Something feels special about this year’s Mets. With over a third of the season completed, there’s a spirit of joy and anticipation among fans, and the stellar performance of our team has been exhilarating. But one thing is missing: We need a 2025 Mets rallying cry.

The need has lingered, as our ability to produce runs has remained low.

Gone are 2024’s “OMG!” signs that flashed in the dugouts when turning point moments set off instant celebrations. Jose Iglesias, who inspired the signs and accompanying music, was not re-signed. And “OMG” left town with him.

“My Girl” doesn’t fill the void. The Temptations’ song, a carryover from last year, is played when Francisco Lindor comes to bat. Fans obligingly serenade his walk-up, a tribute to his wife and daughters. It’s a group hug that reinforces Citi Field’s family atmosphere every game Lindor leads off. To my elderly ear, however, the sweet chorus is limited. Affection for a favorite player, yes, but hardly a call to action.

After going to a night game against Arizona last month, I was reminded of the friendly ways the Mets engage us: contests and quizzes between innings; air cannons firing tee-shirts into the crowd; foot races for kids; and cameras that scan and project the faces of happy fans onto the scoreboard.

At that game, we were asked to vote for a favorite oldie. Abba’s “Dancing Queen” won. Later, folks of all ages stood, swayed and sang it out. The evening was pleasurable, and the fans were rewarded with a win.

Of course, tradition is also honored. “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and “God Bless America” are anthems joined by thousands of voices in the congregation.

I began to think about exhortations I’ve heard over the years.  Some are perfunctory presets like “Let’s Go Mets!” Or simply, “We Wanna Hit!”  

Ditto for other local clubs. For the New York Jets football team, “J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets!” Judging by the results, such urgings do not correlate with success.

Other utterances are more rousing and situation specific. Shouts of “Dee-Fense” at basketball and football games have intense, spontaneous relevance. I can still hear Eddie Layton’s organ blasts imploring a full MSG house to shout “Charge!” after timeouts during the Knicks’ glory years.

Many years ago, “Sign Man” Karl Ehrhardt entered the rooters’ hall of fame by bringing a portfolio of placards to his Shea Stadium seat to display his reactions as conditions demanded, such as “Leave It To Seaver” and “There Are No Words” for the 1969 Miracle Mets.

But I digress…  Despite the wealth of activities for us at the Diamondbacks game, I came away feeling we needed a powerful, full-throated battle cry. Something unique to 2025 Mets. A cri de coeur. Something with punch to cast a winning spell at home games.

And so, I offer the following incantation based on the 1-2-3 combination of Lindor, Juan Soto and Pete Alonso in the batting order—three stars in perfect alignment.

I see the names joined together forming a magic word “Lindo-Soto-Lonzo.” I picture it on t-shirts, caps and tchotchkes, conveniently available in the Mets Team Store or wherever such items are legitimately sold.

But how does this become a call to arms?  Add words to the popular earworm “Magic” by Pilot, post them on the centerfield screen and voila: “Lindo-Soto-Lonzo” comes to life, with echoes of Tug McGraw’s catch phrase, “You Gotta Believe” that ignited the Mets pennant run in 1973. Sing it out.

         Oh, Oh, Oh, Mets Magic, you know.

        Ya gotta believe! that it’s so.

        Just say Lindo-Soto-Lonzo.

        Mets Magic, you knO-O-O.

        Lindo-Soto-Lonzo.

Even the names of Nimmo and Viento(s) can be invoked when they step up to the plate.

I hope the Mets latch onto the idea and make it work.

There are about 50 home games yet to be played this year, not counting playoffs. Let’s GO-O-O Mets!

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Fred Smith grew up a Yankees fan in the 1950s; retired as a data analyst with the New York City public school system; and has kept official NFL statistics for the New York Jets for 40 years.