18 � No, 27 � Games

[Edgy MD]

The next six series. The good news is that only one of them is against a division opponent, so if the Mets flounder, it only counts once. The bad news is that most of them are against rilly good teams.

June 30-July 2 vs. the Cubs at Citi Field (39-35 .527) The Cubs are mostly a Reds-like mediocrity, but they swept the Mets at Wrigley (all one-run games, if I recall correctly) and, thanks to that sweep, are currently ahead of them in the Wild Cardstandings.

July 3-5 vs. the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium (43-35 .551) Let's not take Rollins off their hands until after this series. He's the only sucker in their lineup.

July 6-8 vs. the Giants at AT&T Park (42-35 .545) I think we missed Bumgarner at Citi Field and I think we're lined up to miss him again, but Chris Heston proved you don't need your ace to ace the Mets. Here's to the fantasy that Matz can pay them back.

July 10-12 vs. the Diamondbacks at Citi Field (37-39 .487) Considering the divisional competition, these guys are hanging in there far better than I expected. They're plucky, coming back from 4-0 and 6-4 deficits yesterday to beat the Dodgers 10-6.

July 17-19 vs. the Cardinals at Busch Stadium (51-24 .680) The Cards are relentless this year. Six-eighty! That's an NBA winning percentage! Cheating pays off, kids!!

July 20-22 vs. the Nationals at Nationals Park (42-34 .553) The Nats' current 8-2 streak has allowed them to take first from the Mets. They're still a little patchwork, and lost to the Phils on Sunday. Tanner Roark is back in the rotation and Matt den Dekker is seeing semi-regular time, but they could and possibly should be healthier by July 20.

Total: 255-203 .558

I'm not one to believe in the redemptive power of trades, but if there is a deal to be made, a promotion to be executed, a missile to be launched, a dramatic lineup change to happen, I hope it all happens in time for that Cardinal series.

[Centerfield]

Yikes. That is brutal. Given how the offense has been I'd guess this is where Washington pulls away for good. But you never know.

Prove me wrong Mets!

[Ceetar]

Centerfield wrote: Yikes. That is brutal. Given how the offense has been I'd guess this is where Washington pulls away for good. But you never know. Prove me wrong Mets!

that would require Washington being great. and they're not.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

We'll have a good pitcher out there every night. That's a positive.

[Edgy MD]

Murphy due to return for the start of that stretch. Mejia due back somewhere in the middle. Black and d'Arnaud maybe by the end. Probably not.

Wright due back sometime before the end of days. No word on Jerry Blevins. Nor on any injuries yet to come.

[Theoldmole]

den Dekker is with Washington now?

[Edgy MD]

Traded before the season for left-handed specialist Jerry Blevins, who was making the Mets look like geniuses for a week there, until he took a liner off his forearm and has been out with a fracture ever since.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Hitting .234/.306/.309 for Syracuse

[Lefty Specialist]

I'd be happy with .500 in that stretch, but I fear it'll be far worse, with 4 of the 6 series being on the road. If they're still in contact with the Nats by that point, things could get interesting.

[Frayed Knot]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Hitting .234/.306/.309 for Syracuse

Was recalled just a couple days ago and hit his first WashNat HR filling when Harper was down for a few days.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: We'll have a good pitcher out there every night. That's a positive.

We'll also have a good hitter. Sometimes two, if deGrom, Syndergaard, or Matz is out there.

[nymr83]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: We'll have a good pitcher out there every night. That's a positive. We'll also have a good hitter. Sometimes two, if deGrom, Syndergaard, or Matz is out there.

someone is going to take offense to be ommitted from your list.

[fimg=600]https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/colon2.jpg[/fimg]

[Edgy MD]

So now, the best they can do is 16�2.

[Lefty Specialist]

Or 15-3.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: We'll have a good pitcher out there every night. That's a positive.

And a horrendously inept offense, which has pretty well negated the strong starting pitching most nights.

[Edgy MD]

A third of the way through the crucible with a 2-4 record.

Hmmm...

[Edgy MD]

Halfway through the woods, and they're 4�5.

Not as good as my hopes, but better than my fears.

[ashie62]

I am cautiously optimistic.

[Lefty Specialist]

7-5 at the 2/3 mark. But arguably the heaviest lifting still remains. Still, better than I expected.......

[Frayed Knot]

8-7 isn't terrible for what was named a "brutal" stretch, particularly one that started 0-3. It's no way to gain ground on anyone but at least we're not losing at a time when such things seemed almost probable.
This past weekend, as far as the NL East goes, wound up as a net neutral as the Nats were losing two of three to LA.
So this series starting tonight essentially winds up as the telling one both for the post-ASG stretch to date between us and the Nats, and for our record for this looked-forward-to/dreaded section of the sked.
Could be as good as 11-7 (and 1st place) which certainly sounds a lot better than 8-10

[Centerfield]

I am looking at the schedule. I am not sure why Edgy decided to stop at 18 games. Immediately following this 18 game stretch is another 4 games against the Dodgers. Two games against the Padres, then another 3 against the Nationals.

We are still in the thick of a brutal stretch of the schedule.

[Ceetar]

Centerfield wrote: I am looking at the schedule. I am not sure why Edgy decided to stop at 18 games. Immediately following this 18 game stretch is another 4 games against the Dodgers. Two games against the Padres, then another 3 against the Nationals. We are still in the thick of a brutal stretch of the schedule.

They only get more important from here. But _this_ is the stretch I'm most concerned with. 7 against the two tough california teams and 6 that basically count double. Defining stretch right here.

[Edgy MD]

OK, 27 Games.

[Centerfield]

Centerfield wrote: Yikes. That is brutal. But[crossout]G[/crossout]given how [crossout]the[/crossout] [crossout]offense[/crossout] resilient this team has been I'd guess this is where [crossout]Washington pulls away for good. But you never know.[/crossout] we rise to the occasion and catch them in the standings. Prove me [crossout]wrong[/crossout] right Mets!

Like I said back in June, this presented a great opportunity for the Mets to prove they were among the elite teams in baseball. Never a doubt.

[Edgy MD]

O, faithless woman!

you can nonetheless stay, because you pay full freight in tickets.

[Edgy MD]

Weakest schedule left in MLB.

Which can be deceiving, because the makeup of teams has changed, and the Phils have been wicked of late.