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Mets on the march

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Posted: Wednesday June 23, 1999 11:44 AM

The New York Mets are one of the hottest teams in baseball. And after spending time with them recently -- let me give you some reasons why they're playing so well.

First, the Mets' clubhouse chemistry has improved dramatically, which usually happens when a team starts winning. Both Bobby Valentine and Bobby Bonilla downplayed their much publicized feud to me. And Rickey Henderson told me every player finally feels like he knows what his role is -- and is filling it well.

Second, the Mets are leading the majors in fielding. Rey Ordonez and Edgardo Alfonzo anchor one of the best defensive infields I've seen in a long time. And that's important when your starting pitchers have an era over five.

Ordonez is also hitting about 40 points above his career .242 average. And last Sunday, he scored not once, but twice from second base on balls that never made it out of the infield. That's great hustle.

Plus, Roger Cedeno is stealing anything that's not nailed down. Take a look at his style on the basepaths compared to Rickey Henderson's. They don't look that similar. However, Rickey tells me he's been working with Cedeno to teach him how to read pitchers and get a good jump. And Cedeno now leads the majors in steals.

And how about the Mets' bullpen. They've got a flame thrower in Armando Benitez. Turk Wendell frustrates batters with slider after slider. Dennis Cook is the off-speed guy. And John Franco continues to do the same thing he has for 17 seasons -- get guys to chase pitches off the plate. That diversity in pitching styles is a major reason the Mets relief staff is first in the national league in saves and strikeouts, and second in ERA.

Bobby Valentine told me he'd still like another left-handed starter to solidify the teams' rotation. If the Mets do that and keep playing like they are, then the rest of the National League better watch out.

 

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