Mike Attack: Sept. 4, 2008

By Mike McGann
Posted Thursday, September 4, 2008

Don’t look now, but the National League is starting to fall back toward the Mets. While still unlikely, the Mets have a shot to pass Milwaukee for the Wild Card and maybe — maybe — make a run at the Cubs for best record in the league. Of course, after 2007, the only focus is on winning the NL East — and the Mets have a three-game lead there with a pivotal series against the Phillies this weekend.

Losses:

Cubs 55
Brewers 59
Mets 61
Phillies 64
Cardinals 65

So what can you say about this team? After sleepwalking through the first half of the season, they’ve sparked back to life to become the dynamic powerhouse they were throughout 2006 and during the first half of 2007. Sweeping the Brewers, a young, powerful team fighting for a division title, is no small thing.

Now, at 18 games over .500, it’s tempting for fans to believe — but the spectre of 2007 still hangs over the fanbase, even the team seems to have finally washed it out of their system. Only when the — and if — the postseason is clinched, can fans relax and enjoy the celebrations marking the final days of Shea Stadium, made all the sweeter, frankly, by the demise of the crosstown Yankees, who close their shrine to baseball not with a roar, but with a sulky whimper.

On the minor league front, Brooklyn continues its improbable charge toward a playoff spot — seeking to be the lone Mets’ minor league team to advance to the postseason. But still news continues to seep out about the organization’s 2009 plans. While the situation with the Low-A franchsie remains in flux — a move to the Midwest League from the Sally League is not out of the question, I hear, although a return to either Savannah or Hagerstown (the latter likely in a new city) is possible, too, things are much more firm in terms of the AAA deals.

Barring a sudden, shocking reversal, the Mets will sign a deal with Syracuse and return to the International League. Toronto, which had been in Syracuse for the last 30 years, will hop to Buffalo. The Indians, which had been in Buffalo, will swap to Columbus, Ohio — which leaves the Nats headed back to New Orleans. Although rules say that negotiations cannot start until Sept. 16, back-channel talks, I’m told, have pretty much locked down all four deals, and they should all be announced on the 16th, or shortly afterward.

Clones
Brooklyn overcame a 4-0 deficit to beat back Hudson Valley and cling to a ½ game lead for the final New York-Penn League playoff spot with three games to go. Pedro P. Martinez got off to a rough start, but the bullpen came up big — holding Hudson Valley down.

Ike Davis has a pair of doubles and Charles Doyle continued his hot hitting since joining the Cyclones last week, driving in two runs.

The Cyclones return home on September 4th at 7 pm to face the Hudson Valley Renegades. On Thursday, fans will receive a Cyclones' Team Photo.

This day in Mets’ History
1985 - Gary Carter hits a pair of solo home runs, tying a Major League record and singled in another run to lead the New York Mets to a 9-2 victory over San Diego. Carter followed a three-HR game the night before as he became the 11th player in Major League history to hit five home runs in two games.

1990 - Mets release C Barry Lyons.