Why the New York Mets Should Beat the Phillies

Here’s the thing about the 2009 season…

There hasn’t been much to smile about.

Injury after injury has turned a season that was full of high expectations into one of the worst in recent memories. The team taking the field now is a far cry from the team we all expected to be making a push toward the playoffs. I recently played a game of MLB 2K9, and it reminded me of how much the roster has changed.

Truth be told, even with a full roster, the starting pitching has been so shaky that the Mets may not have been making a run at the division anyway. It could be that the injuries are masking what would have been a disappointing season anyway, but some run support from a stacked lineup has been known to make starting pitching look that much better.

I don’t know if I speak for all Mets fans when I say this, but a series away from the Phillies might crack a smile on my face, something the Mets have been unable to do for a while.

The fact that the “Phillies Nation” will be in full force at Citi Field will only make the victories that much sweeter.

Of all the teams the Mets play, I love to see them beat the Phillies more than anyone, even the Yankees. With the exception of this season, it’s been one of the more heated rivalries around baseball. The Phillies have certainly had the better of the rivalry when it boils down to it, making the playoffs for the last two seasons while notching a world championship on their belts (barf).

I know winning this series won’t do anything as far as saving a season, but it might improve the mood around “Mets Nation,”  which seems to be plummeting by the day. We may be running out of chances to do anything positive because the rest of the team should be on the DL by the middle of September.

All we can ask for is that the team plays smart, plays hard, and gets some support from the crowd to give us all something to be happy about, even if it’s just temporary.