Mets' TV station just gave Reds all the fuel they needed for a playoff run

After winning on the road in Anaheim on Monday, the Cincinnati Reds trail the New York Mets by just one game for the final spot in the NL Wild Card heading into play on Tuesday. But according to Dan Graca, Andy Martino, and Sal Licata of SNY, the Reds don't pose a threat to the Mets' playoff chances this season.

Graca was asked how threaten he felt by the Reds. "Not very threatened at all right now. I got to be honest with you," Graca said. "They have an extremely hard schedule, right? I mean they're going on the West Coast this week...I think the schedule is way to daunting."

Graca continued, "And even if you don't fully believe that the Mets have figured everything out, I think when you look at the lay of the land and the other teams in pursuit, i.e. the Reds, I just don't think they're very threatening."

Mets' TV station just gave Reds all the fuel they needed for a playoff run

Those are mighty strong words from the New York media, especially considering that the Mets' hottest player, Francisco Alvarez, just hit the IL with a thumb injury. While it's true that Cincinnati's road is rather difficult, the fact of the matter is that the Reds have played up to their competition all season long.

The Reds are 29-29 against teams with a record above .500 and have won series against both NL Wild Card teams they're chasing — the Mets and San Diego Padres. It's the Reds' 2-4 record against the Washington Nationals and 3-4 mark against the Miami Marlins that are haunting them right now.

Maritno gave the Cincinnati starters their props, and then offered the Reds a rather backhanded compliment saying, "They have a manager in Terry Francona, who, if anyone can navigate a so-so team into that last Wild Card spot, if I'm the Mets, that's not the manager I want chasing me."

It just so happens that this "so-so" team — whose payroll is about one-third what the Mets are paying for their roster this season — is only one game back of of New York with a little over a month left to play in the season and won 2-for-3 against them earlier this season.

Litca wrapped up the discussion on SNY by saying, "I'm going to be honest, if the Mets get caught by the Reds, we got some major, major issues here."

The New York media, as they're prone to do, thinks that the Mets' mega-spending on the likes of Lindor and Soto will help bring playoff baseball to Queens this season. While that may end up being the case, counting out the Reds with 35-plus games to go is a rather foolish endeavor, and Francona should be playing this sound byte from SNY before every game for the rest of the season.

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