Mets need to focus on Whats Ahead of Them, Not on Revenge

It's been 207 days since Jerrys Familia silenced the faithful at Dodger Stadium last October. For some of the New York Mets players, it only feels like yesterday.

During the brief five game series between the two teams in the NLDS. Animosity circled the air as both teams fought tooth and nail to see who was going to play in the  NLCS.

Unfortunately,  Animosity was being built for all the wrong reasons last year. During Game two of the series, Chase Utley slide in hard to break up a double play against then Mets second basemen Ruben Tejada.

What seemed like a hard everyday baseball play, turned into something much worse a few minutes later. Tejada, suffered not only a broken leg, but also a missed opportunity to turn an inning ending double play which led to the Dodgers scoring four times on route to a Game two win and evening up the series.

Thankfully for the Mets, it wasn't a series shifting play.

For the last time ever in the Vin Scully era of Dodger baseball, the Mets will be in Los Angels for a four game series. Instead of the focus being on Vin Scully as he will do his farewell year, the attention will be whether or not Utley will get beaned in the head with an aggressive Steven Matz fastball at some point tonight.

Would it be smart? No, but traditionally the pitcher would do it but that doesn't make it. If it happens in the very first pitch of Utley's first at bat tonight, Home plate umpire would for sure give a warning.

Despite, all of this, the Mets just need to focus on winning. After climbing into first place in the N.L. East yesterday with the Nationals loss and Mets win, there is the slightest of chances that the Mets never relinquish the division lead the rest of the way.

Likely? Probably not, but if there was ever such a hangover the Mets had it was the 2-5 start to start the year. At the same time, the Nats started the year 7-1 but have since cooled down. In contrast, the Mets have won 12 out of there last 16 and are easily the second best team in the National League right now.

Mets need to stay focused on baseball this week and not on revenge. They got the revenge last year in Game Five, it's time to set their focus of appearing in their second straight World Series in as many years.