Mets Opening Day 2017 had a little bit of everything...

Yesterday afternoon's Mets game had everything a fan could ask for and some things that no fan would ever want. Great news first: Noah Syndergaard was dominant through six shutout innings, tossing 86 pitches and ramping up when he was in trouble. He didn't return in the seventh -- due to a blood blister -- news of which I'm sure caused many Mets fans to grimace in anticipation of other injuries this season. Still, Syndergarard pitched for several innings despite the blister, able to assert his aforementioned dominance.

Aside from Asdrubel Cabrera, the Mets weren't all that effective at the plate to start... which made it all the more sweet to savor that six-run seventh in which Wilmer Flores was a catalyst and Lucas Duda cleared the bases with a double.

​News broke shortly after the game that Seth Lugo might miss weeks or more... but, souvenir Mets cup half full, this increases the importance of Zack Wheeler as the #4 starter to open the season and gives Rafael Montero breathing room to establish himself as a bullpen presence. Ideally, Lugo's recovery will be swift or at least complete, and he can return with a burst of energy and experience later in the season. 

David Wright wasn't in the lineup... but he was on hand to catch the first pitch (along with T.J. Rivera), delivered by the family of two fallen local heroes. And, in a couple classy moments that broke the silence hanging over CitiField during the Atlanta Braves' introductions, former Mets R.A. Dickey and Bartolo Colón received rousing ovations. 

All in all, opening day provided more than enough for me to be excited about the 2017 Mets.  For sure, their season is uncertain for several reasons, but that can be said about all 30 teams as well as about life in general. Thus, at the risk of exposing my naïveté: let's go Mets!