If you believe baseball -- and, specifically, a pennant race -- is waged in the mind, the Mets may have preserved their sanity at Turner Field this week. It's true they lost two of three games to the Braves and, at four games out with nine to go, are probably finished chasing first place. But a 6-3 win over Atlanta on Wednesday night means more to Bobby Valentine's players than we can possibly know.
It's not about the playoffs, because the Mets still have a substantial wild-card lead over the all-but-dead Diamondbacks and the suddenly-breathing Dodgers.
|  | | Mets pitcher Al Leiter had been 0-5 at Turner Field, but he reversed his fortunes Wednesday night by pitching a four-hitter to beat the Braves. |
Instead, it's about the four-year psychological war with Atlanta and why it's so important for the Mets to see the Braves actually make mistakes in their own stadium. It's knowing Al Leiter can smother Atlanta's right-handed hitters as he did Wednesday, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning. And it's witnessing a critical base-running mistake by Reggie Sanders that may have cost Atlanta a chance for a comeback in the seventh, and complete what would have been a devastating sweep.
As Valentine said, "If it's a head-thing we're dealing with, then this was a good image to have. It's good to know they're not perfect, either."
He was talking about that critical play in the seventh inning, when Sanders took too wide of a turn around second base after Walt Weiss' RBI single. The Mets' lead had been cut to 3-2, and had Sanders not been gunned down by rookie left fielder Timo Perez -- well, who knows if the Braves could have caused the Mets to keep melting?
Who knows what carryover effect there would have been for the downward-spiraling Mets this weekend in Philly, not to mention next week at Shea, where a three-game return engagement with the Braves awaits?
Oh, the Mets were forced to sweat, as they always do at Turner. The Braves' rally rolled on, but without producing another run. It ended when John Franco -- pitching with the bases loaded and behind 3-0 to Andruw Jones -- induced a soft pop-fly to right field to retire the side.
That means the Mets are still breathing, although barely. They have a dreary 7-12 record this month and an ugly 3-21 scar at Turner Field in the last three seasons. Now they're counting on what Leiter called a "springboard" effect against the Phillies, although it's more about firming up their October resumes than actually catching and passing the Braves.
If the Mets have any hope of winning the pennant, they know they'll eventually be back at Turner Field in October. Leiter said, "You have to assume that history is going to repeat itself, and that the road to the pennant is going to lead us here. So this was a good win for us. I knew that I was pitching in a big game, especially since it was against (Tom) Glavine."
The Braves, serene as ever, paid their respects to Leiter, whom Bobby Cox flatly said was, "the name of the game tonight." With the division title almost within their grasp, Atlanta hardly seems to have the internal problems that have plagued the Mets in recent days.
On Tuesday, for instance, Todd Zeile called the Mets' performance, "an embarrassment," which prompted Valentine to lash out at his players in a postgame meeting.
The manager was so angry in his profanity-laced attack, he accused the Mets of appearing to give up during Atlanta's seven-run second inning against Glendon Rusch and Pat Mahomes.
Valentine was particularly incensed at Mahomes for failing to back up home plate on Javy Lopez' two-run single instead of cutting off the throw from center field while still standing near the mound.
Valentine even went as far as to challenge Mike Piazza to find his energy, if not his base hits. The catcher, whose average has collapsed this month under the weight of a recent 0-for-17 slump, has seemed tired, lethargic and almost dispirited while the Mets have struggled.
The result of Valentine's speech? Not only did Leiter succeed where Rusch and Mike Hampton failed this week, but Piazza even hit a home run. But that doesn't mean the Mets have found a clubhouse leader or that their clubhouse is any less turbulent.
In fact, before Wednesday's game, Valentine said he doesn't deserve a new contract if he can't rescue the Mets from their slump. However, he also said, "I'd like to see the flip of that record," meaning, he feels he's deserving of an extension if the Mets do flourish in the postseason.
Crazy as ever, bipolar in a way the Braves must consider amusing, the Mets are in the fast-lane to a theatrical finish this month.
But where, exactly, does the road lead? Valentine and his players are awaiting the verdict of the final 11 games.
Bob Klapisch of the Bergen (N.J.) Record writes his Baseball in the Big Apple column throughout the season.
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