Radio host compares Mets' World Series chances to 'Miracle' season
WFAN's Gregg Giannotti said Tuesday that things are so bad in Queens right now, that a run to the World Series would be as stunning as the "Miracle Mets" season in 1969.
Giannotti said that the Mets were already "out," meaning of the playoff conversation, despite the calendar having yet flipped to July.
"This would be the biggest miracle of miracles in their history," Giannotti said.
New York is in fourth place in the NL East at 35-43. They trail the first-place Atlanta Braves (51-27) by 16 games, the second-place Miami Marlins (45-34) by 9.5 games and the third-place Philadelphia Phillies (40-37) by 5.5 games.
Despite MLB having three wild card spots available in both leagues, the Mets are a whopping 8.5 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers (43-34), who hold the final spot as of Tuesday. There are five teams between the Dodgers and Mets, and manager Buck Showalter's club is closer to the senior circuit cellar (Five games ahead of the last-place Washington Nationals) than they are to the postseason picture.
There were ominous signs of a possible lost season for the Mets ahead of Opening Day, mainly the devastating injury that stud closer Edwin Diaz suffered in the World Baseball Classic. Pete Alonso and company were able to shake off the bad vibes early in the spring though, jumping out to a 14-7 start. Since then they've been one of the worst teams in baseball, going 21-36, and they've gone a brutal 6-16 in June.
Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden (who is now an analyst, insider and writer for The Athletic) wrote last week that the team should be in "sell" mode ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline. Bowden also suggested that they should consider trading co-aces Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.
Known as the "Amazin' Mets," the 1969 club is arguably the most famous in franchise history. In just their eighth season of existence, having never finished higher than ninth place in the 10-team NL and having never had a winning season, manager Gil Hodges' crew went 100-62 to win the NL East. The Mets eventually upended the loaded Baltimore Orioles, who were managed by the legendary Earl Weaver and featured future Hall of Famers Jim Palmer, Brooks Robinson and Frank Robinson on the roster, in the World Series.
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