Leave it to the Mets to try and redeem themselves after one of the most embarrasing finishes to a season in the history of baseball.
It's time to get excited, it's officially spring training. The baseball season is preparing to get underway with all the MLB teams retreating to the warmer climates for intensive 6-week baseball workouts. Now, for the Fightin' Phils anyway, they don't have to offically report until tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 19). But hey, what better way to start off the new baseball season than with some brand spanking new NL East drama.
While reporting to the New York Mets camp site at Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie, FL, Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran opened his traditionally quite mouth, "To Jimmy Rollins: We're the team to beat."
A very bold statement. But, will it hold true? Will the Mets prove themselves worthy of such an accusation that the Phillies themselves deemed true in the season of '07?
Beltran, being one of the best all-round baseball players in the Major League today and the Mets bettering their team this off-season with a few key acquisitions, most namely Johan Santana, have ultimately found themselves in unchartered waters. They (and yes, I said they because Beltran spoke for his team) have stated words that cannot be taken back, so, as of now the pressure is on in full force, and as a result, the Phillies - Mets rivalry has been taken to an all time high.
So, how were the Phillies able to clinch the NL East in '07? Many of you will say due to the Mets' collapse. No, you're giving the Mets way too much credit. Instead, you have to look deeper.
1. The Phillies have an on-going winning streak against the Mets right now at 8 games. Such a win streak, especially against a division rival, is very hard to come by. It's impossible and flat out incorrect to attribute this to "luck".
2. The Mets were over confident and went into every game with a mindset of, "We're so good that sometimes we get bored." - Carlos Delgado, Mets first baseman. Whatever happend to being humble? Don't ask the Mets, they don't know what that word means (nor could they speak it in perfect English ... burn).
3. The Phillies' incredible resilience and "never give up" mindset, despite being plagued with the most injuries for any MLB team in the '07 season.
So, the one thing that I don't believe Carlos Beltran thought of before he made such a statement was the actual work that has to be put in to accomplish such a goal. Unlike the Mets' 2006 season, things don't always go your way fellas. The Mets cannot afford to mislead themselves yet again and think that the Phillies feel as if they are the "top dogs" in the NL East solely because they are the returning '07 NL East Champs. They know they are right back where they started at the beginning of last season, and they are completley fine with that.
In a typical classy fashion that tends to suit Phillies second baseman Chase Utley, he refused to give into the excitement created by the comment made by Beltran, "You're going to get boring stuff from me." Utley stated. The one thing he did promise us was that is going to be a fun season with all of these comments being thrown back and forth, and the overall sour taste left in the mouths of Willie Randolph and the Mets after they expected to be sippin' on some champagne in October, and didn't (haha).
Overall, the 2008 season is shaping up to be a very competitive and exciting one. Any one of the top 3 teams in the NL East: the Phillies, Mets, or the Braves has the potential to take the division and go far in October. But, I can't say it any better than Utley, "The goal for a World Series ring is 2008."
Nice rebuttle, Utley. Nice.
"To Jimmy Rollins: We are the team to beat."
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