The Mets Have Company

On Wednesday night, as the Mets are on the cusp of making it to the playoffs, something avoidable occurred before the game: the Wednesday and Thursday games were postponed against the Braves, due to the outer bands of Hurricane Helene reaching all the way to Atlanta. They will be made up on Monday as a doubleheader.

But why was it avoidable? It seems that both teams were off this past Monday, and at least one game could have been played that day. And the other two games could have been played on Tuesday as a doubleheader.

But the Braves would not budge when MLB asked them to. Everyone knew a major storm was coming as early as last Friday. Now, no one gets a day off on Monday. And the Wild Card Series, carved in stone, starts Tuesday.

But that isn’t the only news involving the Mets. Prior to Wednesday’s games, I looked at the standings around baseball. It appears that the record the Mets have held since the 1962 season is about to be broken.

That record is an ignominious one, to be sure. In the Mets’ first season, that team set the all-time record for losses at 120. On Tuesday, the Chicago White Sox tied it. 

Several teams came close but it wasn’t until this week, that any team tied it before now. The White Sox still have five games to go before they break this sixty-two year-old Mark of indistinction.

Several old-time Mets had mixed feelings earlier this month when asked about it. Some were hopeful it would be broken.  Others were sad to finally lose their place in baseball history.

As a fan, I am glad to see it go. After all, as the expression goes, records are made to be broken. And this one has stood long enough.

Update: the White Sox WON Wednesday night, so with four games to go, they remain tied with the 1962 Mets with 120.