ESPN: Chris Singleton: Mets get the Wright feeling this year

“But look at all those RBIs.” I first heard this during a particular hot streak by Merritt Ranew back in ‘62.

From a mechanics standpoint, Wright spent most of last year trying to push the ball to right field and play to the dimensions at Citi Field. Thinking about the layout of his home ballpark was probably taking more of a toll on him than it should have been; this year it’s like he’s “mentally free.” He’s being so aggressive—instead of looking to push those middle pitches to the opposite field he’s turning on them and hitting the ball hard. Last year, the mechanics he was working into his swing seemed to go on the road with him. Now he has the right approach for whatever stadium he plays in, and that’s because he’s sticking with his strengths.

Yes, he strikes out a lot. But look at all those RBIs. He can utilize the whole field, but can also turn on the ball with the best of them. So he’s making sure that the power aspect of his game stays sharp and doesn’t slide back just to protect his batting average.

Yet perhaps the biggest difference with “David Wright: 2010 edition” is his attitude and overall confidence. In the past, a lot of people wondered when he was going to step up and be the vocal leader of the Mets. I think with more veteran guys like Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran around, there was confusion over who should take the reins. Subsequently, it seemed like the 2009 Mets were led by their medical staff.

This year, there’s no question that this is David Wright’s team.