The Heights: Above & Beyond .500 in 2015

[G-Fafif]

On April 29, 2014, the Mets were 15-11, four games over .500 for the last time...until they reached 7-3 last night, April 16.

Next goal in sight: Five games above for the first time in three seasons.

[G-Fafif]

On July 13, 2012, the Mets came out of the All-Star break and lost to the Braves, Chipper Jones making Josh Edgin his final home run victim from our ranks. Their record dropped to 46-41, and it was the last time the Mets were ever five games over .500.

Until tonight, April 17, 2015, as the first-place Mets ascended to 8-3.

[G-Fafif]

The last time the Mets were eight games above .500 was June 3, 2012, the culmination of No-Hitter Weekend at Citi Field. They were 31-23 then. They are 11-3 now.

Next "most games over .500" season in sight: 2010.

[Lefty Specialist]

It's amazing how many times in the past few years they've teased us with a good first half. That's why I keep wondering when this particular dirigible will approach the mooring mast.

[G-Fafif]

During the dark ages, the latest juncture at which the Mets were over .500:

2009 -- 73 games; finished 22 under
2010 -- 147 games; finished 4 under
2011 -- 109 games; finished 8 under
2012 -- 93 games; finished 14 under
2013 -- 19 games; finished 14 under
2014 -- 31 games; finished 4 under

2010 is the full season that holds the dubious distinction for latest over .500 without finishing over .500.

[Edgy MD]

Lefty Specialist wrote: It's amazing how many times in the past few years they've teased us with a good first half. That's why I keep wondering when this particular dirigible will approach the mooring mast.

Live in the moment. This is a pretty great moment.

It's pretty terrific to symbolically reset the clock to No-Hitter Weekend, as so many things have gone wrong since then. Resetting the clock to before the 2006 playoffs would be aces.

[G-Fafif]

Last time the Mets were 9 games over .500: Goodbye July 7, 2010; hello April 22, 2015.

[G-Fafif]

Remember that night Johan Santana blanked the Reds and hit his only major league homer? That was July 6, 2010. It was the last time the Mets were 10 games over .500 -- until now, April 23, 2015.

[G-Fafif]

On June 27, 2010, the New York Mets defeated Michael Cuddyer and the Minnesota Twins, 6-0, to raise their record to 43-32, reaching 11 games over .500 for the fourth and final time that season. In 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, the Mets would not hit such a high-water mark at all.

But on August 13, 2015, by defeating the Colorado Rockies, 12-3, the New York Mets (with Michael Cuddyer on their bench), raised their record to 63-52, or 11 games over .500 for the first time in more than five seasons.

Bonus milestone (or milepebble): The last time the Mets won a 12-3 game was August 3, 2004, at Milwaukee in the first game they played after the passing of Bob Murphy. Winning pitcher, Al Leiter; losing pitcher, Chris Capuano. Three RBIs apiece from Mike Cameron and Joe McEwing.

[batmagadanleadoff]

On June 27, 2010, the New York Mets defeated Michael Cuddyer and the Minnesota Twins, 6-0, to raise their record to 43-32, reaching 11 games over .500 for the fourth and final time that season. In 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, the Mets would not hit such a high-water mark at all. But on August 13, 2015, by defeating the Colorado Rockies, 12-3, the New York Mets (with Michael Cuddyer on their bench), raised their record to 63-52, or 11 games over .500 for the first time in more than five seasons. Bonus milestone (or milepebble): The last time the Mets won a 12-3 game was August 3, 2004, at Milwaukee in the first game they played after the passing of Bob Murphy. Winning pitcher, Al Leiter; losing pitcher, Chris Capuano. Three RBIs apiece from Mike Cameron and Joe McEwing.

I can't tell you how many times that while reading a thread here, I'd think of a post to write, only to scroll down and discover that you beat me to it.

So here ....

The last time the Mets were 11 games over .500 was on June 27, 2010.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23171&start=50

[G-Fafif]

There was a companion CPF thread to this FAFIF post in 2014, but I can't find it.

Besides, yours has a graph.

[G-Fafif]

At 67-56, we're on our second trip of the year to the mile-high air of eleven over, August 23, 2015.

[G-Fafif]

As of August 24, 2015, the New York Mets (68-56) are precisely 12 games over .500 for the first time since August 19, 2008 (69-57). It's the first "since 2008" of 2015.

[G-Fafif]

As of August 25, 2015, the New York Mets (69-56) are precisely 13 games over. 500 for the first time since August 26, 2008 (73-60).

[G-Fafif]

As of August 26, 2015, the New York Mets (70-56) are precisely 14 games over .500 for the first time since August 30, 2008 (75-61).

[G-Fafif]

As of August 27, 2015, the New York Mets (71-56) are precisely 15 games over .500 for the first time since August 31, 2008 (76-61).

[Benjamin Grimm]

Look how nice August looks!

[G-Fafif]

With their remarkable 8-7 victory over the Washington Nationals on September 8, 2015, the New York Mets rose to precisely 16 games above .500 for the first time since September 28, 2008, the final game of that season (and the stadium in which it was played). For the 2008 Mets, there was no tomorrow.

For the 2015 Mets, there appear to be quite a few.

[Ceetar]

G-Fafif wrote: With their remarkable 8-7 victory over the Washington Nationals on September 8, 2015, the New York Mets rose to precisely 16 games above .500 for the first time since September 28, 2008, the final game of that season (and the stadium in which it was played). For the 2008 Mets, there was no tomorrow. For the 2015 Mets, there appear to be quite a few.

That left such a bad taste in the Mets mouth, they razed the whole building.

[stevejrogers]

Ceetar wrote: G-Fafif wrote: With their remarkable 8-7 victory over the Washington Nationals on September 8, 2015, the New York Mets rose to precisely 16 games above .500 for the first time since September 28, 2008, the final game of that season (and the stadium in which it was played). For the 2008 Mets, there was no tomorrow. For the 2015 Mets, there appear to be quite a few. That left such a bad taste in the Mets mouth, they razed the whole building.

4 more wins, and the Mets clinch their first .500 or better season since that year.

[Ceetar]

if you're curious, and I was, the Mets only got as high as 19 over in 2008. Will they eclipse that this year?

[G-Fafif]

By sweeping the Washington Nationals deep into second place, the first-place New York Mets, on September 9, 2015, rose to precisely 17 games above .500 for the first time since September 27, 2008, the second-to-last day of that season, best remembered for Johan Santana's three-hit, one-kneed shutout which kept hope flickering to the bitter end.

The end isn't in sight yet for the 2015 club, and as far as regular seasons go, I sense no bitterness.

[G-Fafif]

By defeating the Atlanta Braves on September 10, 2015, the New York Mets (79-61) are precisely 18 games over .500 for the first time since September 20, 2008 (86-68).

This is also the first time since the end of the 2006 season that the Mets have led the National League East by as many as 7 1/2 games. They finished that year in first place by a dozen games. The last time the Mets were precisely 7 1/2 games in front was June 13, 2006, when their record was 40-23 and the second-place Phillies were 33-31. The Mets were in the midst of sweeping Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park, making 7 1/2 a one-day pit stop they would exceed for the rest of that season.

[G-Fafif]

By defeating the Atlanta Braves on September 11, 2015, the New York Mets (80-61) are precisely 19 games over .500 for the first time since September 19, 2008 (86-67). That was as high as the Mets rose above .500 in 2008.

Next in sight? A couple of "since" stops from the year before 2008.

[G-Fafif]

By defeating the Atlanta Braves on September 12, 2015, the New York Mets (81-61) are precisely 20 games over .500 for the first time since September 14, 2007 (83-63), which was the night the Mets lost the first game of a three-game series to the Philadelphia Phillies at Shea Stadium to reduce their National League East lead to 5 1/2 games with 16 to play. With the Magic Number at 11, the division title was still in the bag.

Soon the bag would be in the river, but never mind that. It happened a long, long time ago.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Look how nice August looks!

And September too!

[G-Fafif]

For eight years and one day, the last time the Mets were 21 games over .500 was 9/12/2007, at 83-62.

New 21 Games Over marker: September 13, 2015, 82-61.

Next stop on the Since Express: the division-winning year of 2006.

[G-Fafif]

On August 6, 2006, the New York Mets' record reached 66-44, the last time it rested precisely 22 games over .500...until now.

On September 14, 2015, the New York Mets' record reached 83-61, or 22 games over .500, don'tcha know?

In the course of this renaissance season, the Mets have established current standards that have brushed aside those from 2014 (one game under to four games over .500); 2012 (five to eight games over .500); 2010 (nine to eleven games over .500); 2008 (twelve to nineteen games over .500); 2007 (20 and 21 games over .500); and now this one from the division championship year of 2006.

In case you're wondering, the high-water mark of 2006 was 35 games over, last achieved on September 13 of that year (90-55).

[G-Fafif]

The Mets' regular-season high-water mark for 2015 will rise no higher than 22 games above .500, most recently reached on September 27, when their record was 89-67. They will need to sweep the Nationals this weekend to match it.

In a related note, assuming the Mets don't experience a cancellation, they will finish with a record they've had before, whether it's 89-73 (2008); 90-72 (1984); 91-71 (1990); or 92-70 (1987). Unlike this year, none of those iterations was good enough for the postseason.