Mission Accomplished, Let's Play Ball

With Lindor in the fold, the focus rightfully turns to the field

Image via New York Mets

Well, that was one big giant bowl of relief, huh?

Just when most figured the ship for a long-term extension for New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor had all but sailed, Lindor’s camp and the Mets came together on a team-record 10-year, $341 million agreement late Wednesday night, ending the saga and clearing the way for what’s really important — Opening Day.

On Thursday night in Washington, DC, Lindor, Jacob deGrom, and the rest of this stacked Mets squad will embark on a 162-game journey that, hopefully, culminates in something special.

The anticipation of this day has been weighing on the minds of Mets fans all winter.

From the day of Steve Cohen’s $2.4 billion purchase of the team in November, through the acquisition of Lindor and Carlos Carrasco, the gobs of depth added through the winter, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that, even with a light visible at the end of the tunnel, is still a constant in each of our daily lives, it’s all been a trudge toward something new and wonderful.

And beautiful. Yea, that's the word I’m looking for.

Opening Day is a day that brings this certain flavor of joy each and every year. In 2020, it came in July, but it made no difference. The excitement was still there. In 2021, after everything we’ve been through as a society in the last 12-plus months, this one feels even sweeter.

The talent on the field and the general direction this franchise is headed are both overwhelmingly thrilling. This team is built for a deep run. For the first time in eons, the organization’s dedication to actually building a World Series champion, not just playing meaningful games in September, is evident.

Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto (lock him up ASAP, really set this place aflame), Marcus Stroman, Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo, Dominic Smith, so many more, an elite-level bench, frontline cogs returning from injury, a coaching staff and front office well-equipped for today’s game, all of it equates to an exhilarating change of wind in Flushing.

We can drone on about what needs to be done in order for this team to reach the promised land, but we’ve heard that story before. We’re well aware of the qualification of a contender. This group seems to check all those boxes.

The objective is clear. The ultimate goal is there for the taking. They know that. We know that. Now, it’s time to sit back, let the professionals do their respective jobs, and let the fun unfold. And fun, it shall be.

Let the games begin. Happy Opening Day, friends. LFGM.

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