I am positively giddy about the Mets right now. I was just glancing through their offensive stats and of the many eye popping things (e.g. Reyes is "on pace" for 86 RBI and Beltran has passed Pujols in VORP) this one was most shocking: the Mets will almost certainly match last year's run scored total by Labor Day.

Observations from last night:

Great game to attend I got to see us on all cylinders, up close even.

I told my buddy on the way up watch Mets fans like you have never seen up here tonight and sure enough we packed the house you couldn't look a direction without seeing Mets fans all over, including the ladies.

I now have to agree Jose Reyes is the most exciting player in the game right now

We rocked the house, chants of, Jose..Jose..Jose..Joseee, MVP...MVP(and he even hooks me up in the 1st, called him going yard last night to my buddy), Lets Go Mets, I kept yelling slumpbuster to DW.

I seriously think we geniunely surprised the players with how loud we were, numerous times when we were loud they would pop their heads out the dugout and scan the crowd, numerous players, David Wright's triple we went heywire

Rick Peterson spending more than 10 min with Mota in warmups going over his mechanics from the stretch

Obviously it was Ollie's run day

Betran putting on a display during BP. Wright doing nothing but working on going the opposite way

Michael Tucker looking semi-impressive in BP

I was calling Trachs smoke and mirrors all night, sorry but except for his splitter I don't think his stuff is much better than mine was in HS, joking Dial but I truly don't know how he does it.

Watching El Duque shag flyballs he is no doubt an athlete while Heilman is no doubt not an athlete.

Ball was carrying like old Coors last night, I was shocked Jose's ball got out

Beltran is positively locked in, he was smoking line drives out in BP, Wright might be in a slump but he still has that crack off the bat not many players have

Randolph with his arm around Wright after the game, I think its safe to see he handles his players very well

I need to party in Denver more, the ladies were mightly friendly, it was probably the Mets gear =)

To top it off, my best friend who came with is a Braves fan

Rob don't do it man, are you freakin crazy? Joking, good luck and congrats to you.

Reyes and Beltran could leave their mark on Mets offensive records.

Reyes, is already tied for the 3rd highest run total in Mets history and could blow the current Mets record (123) away by the end of the season. He's on pace to set the Mets record for SB's and still has a shot at the Mets record for triples.

Both Reyes (265) and Beltran (280) are on pace to set the Mets single season record in total bases (327, held by Lance Johnson) and both Wright and Delgado are on place to be in the top 10.

Beltran should set the Mets record to HR's and is on pace for 50 (!!!). He's also on pace to tie the Mets record for doubles and to shatter the Mets record for RBI's. He could also set the Mets OPS and SLG records (both held by Piazza).

As far as life-time achievement is concerned, Reyes is 3rd on the Mets in career 3b's and has a chance to take the Mets record as soon as next year. He's currently 5th on the Mets all-time steals list and could move into 4th by the end of the year.

I am positively giddy about the Mets right now

As well you should be, this team is very entertaining to watch, dripping with talent and a great mix of young and old.

I truly haven't had this much fun following them since 86, not even the 88 regular season brought me this much joy.

Fingers crossed

and, btw, Jose Reyes has a higher slg% than a-rod.

Rob don't do it man, are you freakin crazy? Joking, good luck and congrats to you.

Thanks, and thanks to all whose best wishes I missed when I left Chatter to go to bed last night.

Have fun tonight. I am going to Binghamton tonight to watch Humber. Let's go Mets.

At this moment, the Mets have the best record in baseball.

The Mets traded Victor Diaz to the Rangers for Michael Nickeas. Nickeas is a 23 year old catcher who was drafted in the 5th round in the 2004 draft. According to rotoworld, he is good defensively. He is hitting .266/.386/.362 between single A and double A. He's backup catcher material.

Remember when we used to care about the possibility of Victor Diaz getting traded?

Those were good times.

These are much better. Sorry Victor.

They should have traded Diaz immediately when they decided Nady was the man (for a while).

Humber: 6IP, 4H, 0R, 2BB, 6K

Ed Coleman thinks Lo Duca is the MVP of the Mets? Is he insane or just stupid?

This is the last game I will be able to watch on SNY the rest of the year as I go back to school tomorrow.

Let's go Carlos #2!

With that start, Humber lowered his ERA to 3.18 in 28.1 innings at AA. He's got a 32/10 k/bb ratio and has allowed only 23 hits.

It's been a great year for Met prospects. Other than Diaz and Anderson Hernandez, I think every signficant prospect made progress this year.

Back to back Carlos walks.

Come on DWright!

Come on David!

SLAM!!!

SUGAR PANTS!!!

D-WRIGHT!

GRAND SLAM! DAVID ####### WRIGHT!!!!

OUT OF THE SLUMP #######!

D-WRIGHT!!!!

Who you gonna call??? Slump busters!!!!!

Who you gonna call??? Slump busters!!!!!

You think he porked a fatty he met in a denver bar?

That is a big HR. A couple of reasons why:

1) Wright now has 100 RBI's;

2) Carlos Beltran breaks the Mets' record for scoring a run in most consecutive games.

s.

Ed Coleman thinks Lo Duca is the MVP of the Mets? Is he insane or just stupid?

If he thinks that, the only possible answer is "both." Either of those choices alone won't do it.

Holy cow. Valentin!!!!

STACHE!

Josh Fogg has nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Walked in just as Wright hit the grandslam. Awesome. I knew his slump was over!

And the Stache rocks it too.

STACHE

This lineup in Coors Field is freaking unfair.

I thought Coors Field was a pitcher's park this year.

Who you gonna call??? Slump busters!!!!!

Sounds like a perfect nickname for the Colorado pitching staff, Slump Busters.


Stache!

I thought Coors Field was a pitcher's park this year.

It is. The National League should be very afraid.

No one could make as stupid a statement as Ed Coleman did and either not be a blithering idiot or high.

Awesome, David.

Let me say two things: Humber looked pretty good to me (hitting 95 mph on his first pitch, if you believe the gun) and Omar was here to see it (and my mother-in-law swatted a bee off his back in the concession line).

blithering idiot or high.

That's an insult to all users of any drug anywhere.

4-pitch walk with a 5 run lead?

The following players have driven in 100 runs or more for the Mets in consecutive seasons:

David Wright - 2 (2005-06)
Mike Piazza - 2 (1999-2000)
Darry Strawberry - 2 (1987-88)
Gary Carter - 2 (1985-86)

No one has ever done it three years in a row.

If I were Hurdle, I would lift Fogg right now for that walk. Ugh.

God, the Rockies suck.

Are you kidding me!? The pitcher just walked the pitcher, and Jose couldn't bother to take one pitch? Geez

The pitcher just walked the pitcher, and Jose couldn't bother to take one pitch? Geez

You know what? I think that's the first negative thing any of us have been able to write/say about Jose in about two months.

Smile.

I said it once tonight and I'll say it again. Josh Fogg has NOTHING tonight.

I think the Rockies should just forfeit tomorrow. This is embarassing.

Remember how hopeless it seemed on, say, August 30, 2004?

You know, the media (and this site, I might add) have been full of stories and talking heads (and posts) lately about who might be the "real" best team in the NL (the Dodgers being a popular choice -- just ask John Donovan on CNN.SI) and actually win the pennant. Everybody wants to be on record as having been the one to "call" the against the obvious pick.

Let me tell you: the best team in the NL IS the obvious pick. It ain't the Marlins, and it ain't the Dodgers. It's the team that has lapped the league.

This team just annihilates bad pitching. It's a lot of fun to watch.

Carlos Delgado with that all important productive out in a 7-0 game.

You know what's the scary thing? As good as the Mets were this year, they could be even better next year.

David Wright is back.

I think Wright is out of his cage.

So good to see David's average back above .300. Seemed really wrong for it to be under that.

David is back. We missed you big guy.

He pulls a slam, and then what does he do? He just smoothly goes the other way with the ball next time up for an RBI single.

Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

It'll be even nicer when Cliff gets back in this lineup.

The Mets, BTW: first time in the NL with two players over 100 RBI this year. Wright needs 16 runs to give them three players over 100 runs (Reyes and Beltran are 1-2 in the league right now -- ahead of Utley and Rollins 3-4).

Who the hell is going to go to Compton to meet a baseball umpire?

You know what's the scary thing? As good as the Mets were this year, they could be even better next year.

I think this is interesting to think about. Wright and Reyes should improve (scary), if only moderately. I think it's reasonable to expect Beltran to decline a bit and Delgado to stay roughly the same. LoDuca will probably decline and Milledge should be able to match the left field production of this year. Green will probably match the rightfield production or maybe a slight decline. I doubt anyone that the Mets get to be the secondbaseman will hit as well as Valentin, but the entire position this year has been weighed down by Ipor and Kaz so, about the same or a slight increase is reasonable there. As a whole, the rotation will probably be better, maybe significantly so. The bullpen will probably regress a touch, because they've just been fantastic this year.

I guess that adds up to a team that will be pretty much the same, with a decent chance of being better and a small risk of being worse.

You know what's the scary thing? As good as the Mets were this year, they could be even better next year.

The Mets have gotten average to below average production from 2nd, LF, and RF. The starting rotation entering tonight has a 4.66 ERA. Sure, the bullpen has been tremendous with production from unexpected sources but their certainly is room for improvement.

This kid is supposed to be a heck of a prospect.

Go Dirtbags!

Welcome to the bigs, Troy. You better learn to foul off that inside fastball if you want to survive.

There certainly is room for improvement in my spelling and grammar.

STACHE ME!

SMOKED.

Stache rules!

Stache doing his best to bring the overall secondbase numbers up.

I want to make sure everyone remembers I was in Stache's corner back when people wanted him released.

Stache, Bradford and Chavez need to be resigned before they are offered more prominent roles elsewhere.

I want to make sure everyone remembers I was in Stache's corner back when people wanted him released.

Ah, back when I thought that Bannister was a better hitter.

Quit complaining jackasses, you should be happy the Mets want to give them an out.

Dave Williams joining the act.

Good points by Banta and Russlan.

But on the other side is the Plexiglass principle. And boy, are the 2007 Mets perfect candidates for the Plexiglass effect.

This is just sick. How good are we?

DOMINATE!

I've liked everything about Dave Williams since he's come up. I might be inclined to throw him into the fifth starter's race for next year.

You know, it's not out of the question that both Valentin and Reyes could get to 20 HRs. That would give the Mets five guys with 20: Beltran, Delgado, Wright, Reyes, and Valentin.

That's never happened. They had four in 1987 (Carter, HoJo, Straw, McReynolds), and 2000 (Piazza, Zeile, Alfonzo, Ventura).

Fun with numbers.

This game is going to do wonders for the Pythagorean.

Look at that productive out work!

True. The Mets will have to put together a team that's better on paper in order to expect a similar result. They could certainly come into next season with a better back end of the rotation and the good news is they've got a pretty sizable cushion between them and the rest of the National League.

You know, I like Tucker. He draws walks.

Nady might have had a shot at 20 as well if he hadn't been traded.

Nady might have had a shot at 20 as well if he hadn't been traded.

And Floyd, if he weren't a porcelain doll . . .

You know, it's not out of the question that both Valentin and Reyes could get to 20 HRs. That would give the Mets five guys with 20: Beltran, Delgado, Wright, Reyes, and Valentin.

What's funny about this is that the 5 wouldn't include the corner outfielders, two positions you expect to get 20 from.

It's not just the HRs. This lineup puts out a ridiculous number of doubles and triples as well. This is, at the very least, the best slugging lineup the Mets have ever had.

Really, the major keys for the Mets next year will be how well Milledge does, who they sign to play secondbase and the starting rotation (who they sign, Pedro being healthy, Maine showing he's for real, etc.). But as long as the Mets have Wright, Reyes, and Beltran healthy, that's a great enough core to be good, even if a lot of things don't work out.

the major keys for the Mets next year will be how well Milledge does,

I think Milledge fits perfectly into LoDuca's #2 slot.

I think Milledge fits perfectly into LoDuca's #2 slot.

Somehow I don't think that's going to happen.

What's funny about this is that the 5 wouldn't include the corner outfielders, two positions you expect to get 20 from.

The Mets are so strong up the middle. Great offense and great defense.

No way that the Mets can let Valentin get away.

This is, at the very least, the best slugging lineup the Mets have ever had.

Highest previous season, 1999: .434 slg
2006: .453 (coming into today)

So, yes, unless they go into a massive slump this should be the best slugging team in history. I don't have SLG+ numbers for you though.

Somehow I don't think that's going to happen.

At least not in the first half of the season.

I think Milledge fits perfectly into LoDuca's #2 slot.

Same here, but Milledge won't bat #2 consistently until LoDuca is no longer on the Mets. Milledge would have to hit like a dynamo and Duke fall off a cliff before Willie trusts Milo in that spot. If there's one thing we've learned about Willie, it's that he believes in "earning" things.

Same here, but Milledge won't bat #2 consistently until LoDuca is no longer on the Mets. Milledge would have to hit like a dynamo and Duke fall off a cliff before Willie trusts Milo in that spot. If there's one thing we've learned about Willie, it's that he believes in "earning" things.

LoDuca's done a fine job. But in 440 PAs, he's scored 65 runs and driven in 40. That's surprisingly low numbers for someone who hits behind Reyes and in front of Beltran/Delgado/Wright. We need someone who does (okay, sucking down the hemlock) "Jeter" things in the #2 hole.

So, yes, unless they go into a massive slump this should be the best slugging team in history. I don't have SLG+ numbers for you though.

That's the key. The 1987 team was a slugging monster for its era. .434 slugging -- much less than this season -- but led the league.

Yep, Willie will make Milledge prove himself next year and, if he does (and I think he will), he should be the #2 guy in 2008.

If there's one thing we've learned about Willie, it's that he believes in "earning" things.

I may have spit on that idea before, but as well as Reyes and Wright have developed under Willie, he can do whatever he wants.

Of course, Reyes didn't have to earn his leadoff spot, so who the hell knows?

Detroit rallies with 2 outs in the 9th. Great job, Proctor!

Willie Mays hit 20 triples in a season.

Of course, Reyes didn't have to earn his leadoff spot, so who the hell knows?

That's different. The Mets didn't have an established veteran who had leadoff experience.

Okay, in '87 the league, park-adjusted slugging was .410. Last year, the league's park adjusted slugging was .426. I think slugging is down somewhat this year but I'll use the .426 number none the less.

06: .453/.426 = 1.063
87: .434/.410 = 1.058

So, it looks like this year's Mets still have an edge in slugging when compared to the league.

Detroit rallies with 2 outs in the 9th. Great job, Proctor!

Torre abuses his 8th inning guy. I wouldn't be shocked if Proctor struggled the rest of the season.

Perhaps, more accurately, I should say that this years' team is comparable to the 1987 team in slugging when you adjust for the league.