First place!

[Bob78164]

With today's comeback victory, the Mets now enjoy a season-high lead of five and a half games. But I still haven't calculated that their magic number is 34. --Bob

Like I have not calculated the Royals magic number to be 26.

Even with all the internecine games left to play in the NL Central, it looks like it'll be September before I start this year's toaster thread. --Bob

[Bob78164]

The lead expands again! The New York Mets are now leading the National League East by six and a half games, and are assured of entering September in first place. When the season started, those were words I never dreamed I'd be writing. --Bob

[Jeemie]

Even with all the internecine games left to play in the NL Central, it looks like it'll be September before I start this year's toaster thread. --Bob

Internecine is right.

I could almost see the Mets making the World Series just because the Pirates, Cubs and Cardinals will have to savage each other in the WCG and NLDS.

Three best teams in the National League, and only one of them will make the NLCS.

[Bob78164]

And now, with a dagger-in-the-heart sweep of the Nationals, the Mets have a season-high 7 game lead. Their magic number is 17. --Bob

[Bob78164]

Their lead expands again. With a season-high lead of seven and a half games, the Mets' magic number is now 16. --Bob

[Bob78164]

And again. It's September 11, and the Mets lead the National League East by eight and a half games. Their magic number is 14.

Someone pinch me. On second thought, don't. If I'm dreaming, I'd rather not wake up. --Bob

[Bob78164]

This just never gets old. The Mets increase their lead yet again, and it stands at a season-high nine and a half games. Their magic number is down to 12.

Let's go, Mets! --Bob

[Estonut]

This just never gets old.

Wrong.

[littlebeast13]

This just never gets old.

Wrong.

Thank you for posting in this thread. It got me to finally click on it and realize it wasn't about bridge bragging...

lb13

[Bob78164]

This just never gets old.

Wrong.

This month is doing much to lay to rest the ghosts of 2007. --Bob

[Bob78164]

I haven't yet calculated their magic number, though. --Bob

Let me do it for you.

Infinity... and beyond.

I do not think that word means what you think it means. --Bob

[Bob78164]

The dream continues! --Bob

[Bob78164]

One last chapter will be written in this storybook season! Let's go Mets! --Bob

[Vandal]

Uh oh...

[Bob78164]

Uh oh...

1986. --Bob

[Appa23]

Uh oh...

1986. --Bob

Mets aren't playing the '86 Red Sox now.

Fingers crossed for two more.

Keep the line moving, and Take the Crown!

[Vandal]

Uh oh...

[BackInTex]

Uh oh...

1986. --Bob

That's amazing. You called it days before it happened.

[Bob78164]

Sometimes you've just gotta tip your cap. The Royals exposed the weaknesses in the Mets' bullpen and infield defense and they kept the Mets' bats cold. Congratulations. We'll get 'em next year. --Bob

[Vandal]

The Buckner Curse strikes again.

[Vandal]

Maybe he can get it changed to 2016 and hope for next year:

[Appa23]

Sometimes you've just gotta tip your cap. The Royals exposed the weaknesses in the Mets' bullpen and infield defense and they kept the Mets' bats cold. Congratulations. We'll get 'em next year. --Bob

My heart and gut had quite the workout over the course of the week. I did not expect as much of a struggle.

When the Mets won the NL, it seemed clear to me that the Royals strengths (contact hitting, base running, above-average fielders everywhere except RF in a spacious park, and best/deepest bullpen in the majors) ideally matched up with the Mets' overreliance on homeruns and poor fundamentals. Other than RF, the only position where the Mets had the advantage was starting pitching, and four complete game shutouts seemed unlikely.

Thankfully, the game plan worked, though it took many extra innings. The Royals brimmed with confidence this year, knowing that they had 9 innings to score when the opposition had maybe six. To mix sports, the Royals ran their race, letting the Mets (like the Astros and Jays before them) sprint out to a lead, only to see them tire and move past them in the final innings.

Royals may not be back in the Series next year. They will push to sign Zobrist and Gordon, likely getting a "hometown player" discount on the latter. Cueto will be gone, as will Rios. The odds are that they will not catch lightning in a bottle again, though the bullpen still will be awesome, and the team still will be tight. Still, will they have the same drive as this year. The "90 feet short" from 2014 took them all of the way through the finish line this year.

It will be fun to see if the Cubs and Mets young players can take the next step, and the same for the Astros. Will the Nationasl ever live up to thte hype, and the Dodgers live up to the payroll? How many days to pitchers and catchers?

PS: I might try to get tickets to Opening Day. It will be fun to see them raise the World Champions banner and get their rings in front of these same Mets. I bet that several of the Royals will let Rapunzel Syndergaard get a real good view of the spoils of victory, from 60'6" away.

[Vandal]

New York Mets pitcher Jenrry Mejia permanently suspended by MLB

New York Mets relief pitcher Jenrry Mejia has been permanently suspended by Major League Baseball for his third performance-enhancing substance violation, the league announced Friday.

Mejia, 26, tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid, according to the announcement. The former closer had previously been suspended 80 games last April for Stanozolol use and was then suspended 162 games last July for using Stanozolol and Boldenone.

Mejia is the first player in MLB history to be suspended permanently for steroid use. A lifetime ban for three positive steroid tests was instituted by MLB in 2013.

The Mets named Mejia their closer in 2014, but he lost the job after his first suspension. Mejia pitched for the Mets from 2010 to '15, spending part of the period in the minor leagues and recovering from Tommy John surgery. In five seasons with the Mets, he posted a 3.68 ERA and 28 saves in 183 1/3 innings.

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