David Wright Earning “Captain America” Title

People who have been calling David Wright “Captain Unclutch” for years might now be grudgingly forced to adopt the more optimistic “Captain America” moniker after his latest heroics in Atlanta Friday night.

With the Mets down by one in the top of the ninth, Wright hit a solo home run off allegedly unhittable Braves closer Craig Kimbrel to send the game into extra innings, where the Mets eventually won. Wright has come through time and time again this season with big hits. Thus far this season he is hitting .429 with runners in scoring position.

The whole “Captain Unclutch” thing was always a bunch if nonsense, anyway. For his career Wright is hitting .298 with runners in scoring position. He is hitting above .300 in most of the other “clutch stats.” Certainly Wright has failed in some key situations; show me a player who hasn’t. But with the game on the line, is there anyone else in the Mets lineup you’d rather see in the batters box? I didn’t think so.

Wright seems much more relaxed this season. Maybe signing that contract that will keep him in Flushing for the rest of his career has given him piece of mind and made him more comfortable. Maybe he knows the team is really his after finally being officially named captain. Whatever the reason, there is something different about David Wright this season, something good.

The Mets may not be going anywhere this season; just a month into the season all of their holes have been exposed. Still though, it will be a good one for Wright. And if/when the Mets are ready to compete, whenever that is, it will be David Wright who leads them.