Last Updated on October 11, 2022 by Lil Ginge
Baseball is a metaphor for life. And the older I get, the less I think life is about “winning”. Maybe that’s why I am so happy about the Mets‘ 2022 season despite their early exit from the playoffs.
“It’s not about winning, it’s about how you play the game” is a cliche slogan. But it’s one I’ve come to firmly believe. Sure, winning is great. It’s a lot of fun. But it’s far from everything and, to be honest, it’s not the point of playing.
The Mets Won A Lot Of Games In 2022
And yet, the Mets did plenty of winning in 2022. In fact, the Mets won 101 games, ending with a record of 101 – 61. This put them dead even with the first-place Atlanta Braves, and fourteen games ahead of the third-place Phillies.
To put this in historical perspective, the Mets have only won 100 or more games four times since the beginning of their existence in 1962:
- 1986 (108 wins)
- 2022 (101 wins)
- 1988 (100 wins)
- 1969 (100 wins)
That list makes 2022 the second-winningest (best?) regular season in Mets history.
Yes, the Mets 1986 were otherworldly and I wish I could rewatch that team for the first time when I was older than four years old. But, alas. I still have very fond memories of Keith Hernandez and Mookie Wilson appearing on Sesame Street.
“Okay, but the regular season doesn’t matter. It’s all about the playoffs!” the inconsolable Mets fan gripes. By that logic, why waste any precious time watching them throughout the regular season? That’s a lot of time you could spend doing other things like:
- cleaning your apartment
- reading great literature
- working on a side hustle
- exercising
- napping
Of course the regular season matters. Life is about the journey, not just the destination, and the main part of the journey is the regular season. If it didn’t matter, we wouldn’t watch it. Winning in the regular season, and winning in it a hundred times or more, is a mark of baseball excellence and it deserves to be celebrated in its own right. The postseason should be considered merely the cherry on top.
Mets’ Playoff Failures Are Not Total Failures
Yes, the Mets had a terrible playoff run in 2022, winning only one out of the three games they played against a San Diego Padres team that on paper the Mets probably should have beaten. But games aren’t played on paper, this Mets team had flaws, and the Padres capitalized on their weaknesses. Tip o’ the cap to them.
As I watched the Mets crash and burn during a game three in which number three starter Chris Bassit clearly didn’t have it and the lineup seemed to have nothing left to give, I didn’t even feel a twinge of sadness. I am thrilled with the way they played this season.
Yes, with the way they won, but also the way they didn’t win. This was legitimately one of the most fun Mets teams I remember rooting for, hearkening back to my experiences watching the 1999, 2000, and 2006 New York Mets.
Why I Loved The 2022 Mets
There are so many things to like about the guys on this team and the way they gelled including:
- Lindor’s boundless enthusiasm and energy
- McCann’s charity work
- Canha’s pro-civil rights and LGBT+ communications
- Diaz’s pure excellence
- Alonso’s unabashed power
- Escobar’s refusal to quit on a season that started terribly for him
I loved it all and I am so glad I got to experience these Mets in 2022. It makes me even more excited to see where they go in 2023.
Speaking of which, in 2023, I would love to see the New York Mets go deeper into the playoffs. Maybe make it to the National League Championship Series or, who knows, even beyond?
And if they don’t? That’s okay too. I plan to whole-heartedly enjoy the ride either way.
If you enjoyed this article on the 2022 Mets, please check out my recent article on Francisco Lindor and the 2022 MVP Race.
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