Collins: Time to put together a win streak
Manager Terry Collins of the New York Mets during practice at Citi Field. (July 14, 2011) Credit: Jim McIsaac
Neither Mets general manager Sandy Alderson nor manager Terry Collins was prepared to run up a white flag after trading closer Francisco Rodriguez to Milwaukee Tuesday night. But Collins didn’t sugarcoat the task facing the 46-45 Mets, who open the second half tonight in the first of a three-game series against NL East rival Philadelphia (57-34), which has the best record in baseball.
The Mets are 7 1 / 2 games behind Atlanta in the wild-card race. “I believe the next two weeks we’re in a situation where we’ve got to start winning,” Collins said before a brief workout last night at Citi Field. “We've got to win eight out of nine, eight out of 10. If we’re going to get back in the hunt realistically, we've got to start it now.”
R.A. Dickey, Friday's starter, said the Mets aren’t interpreting the K-Rod trade as a sign management is ready to back up the truck. “Sandy has been pretty forthright about his evaluation of our team over the next 10 to 12 days,” Dickey said. “If we drop the ball, it makes sense for him to make a move. If we pick up the ball and run with it, he may be thinking about adding a piece.”
