June Swoon? Not So Soon!

Entering tonight's game against the Tigers, the Mets have been red hot, going 14-4 in the month of June. As the temperature rises, so has the expectation of the fans.

What was once a pessimistic fan base has now become increasingly optimistic about the prospect of the Mets playing meaningful games in September and beyond.

At the 70-game mark, the Mets find themselves in second place, a game and a half behind the first-place Braves (who also have the best record in the National League). The Mets also lead the Giants by half a game in the Wild Card race.

The Mets have had better won-loss records after 70 games (they were 49-21 at the 70-game mark in 1986), but June has been another story. As a matter of fact, the Mets have had more than their share of June swoons, even in their best seasons. Take a look at their year-by-year records in June:

1962: 8-23
1963: 11-17
1964: 8-22
1965: 9-21
1966: 14-19
1967: 11-18
1968: 16-14
1969: 19-9
1970: 15-10
1971: 18-11
1972: 12-15
1973: 11-17
1974: 10-16
1975: 16-15
1976: 15-13
1977: 15-13
1978: 10-18
1979: 15-11
1980: 15-14
1981: 2-7 (strike season)
1982: 9-18
1983: 13-18
1984: 16-12
1985: 11-18
1986: 19-9
1987: 16-12
1988: 15-13
1989: 15-11
1990: 21-7
1991: 13-15
1992: 11-17
1993: 6-21
1994: 9-18
1995: 10-17
1996: 15-13
1997: 15-12
1998: 12-15
1999: 17-10
2000: 16-8
2001: 13-15
2002: 11-15
2003: 10-16
2004: 13-13
2005: 13-13
2006: 15-12
2007: 12-15
2008: 13-15
2009: 9-18
2010: 14-4 (so far)


Over their first 48 seasons, the Mets have won more than 16 games in June only five times. In three of those five seasons, the Mets advanced to the postseason (1969, 1986, 1999), winning the World Series in two of those campaigns (1969, 1986).

Entering tonight's game, the Mets have eight games left in June. If they win only three of those games, they will become only the sixth Mets team to register more than 16 wins in the month of June. Going .500 (4-4) over their remaining eight games will give them their fourth month of June with at least 18 wins. Six wins would give them only their second 20-win June. Of course, if the Mets win all of their remaining games this month, they will have the best June in franchise history.

It's interesting to note that in both of their championship seasons, the Mets went 19-9 in June. If the 2010 Mets win five of their remaining eight games this month, they will finish with a 19-9 record in June.

History has shown that the Mets have not performed well in the month of June. However, the 2010 Mets have been rewriting the team's history books this month. If the Mets can finish June as strongly as they started it, this season might add a few more chapters to the Mets history book.