Write, Wright, Right. - Stephen Guilbert

Photo by Mack Ade

Mack has brought up an excellent point recently--With the Mets doing this well, why aren't more writers writing about the exciting things happening in Queens right now? While I typically stick to the draft and the minors, I just cannot today. Not after that win.

1.) Ruben Tejada has an amazing eye.

2.) Perhaps lost in the heroics of the 9th inning is the successful return of Pedro Beato. Despite reports of diminished velocity from last year, Beato's repertoire comes with such diversity that this does not worry me. We need him to get outs. He got a huge one last night, one that kept us in the game and the biggest pitch the Mets arms threw in that game.

3.) Hairston may not have a strong arm but last night he showed it is accurate. Thole has some serious grit for taking that hit spot considering what happened to him against this team earlier in the year. That was one of many huge plays that would have kept the Mets from coming back in this one.

4.) The no-hitter sure was sweet but this was the biggest win of the season, to this point.

5.) Ruben Tejada seriously has an awesome eye.

6.) While the box score does not show it, there were two balls Duda should have had plays on. I am going to start calling these "Duda hits" and it is something that has to be fixed soon. In-season adjustments are not easy but if it takes an extra bucket of fly balls every day to help improve it in the second half, then that is what has to happen.

7.) This was the best I have ever seen Parnell pitch. Everything was down and on the corners. 100-MPH fastball and knuckle curves on the corners low in the zone are hard to hit, no matter who you are. For Robert to succeed as a reliever, he needs to repeat what he did tonight. He was quite impressive.

8.) What would this team be without David Wright? He is the easy choice for MVP in the NL for me. Only Andrew McCutchen of Pittsburgh comes even close to the value a single player has to his team.

9.) Last winter, I wrote at length about the tools Ruben Tejada brings to the table and how I whole-heartedly believe he is the caliber of a starting shortstop for a contending team. I took some heat (not a lot, but some) for saying this because of who we lost at that position. Ruben Tejada is becoming a player to build around--not just an additional piece, organizational guy, or "but his defense is so good" type either. He is a special ball player all around at only 22 years old. Mets have quite a player in the 6.

10.) The Cubs are now 12-31 on the road this year. What can this team do heading into the break? If the season were to end today, the Mets would play at least one playoff game.

LGM