Mets better than the Nationals?

The New York Mets are talented and it is showing early in the 2015 NFL season. New York is 9-3 and leading the National League East, four games ahead of everyone’s preseason favorite, the Washington Nationals. New York does not have the names of Washington, but the pitching is every bit as scary.

The Mets feature a rotation which is led by a 41-year-old Dominican in Bartolo Colon, a former Cy Young Award-winner who continues to find the fountain of youth. Colon is already 3-0 in three starts and has a pair of RBIs, contributing on both sides.

Behind him is a stable of young talent. Last year’s NL Rookie of the Year, Jacob deGrom, looks like he is anything but a flash in the pan. deGrom is rolling early, pitching to a 0.93 ERA and a 2-1 mark, propelling himself into the conversation of terrific young starters around baseball.

Then, of course, we have Matt Harvey. Harvey, who has inspired Mets fans to call every fifth day, “Harvey Day,” is back from Tommy John surgery and looks like his old self. Harvey is averaging 12.75 strikeouts per nine innings and throwing in the upper 90’s, making New York swell with excitement over what could be as we head into the warmer weather.

The lineup is nothing terrifying for an opposing pitcher, but it is getting the job done with 50 runs through the first 12 games of the campaign. Lucas Duda, fresh off a 30-home run campaign, is off to a hot start. The first baseman is hitting .370 with a .408 on-base percentage, anchoring the attack. Michael Cuddyer is also proving to be a nice pick-up, scorching the ball to a .333 average with a homer and seven RBI to start his New York career.

So, are the Mets actually good enough to up-end the Nationals? It’s possible.

Washington has a better roster on paper. While New York has a sublime rotation, the Nationals are even more stocked with quality arms. When you can put out a rotation of Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, Doug Fister, Gio Gonzalez and Max Scherzer, few teams are the last 25 years can match you. In reality, this group has the potential of being the best staff since the Atlanta Braves rolled out Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine back in the 1990’s.

The main question with Washington is whether it can achieve to expectation. Two years ago, the Nationals were supposed to coast into an NL East title before scuffling throughout, finishing around .500. Last year, Washington did win the division but was unceremoniously bounced in the National League Division Series in four quick games by the San Francisco Giants.

Baseball is the longest of seasons, but New York and Washington have begun going in opposite directions. The Mets couldn’t be happier.