NEW YORK -- As Wednesday night ebbed into Thursday morning, the New York Mets were talking about the talent on their roster and the opportunity looking them square in the eye. They were speaking about staying positive. And they did all this while shaking their heads. That's how bad this moment in time looks for the defending National League champions.
The Mets felt they had a moment here with nine straight games against also-rans Arizona and San Diego, an opening to build a little equity in a drive to return to the postseason. But they have not seized it. Rather it has seized them, as Wednesday night's 12-inning 3-2 loss to Arizona before 31,277 at Citi Field makes for two straight defeats to start the key stretch.
New York (57-56) is now 10 games behind Washington in the NL East and their shot to win the division has never looked more unlikely this season than now. The Mets are still 2 1/2 games out for the second NL wild card, but they look anemic with just four wins in their past 14 games and the worst team batting average in baseball this year (.237) while hitting .203 with runners in scoring position.
By this time a year ago, the Mets already had left a middling record behind and caught fire en route to the division crown.
"I hope they don't think it's just going to happen," manager Terry Collins said. "You have to make things happen in this league. They don't just happen. The talent is too good here, you've got to go out and earn it. You're not given anything here."
Blowing a sixth-inning lead to the Diamondbacks on Tuesday was bad, but Wednesday might have been worse. The Mets got a game-tying two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth from Kelly Johnson and still went on to lose.
Manager Terry Collins had to use closer Jeurys Familia for two innings and 38 pitches -- his longest outing of the season -- just to get to the 12th inning. That means Familia is probably unavailable to pitch in the series finale on Thursday afternoon.
Arizona's Oscar Hernandez opened the 12th inning with a home run off reliever Jerry Blevins to snap the tie. He wrapped his first career home run just inside the left-field foul pole.
"We have tried to stay in the routine that we have been accustomed to. We certainly work hard at who should be playing, who should not," Collins said. "There are a lot of opportunities right now for guys grasping on some jobs. And certainly -- because we've been through it before, and it's still fresh in our mind (from) a year ago -- we (know) tough times. But we're not coming through when we need to as we did a year ago."
Arizona was aided by some fundamental mistakes. The D-backs stole three more bases after swiping five the night before. Jean Segura's steal attempt in the third inning was magnified when catcher Travis d'Arnaud's throw went into center for an error and led to a run and a 2-0 lead.
D'Arnaud also popped out trying to bunt after T.J. Rivera's leadoff single in the 10th when the Mets came up empty, and he was showered with boos from a crowd that saw his 0-for-4 performance at the plate drop his average to .228.
Johnson was on the club last season when it surged and was asked about the Mets in this moment.
"I think it's important to stay positive. We still have a lot of talent," he replied. "It's a matter of going out there and relaxing. When guys are on base, we have to start focusing down.
"Maybe it's a matter of not trying to do too much and be 'the guy.' Maybe you have to work a walk and get it to the next guy. Whatever it is, we've got to find a groove here soon. These things tend to chance. Eventually here, we're going to get on a little bit of a run, and it's going to be a lot of fun when we do. And hopefully we've got some time left when we do it."
After Thursday's series finale against the Diamondbacks, the Mets host three with San Diego before going to Arizona for three more. After that it's seven tough games in San Francisco and St. Louis. The Mets have the time they need right now. They just need to stop talking about their talent and start living up to it.
