The New York Mets Top 7 Surprises of 2012: David Wright and R.A. Dickey Lead Way

For the first time since 2007, the New York Mets posted winning records in April and May for an overall mark of 28-23, good enough for third place in the National League East—1 1/2 games out of first. After the loss of All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes to free agency, few experts would have believed the Mets would be leading the Philadelphia Phillies by 1 1/2 games this far into the season.

The primary reason is the resurgence of third baseman David Wright, 29, who was batting over .400 well into May until a recent slump dropped his average to .365. His on-base percentage is .463 and his slugging percentage is a lusty .565. He has five home runs and a team-leading 30 RBI with little protection in the lineup.

Wright has one year remaining on a six-year, $55 million contract and would be one of the top prizes of the 2013 offseason if the Mets do not lock him up.

Dominant R.A. Dickey Stabilizes Starting Rotation

At 37 years old, R.A. Dickey is just coming into his own as a starting pitcher. Named the National League Player of the Week for the last week of May, the knuckleballer registered double-digit strikeouts in two straight starts, the first time any Met pitcher has done that since Pedro Martinez.

He is 7-1 with a 3.06 ERA in 10 starts with 61 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings pitched. While the Phillies' Cole Hamels has grabbed all the headlines, Dickey has quietly been one of the top starters in the league in the No. 2 slot behind Johan Santana.

Ike Davis' Struggles at the Plate Continue

Injured most of last season, first baseman Ike Davis and the Mets were hoping for a strong return this season, but it has not materialized. Davis is hitting just .170 with a paltry 10 extra-base hits, including five homers and 21 RBI in the middle of the lineup.

Manager Terry Collins spoke of a possible demotion to the minors or a platoon, but lately has stood by the 25-year-old, saying he is in New York to stay.

The Efficiency of the Back of the Bullpen

Although saddled with a 1-3 record and a 6.10 ERA, closer Frank Francisco has rebounded from a couple of rough outings in early May to record 14 of 16 save opportunities and has struck out 24 in 20 2/3 innings.

Almost every member of the Met pitching staff has an excellent strikeout to innings pitched ratio, including setup men Bobby Parnell and lefty specialist Tim Byrdak. Parnell has whiffed 22 and walked only four in 22 innings while pitching to an ERA of 3.27 while the 38-year-old Byrdak has fanned 20 in 14 1/3 while allowing just six hits in that span. He is 2-0 overall with an ERA of 3.14.

Scott Hairston's Amazing Productivity in Limited Playing Time

If backup outfielder Scott Hairston's numbers were translated into a 500 at-bat season, he would top the 30-homer, 100-RBI plateau. However, with only 95 at-bats, Hairston has been an invaluable power source to a team vastly in need of any punch it can get. Hairston has six homers, one off the team lead of Lucas Duda, and 21 RBI while batting. 274. 

He is also dangerous as a pinch hitter, recording his seventh career pinch homer in May.

Depth from No-Names to Overcome Injuries

Every year it seems the Mets sustain more than their fair share of injuries, knocking out several starters. This year left fielder Jason Bay has been limited to 15 games, center fielder Andres Torres missed the beginning of the season, catcher Josh Thole was out with a concussion, and three different shortstops have been knocked out, forcing Wright to slide over to play there briefly.

But the fill-ins have proven to be more than capable, led by outfielders Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Mike Baxter. Niewenhuis is batting .294 with a couple of homers while Baxter was hitting at a .339 clip with 10 doubles. Catcher Mike Nickeas, infielder Vinny Rottino and starting pitcher Jeremy Hefner have also made contributions.

The Return to Form of Ace Johan Santana

After missing more than a season due to reconstructive arm surgery, Johan Santana is back as the ace of the staff. A complete-game shutout of the Pittsburgh Pirates using only 96 pitches in May was the final proof.

Overall, Santana is pitching to an ERA of 2.75 with 60 strikeouts in 59 innings, but has only a 2-2 record, mainly because of poor run support and leaving games earlier than usual as a precaution.  

The Skillful Guidance and Patience of Manager Terry Collins

Manager Terry Collins has been adept at squeezing every ounce of a team that has been outscored by 24 runs, but is still five games over .500. He has shown great patience with youngsters like Ike Davis and Lucas Duda and vet Jason Bay.

He has put together a solid starting rotation headed by Johan Santana and R.A. Dickey and backed by Jonathan Niese and Dillon Gee. He has pieced an effective bullpen along with a lineup that has lost four of its starters. And nobody is talking much about Jose Reyes anymore.