania of George Steinbrenner’s time with the Yankees.
Don’t close the curtain on “Mean” Joe Greene.