I am 100% sure I heard this…the question is when. (I’m 90% sure it was in July during the Pittsburgh series after Jose Iglesias drew a key walk in a comeback win.)

Iglesias said in those situations - the Mets were down to their last out, with runners in scoring position - he is able to sharpen his focus.

I think that was the context, but it could have been any time Iglesias came up with a big hit with 2 out and runners in scoring position - he hit almost .500 in those situations during the regular season.

I used to think, “If they can focus in like that for a big at-bat, why can’t they play like that all the time?”

I guess the great players can do that. But it’s such a long season I have come to understand why it doesn’t happen all the time.

And I feel like when the Mets have been in these elimination scenarios, they’re all able to sharpen that focus.

I think Francisco Lindor is the prime example of this - he has talked about times during the season where he was just guessing at the plate.

I don’t think he guesses in these big at-bats - I think he laser-focuses and, more often than not, he succeeds.

Starling Marte seems to be playing with more focus in the post-season than stretches of the regular season.

I don’t know that Pete Alonso has really changed his approach…but that ball he hit off Jack Flaherty was not easy to make a good swing on so maybe he does support my theory.

And Francisco Alvarez seems to have found a little bit more focus at the plate - it was great to see him go the other way the past couple of games - he’s been swinging much better.

The problem is, the Dodgers seem to have a similar amount of focus…the Mets have been walking a lot of batters, but that’s because the Dodgers aren’t chasing any of the pitches designed to get chases.

BUT the guys who have been hot for them - Muncy, Edman, Kiké - seem to be cooling down a bit. I mean, Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, and even Pages now are hitting well, so it’s not a walk in the park, but that bodes well if you can get the other guys out.

I think the lineup we saw in Game 5 is the best Mets lineup for the next two games, especially since the Dodgers have only one lefty in the bullpen. McNeil and Winker are better threats right now than Iglesias and Martinez, and it allows Carlos Mendoza to go to the lineup/late defensive replacement situation that was so successful for much of the summer. (And you still have that clutch Iglesias threat as a pinch-hitter if you need it.)

Sean Manaea against the Dodgers’ bullpen game seems like a Mets advantage. I hope that comes to fruition.

Because I’m not ready to see this season end and to see this specific group of players get broken up. And that’s the kicker - I don’t think the Mets are ready for that either.

I understand it’s the playoffs and when you get this close to the World Series you want to finish the job.

But I think that’s another reason this team has played so well with their backs against the wall the past month-plus.

I think they love playing together and don’t want the season to end and when faced with that happening, they sharpen that focus and pull out win after win.

I think that’s how you go from looking gassed and very much on the verge of elimination after Game 4 to having some new life after Game 5.

I’m not worried about the bats. This time of year it’s how much is left with the pitching…but that goes both ways.

We’ve come a long way. When I was fact checking the Jose Iglesias game (it was on my birthday!) I saw that one of the runners that scored when the Mets took their late lead was Ben Gamel. So many players in and out this season.

It’s been a wild ride. Let’s hope it doesn’t end tonight.

Hyper focus.

They just need to do that two more times…starting with Game 6.

Let’s Go Mets.