NEW YORK -- I’ll start with a question, which you can respond to below: When was the last time you felt this good about the Mets?

I’m somewhat amazed that I’m asking that question. But it’s an appropriate one, considering the recent turn of events.

Only a week and a half ago, the Mets returned home with a 4-8 record. The talk wasn’t so much about how they would turn things around but about who would replace Jerry Manuel as manager when they didn’t, and how soon that might happen.

Now, over the course of one home stand, the Mets have completely altered the conversation. They’ve dramatically changed the sense of what they are capable of -- probably in most fans’ minds and certainly in their own.

Jason Bay said it best Tuesday night. “You don’t feel like you’re lucky to get wins,” Bay said. “You feel like you should get wins. I think early on it might have been like, ‘Hey, we’re not playing that great. We snuck one in there. Great.’ Now, we expect to win them all.”

The Mets (12-9) wake up this morning in first place in the NL East for the first time since May 29, 2009. They’ve won eight of nine games on this 10-game home stand and have a chance to make it nine Wednesday, when they’ll look to sweep the Dodgers. It is the first time the Mets have won eight games in a single home stand since Aug. 18-28, 2006.

What’s been going right for them? A lot. Here are 10 reasons they’ve suddenly gotten to this point:

1. Starting pitching. Mike Pelfrey and Jon Niese have given the Mets an effective 2-3 tandem behind Johan Santana. And while John Maine and Oliver Perez are still huge question marks, the Mets have found ways to win in spite of them on this home stand. Overall, in their last 13 games, Mets starting pitchers have a 1.48 ERA.

2. The bullpen: Four weeks into the season, the Mets still don't have a clear setup man. Yet somehow they've been getting by with the group they have, even with Ryota Igarashi now on the disabled list. The bullpen had the third lowest ERA in the NL entering Tuesday (2.66).

3. A little luck: The rain helped secure a 1-0 win over Atlanta Sunday night. And let's face it, the Mets have run into three teams (Cubs, Braves, Dodgers) playing some very mediocre baseball right now -- or at least while they were at Citi Field. They've benefited from several botched plays by opponents. You know, the kind the Mets used to make, which bring us to ...

4. Defense. The Mets haven't been perfect in the field, but they've made some impressive plays at crucial moments and, just as importantly, avoided the kind of game-altering, head-scratching gaffes that plagued them last season.

5. Ike Davis. The home stand started with his debut, and already it seems Davis is cementing his status as the Mets' starting first baseman. Davis is hitting .333 after his first nine major-league games.

6. Jason Bay. After a dismal start to the season, Bay is finally heating up at the plate. He hit his first home run Tuesday and is 7 for 17 (.412) with two triples, one double, four RBI three runs scored in his last five games.

7. The catchers. Rod Barajas and Henry Blanco have played a role in the Mets' pitching success, giving the Mets the veteran presence behind the plate they lacked for much of last year.

8. Citi Field. The ballpark has suited the Mets well so far this year, helping them win with pitching, defense and manufacturing runs. The Mets have hit nine triples here, more than any team in the majors at home this season.

9. Hisanori Takahashi. He's easy to overlook, but he's played a vital role in the bullpen so far, as evidenced by his relief appearance Tuesday night. Takahashi leads all major-league relievers with 21 strikeouts.

10. The NL East. The Phillies have lost seven of 10. The Braves have lost seven in a row. Between those teams struggling a bit and the Mets playing better of late, the gap between the Mets and the top teams in the division doesn't look as huge as it did 10 days ago.

