OK, yesterday was a free day. Lots of jet lag and too much drama. Let’s get back to work.

Tale of the Tape:
NYM
34-36 (tied for 3rd)
6.5 games behind the Phillies for the NL East.
7.0 games behind the Cardinals for the Wild Card.
Streak: L1
Series: Split 1-1

LAA
43-29 (1st in AL East)
W1

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1) Reyes scoring in the first inning warms my heart. Seeing him hustle like he hasn’t hustled in quite some time is warming my heart, too. Hopefully, we don’t have to fire a manager every time the manager reprimands Reyes.

2) Good exchange by Gary and Ron over Moneyball and the Angels’ role as the anti-Moneyball team. They don’t really take pitches, they take the extra base, they’re aggressive, and they’re successful. The Angels are a good counter-argument to the A’s. They’re built about as differently as they can be and are also a successful franchise. Of course, Arte Morena can afford free agents so it doesn’t completely work. On the other hand, Scot Shields is pretty much the definition of the Jamesean “bullpen ace.” One of the problem with listening to the James-heads is their staunch refusal to admit that there are other strategies out there.

3) Speaking of which, how cool must it be to be Bill James? I mean, you changed the way baseball teams are built. How amazing is that?

4) Point for Jerry Manuel: having a “What the f*ck, sir” conversation with Endy Chavez after he tried to bunt for a hit with a man on first and one out with a good hitter coming behind him. If Manuel brings a stop to the nonsense with Castillo constantly trying to bunt Jose Reyes over, I will be happy man.

5) Vlad at the plate with the bases loaded is something you never, ever want to see. It’s terrifying… especially with no outs. That said, I guess Perez limited the damage. Bizzaro Ollie didn’t get a chance to come visit tonight.

6) As much as I like to defend the idea of aggressive base-running — there is some a limit. Trying to take 3rd on a throw home borders on crazy talk. Breaking late to take 3rd while trying to catch Ramon Castro napping is crazier. He has his jaw there to eyeball the runner.

7) I challenge anyone to look at David Wright in that 30-second clip of him not blinking and not think he’s on the border of murdering someone. I really hope he goes to his hotel and sleeps for 16 hours tomorrow — although I’d only be half-surprised if someone finds him wandering around Mile High Stadium in boxer shorts at 3 am searching for the statue of John Elway — just to rub the number 7.

8) This game has turned in to a pretty interesting referendum on the Mets. The team remains completely unable to score runs late in games. Assuming the bullpen doesn’t let the Angels pile on I’m interested to see if the Mets can put together a stretch in the last three innings.

9) Reyes on first in the top of the ninth made me more nervous than I’ve been in a while. I thought he was going to try to steal second off K-Rod who seems like he’s one of the league’s quickest guys to the plate. Fortunately, Reyes’s small lead makes me think Manuel’s got the stop sign on. Good to see that Manuel isn’t quite so insistent on stealing in bad spots.

10) GREAT to see D-Wright grab a clutch hit and knock in the tying run. I say this because he might not gut a flight attendant with a spork.

11) Bonus Extra Inning Thought: Just awesome performance by the whole team in extra innings. Huge clutch HR by a member of the B-Team Superstars. Shutdown performance by Wagner against the heart of the order. Crisp, shutdown defense in the bottom of the 9th and 10th. Just awesome.

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This was the best game the Mets have played all season. It’s not even close. There’s not even an argument. Timely hitting. Good pitching by the starter. Shutdown pitching by the bullpen. Crisp defense with two excellent plays to keep men off base. This was the team we’ve been waiting for all year.

The Mets go up to 13-8-3 in series and are beginning to look like the Mets team we were expecting to watch. Maybe all of us who have been thinking that the manager wasn’t the problem was wrong. Maybe Manuel has a little bit more of a firm hand with guys who don’t work hard enough. Maybe the team just needed to move on from on last season.

Maybe firing Willie was the Gatorade and Whopper cure to get rid of the hangover. Let’s hope so.

Let’s also keep in mind… these wins are important. Armageddon(2WW) week starts 7/1.