NY Mets and Diamondbacks in a battle of inadequacy

The Atlanta Braves have their work cut out for them and appear poised to secure the second NL Wild Card spot. Not official yet, five straight wins, including two against the Kansas City Royals this weekend, have given them a big lead against the New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks. They can already send Chris Sale to San Diego. Her strategy of holding him back actually seems to be paying off. But don't give them an academic scholarship or invite them to MENSA. There is a battle of inadequacy raging right below them.

You don't need a single finger to count how many runs the Mets and Diamondbacks scored on Saturday. Both teams were eliminated from future Wild Card round hosts. Both hopeless lineups had little to offer against pitchers you might not know much about unless you watched the opponent closely.

Someone has to secure the final Wild Card spot. The chances of this still look good for the Mets.

How the Mets can secure a spot in the playoffs

All the Mets have to do is match the Diamondbacks' win total. Don't even bother paying attention to losses. They are irrelevant. Win as many games as the Diamondbacks and the regular season is over. The team currently trails by 87 wins compared to 88. The simplest solution is for New York to win on Sunday and Arizona to lose.

If both teams win, the Mets go to Atlanta and have two chances to get a win in 9 innings. You have to be able to pass at least one of these games, right? The Braves need to focus on preserving their pitching and keeping position players healthy for the next day when the playoffs officially begin.

A Mets win on Sunday and a Diamondbacks loss allow the Mets to stay in Milwaukee, where they will face the Brewers in the first round. Based on the Mets' performance in these first two games, they might be better off dealing with the ghost of the Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee.

How the Mets can lose their playoff spot

What about these other scenarios? If the Diamondbacks win on Sunday and the Mets lose, it will mean sudden death in the opposite direction for the Mets. They have to win two games in Atlanta. If you lose the first one, the season is over. It's the worst situation to deal with, even if the Braves don't plan on playing their best.

The Mets can also be eliminated if both teams win today. Although this would only require one win against the Braves instead of two, let's keep it simple. Win on Sunday and ask the Padres to hold the Diamondbacks scoreless one last time.

As selfishly enjoyable as two Mets games in the middle of the day on Monday might be, our internal organs need a break. Maybe we'll still get it even if the Mets get the win today. A Diamondbacks win and a Braves loss means the Mets travel to Atlanta.