As the Mets have gone streaking and shit all over any remnants of the “we should have kept Willie” crowd (looking at you Raj), I want to give you insight on the heart and soul of this team’s resurgence. Fernando Tatis. Tatis is not only the soul of the Mets new found success he is also the personification of it. Like the Mets, Tatis was once a bright shining star. He was prolific in St. Louis. He was a power hitter with swagger. An All-Star third baseman. And for one brief shining moment truly the most awesome dude on the planet when he hit two grand slams in an inning. That Tatis was the 2006 Mets. A fun Tatis with an ugly side and an ugly batting stance. As Tatis started to level off with the Expos, like the 2007 Mets, he was still productive but everyone still expected more. Finally, like the 2007 Mets, Tatis collapsed. He couldn’t hit. He couldn’t field. He bounced around in the majors and minors. He was out of baseball. He was on the Mitchell report. He was at rock bottom. Just like the Mets of early 2008. But then Tatis found a second life. He was determined to get himself back in the Majors. So he learned new positions. He changed his batting stance to shorten his swing to be a better pinch hitter. He decided to be a selfless ballplayer. To run out every ball like it was his last at bat. To work harder than everyone else. To make himself a better player. And along the way he determined to give his glory up to God to thank him for everyday he got to play professional baseball. The 2008 Mets have followed suit. They have determined to play team baseball. Everyone runs out every fly out, ground out, flair, nubber and pop up like its game 7 of the World Series. They have followed their manager’s call to be aggressive. They have changed their bad habits. They have focused. And they have given up themselves to the greater cause. All the while in their own way giving up their own glory to ethic of Tatis.

Now to understand Tatis is to know Tatis. Tatis has some nice stats in his limited time back. He has played, third, first, left and right. He has pinch hit. But it is when Tatis performs that really counts. Tatis has 19 RBIs. Every single RBI has been really fucking important. Game winning extra inning RBI? No problem. Tatis is all over it. Late inning, tie game, need a home run? Tatis. You are up by one but need some extra insurance? Tatis again. Now don’t be mistaken, Tatis is not just an RBI machine. You need a guy on base to get something going? Tatis gets there by hook or by crook. You need to go first to third. Tatis will run that shit out as hard as anyone I have ever seen. He runs harder than he is fast. You hit a double play ball with Tatis on first. Don’t sweat it. Tatis will take out the second baseman, the shortstop and their families to make sure to disrupt that throw to first. Now Tatis is not just some bat. He is the hardest working outfielder in the business. Is he good? Fuck no. Does he try? Fuck yes. Tatis will chase that fly ball over by the line spinning and misjudging the whole way. But he gets that shit. He will uncoil throws to any base keeping men at bay. He has played first base like 15 times in his life. Tatis fields the position like a cat. He should because Tatis wears number 17. You know who else wore that number? David Newhan? Sure. Mr. Koo? Absolutely. But most importantly, the former Met heart and soul and TV voice of this generation, Keith Hernandez, did. Now the fact that number 17 is not hanging on the wall at Shea is a conversation for another day, but the fact that it is being worn by Tatis is fitting. He is leading the revolution. Just like Keith did in turning around the fortunes of this fortuneless franchise 25 years ago. Tatis is bringing out his inner Tatis in the most unlikely of places. The other day, fat, useless washed up, Carlos Delgado got himself a hustle double. The man who barely ran to first is now running everything out. Hard. He is hitting majestic shots. He is part of the comeback. The spirit of Tatis is everywhere. From Endy Chavez, who needs very little of the Tatis magic since he already carries so much of his own. To Damien Easley who is making himself the starting second baseman while Luis Castillo (not a follower of the Mighty Tatis) is on the DL. To Aaron Heilman, who was about to be tarred and feathered in this town and now has reformed himself into an integral cog in the very deep Met bullpen.

Now, I want it to be known not everything Tatis does is perfect. Tatis finds a little thing called “on base percentage” to be overrated. He fucking swings at the first pitch and the second pitch and the third pitch. Working the count is a foreign concept. But I guarantee you that every one of Tatis’s 4 walks came at a huge moment. Tatis does not believe in a little thing called humility either. He celebrates every single, double home run, pop fly, ground ball, caught fly out and throw to the infield like a majestic event. He points both arms towards the sky, looking up, giving his grace to God. Not as a follower but as an equal. Why do I say that? Guess what he picked for his intro music for every at bat. The Superman theme. That’s right. Superman. Tatis knows who Tatis is. Tatis is Tatis. And the Met fan is jumping on board. Tatis has cheers. Tatis gets love. Tatis brings joy. Tatis brings hope. The comeback story to grab on to. The personification of this team. There will be a time where Tatis will fade away. I am not naive. But what I am hoping will stay is the spirit of Tatis. Play everyday like it is your last day. Always fight. Always play hard. Because if this team continues using it’s inner Tatis, it’s going places.

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