The Road More Traveled

Since crossing the parking lot from Shea Stadium to Citi Field in 2009, the Mets have been a respectable team at home, going 88-74 over their first two full seasons at Ebbets Field Jr. (41-40 in 2009, 47-34 in 2010). However, their play on the road has left a little to be desired.

Okay, let's be honest. It's left A LOT to be desired. In 2009, the Mets were a miserable 29-52 away from home and "improved" to 32-49 on the road in 2010; a combined 61-101 over the two seasons.

Last year, the Mets did not win a series on the road until mid-June, when they swept the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. They didn't take a road series against a National League team until August, when they took two out of three from the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. In all, the Mets won a total of four series on the road last year, making them one of the worst road teams in baseball.

But with the advent of Terryball in 2011, the road pendulum has begun to shift in the Mets' favor. After taking the first two games against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field, the Mets are now 19-17 away from home in 2011. Last year, the Mets didn't record their 19th road victory until they defeated the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on July 18, in the fourth game after the All-Star Break. In 2009, they waited until the fifth game after the All-Star Break to win their 19th game on the road.

Over the past two seasons, the Mets were constantly answering questions as to when they were going to put it all together on the road. Although no one would admit it, their road woes had to put a tremendous weight on their shoulders, causing the players to try to do too much when they were wearing their road grays.

The road is no longer full of emptiness and moral victories for the Mets. Now it's all about the "W".

This year, no one is being asked such questions. The Mets are playing well on the road and it's showing in the standings, as the team currently stands in third place in the NL East with a 34-34 record. They also remain within striking distance of the Wild Card lead and can move closer with a victory in tonight's series finale against the Braves.

Why are the Mets doing so much better on the road this year than in the two previous seasons? Is it because they're trotting out so many young players who have no experience with late-season collapses and road difficulties? Is it because the new manager won't allow them to dwell on a tough loss? One thing's for certain. The 2011 Mets may not the best team in baseball, but they've proven that they're not afraid to compete against the best. They've played well against the better teams in the league and have not been intimidated by the challenge they impose. When they play in front of hostile crowds on the road, they focus on the game in front of them, not the voices in the crowd.

Over the past two seasons, the Mets' adversity has been their performance on the road. But winning teams can overcome any adversity. With a victory tonight on the road against the Braves, the Mets will become a winning team, moving above .500 for the first time since the opening week of the season. It may have taken them three seasons, but the Mets are finally unafraid to play on the road. Who says you can't go (away from) home again?