Mets in great spirits for trip to Philly

David Wright acted the part of grizzled veteran, dutifully keeping his emotions in check, refusing to get caught up in the hype surrounding what lies ahead.

Alex Cora played the role of elder statesman in the Mets clubhouse as well, focusing on the bigger picture instead of the emotional highs that come with an impressive showing at home.

And then there was Jeff Francoeur, who, with a wide grin, said what most of us already knew.

"As players we'd be lying if we said we didn't get excited," he said, regarding the prospect of playing a three-game set against the Phillies.

Now in the midst of a seven-game winning streak after a 9-1 homestand, the Mets collectively can hold their heads high when they venture into Philadelphia Friday night atop the National League East.

Yes, it's early. And yes, they're only 22 games into a very long season. But the Mets were 4-8 when they embarked on their 10-game homestand on April 19. And now they're 13-9 and hold a half-game lead over the Phillies.

"I was expecting a good homestand, but no one expects that," Francoeur said. "People keep waiting for us to screw up and today we kept pouring it on."

Cora, however, said it's too early for scoreboard watching.

"If we get swept then we're playing .500 baseball," the infielder said. "It's only April. Standings right now are for other people to see and for other people to judge."

Said Jason Bay: "As they say, you're not going to win a championship in April or May, but you can definitely lose one. It's not going to be the die-hard rivalry right away in May, but it's definitely going to be a great barometer of where we are."

As the Mets have shown, much can change in a matter of days. After losing six of their first nine, they are relevant.

Several players, including Mike Pelfrey, who will face Phillies ace Roy Halladay Saturday, will continue to temper their enthusiasm until they step onto the field.

"There's a 162-game schedule for a reason," he said. "There's a lot of baseball left and if we go 0-for-the-last-whatever, we're not going to win anything. It's all about who's in first at the end."

Francoeur, however, will continue to display his emotions for everyone to see.

"You never want to put too much on it, saying, 'If we don't take two out of three we're not going to make the playoffs,' " he said. "But at the same time, it'll be fun. I'm looking forward to it personally, because it'll be really my first chance to play in the series where it really means something."