After 'team meeting,' Mets show resiliency in huge win against Phillies
It’s been a rough stretch for the Mets of late.
After dropping two of three to the Braves over the weekend, they entered Thursday’s game against the Phillies losers of three straight, two of which came in excruciating fashion, especially Wednesday when defensive miscues, lack of clutch hitting and pitching allowed Philadelphia to come back and win.
Following Wednesday's loss, Carlos Mendoza said he spoke with his team to give them some positive reinforcement.
”After playing that game, the way things went, you’re not as bad as you look at times, you’re not always as good as when you’re playing well," Mendoza told reporters before the game. "Just staying the course, and control the things you can control. And that’s it.
Mendoza reinforced the fact that it’s a 162-game season and that it’s only been a quarter of the way. He also wanted to drive into his players’ heads that they are a good team.
The first-year manager said it wasn’t a “team meeting” but described it as just him walking around the locker room to take his players’ temperatures on a mental/emotional level.
Some of the Mets veterans even had their own meeting after Wednesday's loss as SNY's Steve Gelbs reported during the game. To avoid a collapse that resulted in a sell-off at last year's deadline, the veterans feel they have to be more proactive about turning things around.
"We are not going to let that happen this year," Francisco Lindor said.
Whatever you want to call Mendoza’s talk with his team, or Lindor's clubhouse meeting, the message really helped his players overcome multiple blown leads to salvage a win on Thursday.
“He’s been consistent since spring training. To stay positive, stay in the moment, stay present and breathe. He reiterated those things last night to us,” Harrison Bader said of his managers’ message. “At times where we’re dropping games, we’re so zoomed in. He provided us with some perspective, and just a different look to be able to zoom out and realize the things we’re doing well on all sides of the ball.”
Bader, who has struggled in his first season with the Mets, did not start Thursday’s game but came up huge when he was called upon. He tied the game at 3-3 in the eighth with a two-out single after the Mets blew their 2-0 lead. He also hit a double in the 11th to keep the line moving in that two-run inning, which proved to be the difference.
“Every win is big, especially after that game last night," Mendoza said. "And for us to get the W like that…overall, what a great team win. And guys picked each other up.”
“Huge win for us,” Jose Quintana, Thursday’s starter, said. “Last two series have been tough for us and we keep fighting. Today was amazing to get that W. We stay together and that happens when we play baseball that way.”
Now at 20-23, the Mets hope to use Thursday’s win as momentum when they face the last-place Miami Marlins over the weekend.
