Middling Highs, Middling Lows

I watched the victorious Jets quarterback stand before the football press late Monday night and extol the virtues of never getting too high or too low, which I’m pretty sure I’ve heard an athlete or two or two-million mention before, but since the victorious Jets quarterback Monday night was Zach Wilson rather than Aaron Rodgers, perhaps the young man knows from what he speaks. The Jets couldn’t have been any higher coming into their season opener at the Meadowlands; any lower once their designated savior Rodgers went down with an injury almost immediately and gave way to the guy he was imported to replace as starter; any higher after coming together to prevail — on a punt return by an undrafted rookie — over the Bills in overtime; or any lower once they learned Rodgers was likely out for the season (though at least he got a few more regulation snaps in than Edwin Diaz before Diaz received what amounted to the same prognosis).

Back on the side of the river where we usually focus our attention, the Mets in their first-responder caps kept their highs and lows in check. Big home run for Jeff McNeil. Walloped double by Ronny Mauricio that drove in two and had Ronny racing successfully for third on the throw. Very pretty to watch, and a 3-2 fourth-inning lead as a result.

Big game for Tommy Pham, too! Oh wait, he’s on the Diamondbacks now. Can’t get too high about that.

Pretty good start for Jose Quintana — a lotta pitches through five, also a lotta bearing down to allow only a pair of runs — eventually gave way to pretty Gott relieving. Drew Smith got involved, though the key hit he gave up was not a Trevor-Drew style home run, but a bloop double to left that caused trouble for slugger McNeil in the corner, which facilitated the Diamondbacks pushing across the go-ahead run in the ninth. Mauricio and the Mets threatened in the bottom of the inning, getting as far as second and third, with Paul Sewald — also no longer a Met — on the mound. Omar Narváez worked a helluva walk, I tell you what. Alas, Brandon Nimmo flied out to end the game, limiting dramatic comebacks in the Metropolitan Area to one for the evening.

Can’t get too low from losing, 4-3, to the Wild Card-contending Diamondbacks. Wouldn’t have gotten too high from figuring out a way to edge Arizona, either. Just another Monday night in Flushing, where they play only baseball, and, pretty soon, nothing.