It's been a successful year for the Mets, but the questionable words that came out of skipper Terry Collins' mouth prior to the biggest game of his managerial life carried a hint of him being content to fail.
New York won the division and made the playoffs for the first time since 2006, while clinching its first winning season since 2008, but now it's win or go home. After taking a 2-1 series lead over the Dodgers at Citi Field, the club dropped Game 4 with a chance to advance in its own building and now faces a do-or-die Game 5 in Los Angeles on Thursday.
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Speaking on the eve of a game that will determine whether the joy ride ends for the Mets or extends into the clubs' first NLCS since Carlos Beltran took that infamous Adam Wainwright pitch in 2006, Collins seemed content with what the team has done already.
"This, to me, is gravy," Collins told the media Wednesday, according to the New York Post. "We're going to go out and play real hard. But they can't take away what these guys accomplished all year long. You can't take that away from them no matter if we lose [Thursday] night or we come out on top."
Terry, can't you set your sights a little higher?
The Mets were one of the great surprises of the season, but the manager's comments seemed to almost put an epitaph on the season before it even ends. The Mets send Jacob deGrom to the hill in Game 5 with young guns Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard waiting in the wings. The offense will have to solve Zack Greinke, who led the majors with a 1.66 ERA in the regular season.
Collins was discussing having the entire season come down to a one final game, but he seemed to be fulfilled by just getting to the NLDS.
"I've looked at it this way: Obviously, this is where you want to get," Collins said. "You want to get to postseason. Any time you're down to win-or-lose, it's a tough situation. There's a lot of pressure on both teams. But I'm so proud of the way our guys made it through the season."
Whether the Mets go home or prepare to host the Cubs on Saturday in the NLCS, to Collins it's all "gravy."
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