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PITTSBURGH – The Mets were playing in beautiful new PNC Park yesterday – beating the Pirates 4-3 in the first exhibition game in the replacement for Three Rivers Stadium – but their minds were starting to drift toward Atlanta.
The NL East teams play each other 19 times, but the division championship likely will be determined when the Mets and Braves go mano-a-mano this year.
Some Mets are candid about the importance of the beginning of the regular season. On Tuesday, the Mets open their season against the Braves, who, strangely, open play with a game in Cincinnati tomorrow.
The Braves and Mets face each other six times during the first nine games of the year.
“You’ll find out where you are at starting off,” Darryl Hamilton said. “It is no mystery we haven’t had too much success in Atlanta. It is good for us to squash those demons and start off on a good note.”
The Braves have dominated the Mets and the division for a decade, winning the last nine NL East titles. They have won 15 of the last 18 regular season games against the Mets at Turner Field.
Some Mets say all the games count the same. But do they? Last year, playing the Braves 13 times, the Mets lost the season series by one game and finished one game behind Atlanta in the final standings.
The Mets’ 6-7 record against the Braves last year is somewhat artificial, because two of those wins came after Atlanta had clinched the division title.
Still, the point is, every game between the clubs is a two-game swing. Yes, the team that loses the season series can still win the East, but would you bet on that?
“To win the division, you are going to earn it,” said Hamilton.
The Braves took the division, but the Mets went to the World Series. So are they still the Mets’ nemeses? The vision of the big, bad, invincible Braves might vanish if the Mets can take a couple of two-out-of-threes.
“We’re the [NL] champions now,” backup catcher Todd Pratt said earlier this week. “It’s going to be even more fun when it’s Opening Day at our park and we get our rings and raise the flag.
“Last year’s over with as well, but I’m not too disappointed with them being a little weaker when we first see them at the beginning of the year with [John] Smoltz not going to be there . . . It is really a great opportunity for us to jump on them early, even though it is a long season, to take a couple of two-out-of-three series. I think we can come to prove to them that we are here and we’re not a step behind.”
GM Steve Phillips said in the offseason that when constructing his club, he has the Braves on his mind.
Atlanta is one of the few teams that has owned left-handed pitching throughout the years. So out goes Mike Hampton and in comes Kevin Appier. Appier will get his first Tomahawk taste on Wednesday.
As usual, the pitching matchups are delectable. Al Leiter against Tom Glavine on Tuesday. Appier against Kevin Millwood on Wednesday. And Thursday, Rick Reed against Greg Maddux or Odalis Perez.
“Maddux,” manager Bobby Valentine predicted the other day in his St. Lucie office on who will get that start.
The season hasn’t begun and already the Braves have had setbacks. Smoltz’ arm isn’t ready to start the season. Catcher Javy Lopez fractured a finger, but should be OK.
Lopez’ backup, Eddie Perez, is done for the season. Maddux had to be pushed back from Opening Day against the Reds, because he was hit on the toe with a batted ball and has a cut under the nail on his left big toe.
“They’ve faced adversity before in the past and they’ve overcome it,” Phillips said. “To think they are going to be any less than what they have been in the past than what they always are against us would be inappropriate consideration. They are going to be there ready to play.”
And a week from tomorrow, when the NL Championship flag is raised and the rings are presented, the Braves will be at Shea – Bobby Cox, who doesn’t like Valentine, Chipper Jones, the guy the fans call “Larry,” and, of course, John Rocker.
“I’m just happy we’re getting a ring,” said John Franco. “I just wish we were getting a better ring. It doesn’t matter who was there.”
When Pratt thinks of it, his eyes grow large and his mouth widens into a huge smile.
“I get goose bumps thinking about it’s not only Opening Day, but starting against our rivals and going to defend our championship,” Pratt said.