This is it, folks.
The Mets have been beaten by the pesky Florida Marlins to put them out of playoff contention (and their misery) for the second straight year.
Oliver Perez pitched very well for the Mets, yielding only two earned runs. Scott Olsen matched Perez's effort with his own two-run outing, giving up a two-run shot to Carlos Beltran in the bottom of the sixth. The Mets' pen came in, gave up two solo shots, and that was it.
Florida's Matt Lindstrom, a former bullpen prospect for the Mets, closed out the game, giving up only Damion Easley's walk and Ryan Church's deep fly-out.
It is unfair to use the bullpen as the scapegoat of the game, as the Mets only managed a few base hits and could only knock in two runs. Nevertheless, the bullpen continued to undermine the starters. There will be a major overhaul in the offseason.
But I really want to concentrate on the positives of this sad season.
Our Cy Young
Fans saw dominant performances from one of the best pitchers they will ever have on their roster in Johan Santana. Although many of his starts were marred by shoddy bullpen work, fans were treated to spectacular control, terrific athleticism, and clutch performances.
For that, Mets fans should thank Johan Santana for his grit, craftiness, and heart. He will be a major player for years to come.
Rookie Contributions
Daniel Murphy, Nick Evans, and, well, even Robinson Cancel came from nowhere, and they made the Mets a better team when there were no other options available.
They were thrown directly into a pennant race with no experience (unless you are Cancel, who, although technically not rookie, hadn't played in nearly a decade) and provided sparks for a spiraling Mets team.
- B/R Ticket Guide
Murphy showed especial patience at the plate and hammered out a .315 average, 17 RBI, and an OBP of an even .400. He played left field—away from his normal second base—because the Mets asked him to.
Nick Evans related to Murphy, as Evans himself is a natural first baseman. He platooned with his teammate Murphy in left field for a third of the season. Evans finished with a .262 average, has promise for major power, and, most notably, hit three doubles in his first four at bats as a Met.
The Wright Stuff and a Post-All-Star Break MVP
David Wright finished another dazzling year and will accumulate close to a .300 average. He also set new career highs with 33 home runs and 124 RBI, one short of Mike Piazza's team record.
Although Wright struggled a little down the stretch, he played consistent, hard-nosed ball all season and has proved he is one of the best third basemen in baseball. Many gritty years will follow Wright's bat.
Speaking of gritty, Carlos Delgado took apart everything he knew about baseball and ground his way back to his All-Star self.
Delgado had 14 home runs and 45 RBI and was hitting a paltry .228 going into July. He took a breath and slowly started exhaling thunder and lightning, putting together one of the best second halves of baseball the Mets have ever seen.
Delgado finished with an average near .270, 38 bombs, and 115 RBI. No one carried the team offensively more than Delgado after the All-Star break. Countless clutch hits, balls to the opposite field, and monster home runs highlighted a second half return for the D-man.
NL Comeback Player of the Year is in his sights, as well as a few MVP votes.
The Lone Light in a Place of Darkness
Although he did blow three saves this year, Joe Smith had an otherwise excellent season.
When failure was imminent as the seventh inning approached, the Mets could almost always count on Smith to postpone their misery for at least a few outs. Smith pitched in nearly 30 more games this year than last and gave up only three more hits.
He finished the season 6-3, with an ERA under 3.60.
A Leader and a Goodbye
Jose Reyes finished his year just shy of the .300 mark, with 16 HR, 68 RBI, 56 stolen bases, and 113 runs out of the leadoff spot. Although 2008 was not his best year, it was certainly an excellent one.
Reyes' performance reminded the Mets that their chances of competing usually depend on his success—and that he is willing to be that type of player come 2009, in Citi Field.
Ah, Citi Field. You have big shoes to fill. We know that your predecessor has only two World Series championships to its name, but it has contained the extremes of utter ecstasy and pure agony for 48 years.
Citi Field, you will have to imitate the sacrifice, the bleeding of blue and orange, if you want to be an adequate replacement for the Mets' hallowed ground.
It won't be easy, but with a little luck and a bunch of new players, you too can be the home that generations of Mets and their fans have called Shea Stadium.
Goodbye, Shea. Good luck, Citi Field.
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about 1 month ago
This article is delusional. There is nothing to thank the Mets for.
from about 1 month ago
Reread the article, and maybe you will find something. You can't make the playoffs every year. Welcome to the real world. Next year will be better
about 1 month ago
The Mets were a disgrace this season. Firing Willie the way they did = gutless.
Overpriced tickets in a dump stadium was another blow to the fans.
Another late season collapse that showed no heart.
Mets fans are suckers overall in believing in this organization run by Minaya.
They will never win until he is fired.
from about 1 month ago
I believe the Mets won the NL East under Minaya in '06. He will learn from his mistakes with the bullpen and Castillo. The firing of Willie was handled terribly and the Wilpons are terrible owners (but at least they spend money now). But you cannot say this team showed no heart. It was great how they battled back from a slow start, the Willie fiasco, and being down 7.5 games in the East before coming back to take the lead. In the end they did blow it and it was heartbreaking, but these guys fought the whole year, especially under Jerry Manuel. Though the results seem the same, this year was very very different from 2007
from about 1 month ago
Shea, although not the picture of beauty, was a home to countless memories of an overshadowed NY team. For all the pain that fans have gone through, the pros and joys of a simple win or a well-pitched game will always trump the negatives.
the quality of the stadium has nothing to do with ticket prices. This is NY, and if you want to attend any public event, be prepared to pay NY money or stop whining.
And like Patrick said, they've won with Minaya already. When you figure that the Mets would have been 8 games up if games only lasted 8 innings, the chances for a real good playoff team are in sight.
Mets fans are indeed suckers, because they return to a team that they love every year, for better or worse.
Thanks for the read!
about 1 month ago
What is different? Are they in the playoffs? NO! GREAT for them they won a division in 2006. Give me a break.
from about 1 month ago
Well, last year they came in as a lock to win the division and they came out of the gates on fire and were blowing away everyone. Then came September and they stopped playing with drive and heart because they felt that they had the division won and could just ease into the playoffs. We all know what happened.
This year they stumbled out of the gates and looked horrible. Then came the Willie fiasco and a rash of injuries throughout the entire season. Then they started playing hard and with heart, and some young guys came up and contributed, and Pelfrey emerged as a reliable starter, and guys like Tatis and Easley came out of the woodwork and contributed. And they fought back from 7.5 games down and took the lead and then blew it.
So, yes similar outcomes, but very different paths to get there.
about 1 month ago
I'd like to thank the whole city of New York for being a rat trap full of diseased sports teams.....couldn't have happened to a better city. FU-NY
from about 1 month ago
And thank you to the Phillies, who have the most wins of any MLB team. Wait a second...
from about 1 month ago
PS, how did the Eagles do today?
from about 1 month ago
you know what.... comments like that is just pointless and does nothing to enhance arguments and discussions, you make no valid points at all.... im going to assume you are from Boston so what happend in Super Bowl XLII i think a team from New York outplayed and outcoached a team from New England
about 1 month ago
I feel bad for Mets fans.. I wanted to root for them after Santana's performance but you know what they aren't half as tough mentally as the Phillies are and frankly David Wright where are you? You are supposed to be the "Derek Jeter of Queens" but between the lack of toughness as well as the terrible bullpen led to the Mets missing the post-season.... Even as a Yankee fan though I have some great memories at Shea of seeing some great baseball particularly when the Yankees beat the Mets to clinch the World Series in 2000, but Shea was home for Mets fans and that can't always be said about every stadium in the MLB.. but a true true Mets fan as you seem to be PJ I have a lot of respect for...
from about 1 month ago
While Wright failed to bring home Murphy in from third in the ninth against Chicago and failed to get a hit in the final game, he did hit .444 over the final 10 games of the season.
from about 1 month ago
yes i understand he got hits but where is the leadership to pick up this team... and also they had celebrated on saturday like they had already clinched the playoffs..
from about 1 month ago
Dude, he's 25 years old. Even Derrick Jeter wasn't the leader of his team when he was twentyfive.
from about 1 month ago
hey Michael, thanks a lot for the read and support. True, Wright did not hit in the clutch in two or three of the biggest games of the year...it happens. Enjoy the new Yankee Stadium! I've seen it, it is freaking sweet
about 1 month ago
The problem with Wright is he does not have the supporting cast of leaders around him that Jeter had when he came up. There is no Paul O'Neill type to show him the way so to speak. And that fault lies within the Met organization for handing the keys to a 23 year old and not building a supporting cast.
Also in 2007, the Mets may have started off hot, but they faded rather quickly, it was not September. September was the culmination of a team strolling through a season. Go back and look at those games in July and August, they set the table for September 2007, and they have not recovered since. In this town it is going to be very hard to recover.
To the Phillies fan. Really, congrats. The only two good things Philadelphia has are a cracked bell from 1776 and "Rocky." The thing that sucks for you though is that "Rocky" is fiction. Also, I'd like to see the Phillies endure all the injuries the Mets did and still even come close to winning the division.
from about 1 month ago
"...endure all the injuries that the Mets did..."
Closer goes on DL - Check
Main setup guy (backup closer) - Check
Starting 3rd basemen goes down - Check
All-Star (MVP caliber player) - not exactly a check but he is schedlued to have a sports hernia fixed in the off-season
Lead off hitter, best glove up the middle, and defending MVP on DL - Check (and keep in mind, he tried playing through it for 3 weeks before going on DL)
Plus, they had to send their Opening Day starter down because he was ineffective
Am I missing anything?
Point is, good teams overcome things like this. The Mets did not. And let's not forget that these same players that you are lauding were dogging it for Willie Randolph, with the exception of David Wright (who seems to be taking a lot of blame for this).
The Mets had serious issues going into the off season after 2007. What did Minaya do? He brought in Santana. That's kind of like painting a house when you have structrial issues and then acting shocked when it finally comes down. Until Minaya is gone, look for more of the same.
Oh, by the way, he gave up half your farm system for a $100 million guy who only plays 1 every 5 days.
from about 1 month ago
Joe, you are absolutely right that good teams overcome obstacles. The Mets did not, and they are deservedly a non-playoff team.
However, you should check "half the farm system," aka, avg players like Carlos Gomez. The Mets also held onto their top prospects, so no worries Regardless, Santana is one of the best 5 or 6 pitchers in the league. I'd trade the whole Phillies team for him. Nothing is more important than a dominant ace. Pitching, as you are aware, wins or in the mets' case (bullpen) loses games.
Serious issues? Not really? They have an infield in which almost every spot will be mentioned in the MVP race this year (how many teams have that!?!?). They need one 2b, one outfielder (depending on Ryan Church), 2-3 bullpen pitchers, and 1 starter. It's a list, but not overwhelming.
about 1 month ago
The Lone Light of Darkness blew three games. He blows two and the Mets are playing tomorrow.
from about 1 month ago
you know that is a ridiculous thing to say. If Derek Jeter hits 7 more RBI, and Giambi hits 4 more HRs, the Yankees are in contention. Come on.
from about 1 month ago
I, honestly, don't see it as being ridiculous at all. It's a tight season and any single game slipping away can be critical. What's the difference between a team being two games over .500? One single win. Did LoD blow one against the Phillies?
from about 1 month ago
the fate of the season never rests on one player's shoulders. Are you telling me its his fault the Mets arent in the playoffs? Get real.
What if each yankee pitcher won one or two more games this year?
What if the Mariners won 25 more games? Just kidding. But I don't think its fair to say that Smith should have blown one less save. If Wagner had saved one more game, their in. If Maine wins one more game, their in. If Beltran knocks in 2 more runs, their in. If Reyes slides 1 second faster, their in.
Its not on Smith, but the team as a whole
from about 1 month ago
Agreed. Every single person on the team makes a difference. I'm sure his three blown saves were average for the league, probably above average. I wasn't singleing him out but more like showing that one pitch, literally, can change a team's destiny (IMO you create your own destiny). I've coached before and have turned losing teams into winning teams with that very concept. It's attention to the minutest detail that separates very good teams from great teams.
The difference between very good hitters to great hitters is miniscule. Take a look at two hitters, Jose Guillen and Aubrey Huff, both tied with 598 at bats:
AB R H RBI BB SO BA
598 66 158 97 23 106 0.264
598 96 182 108 53 89 0.304
What's the difference between the two batters, separated by 40 points in batting average? 24 better decisions spread out over 162 games. At this point I'm not sure what my point to all of this was!!! I could sit around and talk baseball all day though, that's for damn sure. ;-)
from about 1 month ago
Ha, well thanks for the input Mike. I totally agree that the game is in the details, and I'm a huge fan of the sacrifice bunt, the drag bunt, any type of bunt. Also, sacrifice flies, suicide squeezes, stolen bases, hitting the cut-off-man, and going first to third rank highly in my book.
about 1 month ago
To read a less delusional article about the Mets season..
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/62852-a-closing-ceremony-and-an-aggravated-mets-fan
from about 1 month ago
please don't demean my article just because you have a different opinion. You can choose to view this season however you wish.
Thanks for the read!
about 1 month ago
Well the NY Mets have a couple of things going for them. The best of which might be Jerry Manuel. I'm a huge Phillies fan, and I can't stand the rival Mets. But I have the utmost respect for Jerry Manuel, and you have to love the way he took that team into his hands. I know they collapsed again, but the players are at more fault this year than last. But then again I don't care how...just glad they aren't in the playoffs haha.
from about 1 month ago
Good call with Manuel. He seems genuinely interested in the welfare of his team and players.
about 1 month ago
This year the Mets blew 31 games that they led in from the 7th inning on. I think the Phillies blew ten, maybe even less. If we blew half of that, which is something a mediocre NL team does, much less a contending one, we'd have won the division by at least five games.
I don't think the Wilpons will stand for K-Rod's antics, but I fear they have no choice. Their pen simply won't allow them to compete in October, and signing K-Rod would help with that problem enormously. At least we'd have a point to build upon in that department.
I said after 05 we were one great closer away from taking over the NL. I feel no different after this year.
from about 1 month ago
I think Kerry Wood is available, although I'm sure he will re-sign. I know Fuentes is available, and he has great stuff. I think the Mets should pursue him, and work on their middle relief. Also, this just occurred to me, but would Wagner pitch as a set-up man?
about 1 month ago
i called for that idea in late july because even before he got hurt. He just wasn't good enough to be a closer on an elite team. he's not going to be able to pitch this year so the answer is moot.
fuentes scares me. the fact he's gone back and forth as a closer shows me that he may not have what it takes to garner a big contract and stay at the top for a few years.
i hear joakim soria might be available for the right price.
from about 1 month ago
Wow, Soria would be nice. I didn't know he is available.
It's hard as a closer in Coors. One flyout turns into a HR, and you no longer have the stuff it takes to be a closer. I think Fuentes has the tools to be a solid closer. He's no K-Rod, but who is?
about 1 month ago
Great tribute, PJ. I have Santana near the top of the NL Cy Young candidates, but he won't receive the nation attention because of, as you say, the bullpen.
Nice work.
from about 1 month ago
phew! Thanks Andrew.
about 1 month ago
classy
about 1 month ago
Great article. Kudos for being able to pick out all the good things from the season. I'm still getting over the heartbreak of another end-of-season crash and wouldn't be able to write such a piece for another couple of weeks when the sadness stopped.
from about 1 month ago
thanks James. As soon as the Mets lost, I couldn't take being sad for months, so I forced myself to find the positives instead.
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