'Cause It Feels So Good When We Start

Now we're really in an exclusive club, as in Best Six-Game Starts in Mets History.

1984: 5-1

2006: 5-1

Those '06-predecessors were good clubs. Darn good clubs. Wild Card clubs an era too early to cash in. Division-champ clubs if geography had been Warren Giles' strong suit back in the day. Division leaders they were, from time to time, in '84 and '85. Division leaders we are now and what we'll remain tomorrow and what we'll stay 'til the weekend, at the very least.

But this season is not about leasts.

This is about a staff surging from a much-needed injection of youth. Plus the kid hits.

This is about a lineup in which everybody's favorite No. 2 hitter is doing a pretty convincing impression of a No. 3 hitter; surprised the Secret Service didn't confiscate Beltran's bat given the shot he blasted in the ninth (or that Cheney didn't ask Carlos for pointers on shooting).

This is about an infield featuring, with staggering and delightful regularity, two of the most dynamic offensive players in the world on its left side. I don't think I'm exaggerating.

This is about a bullpen that's surviving quite nicely despite the worrisome inconsistency yips of its allegedly Sandmaniacal closer (the finger, gotta be the finger, it'll get better, it'll get better soon…it had better get better).

This is a team that beats whom it has to beat, namely whomever is on its schedule. I like that in my team.

And I really like this 5-1 club.

Who hit more home runs in New York City than anybody else? If you said “David Wright,” I admire your prescience. But to learn a little more about someone else with an even longer track record of success and belovedness, check out Gotham Baseball.