Now we will find out if there is any magic left in Shea Stadium. The Mets were once known as the Miracle Mets but that was a long time ago. A new miracle will have to be fashioned for the Mets to reach the post season now.
The Mets looked lethargic last night. The Marlins took the starch right out of the crowd and the Mets when they scored two quick runs in the first inning. Mike Pelfrey pitched a fine game and he remains something to be positive about for the future. But the Mets batters, as so many times this season, were unable to get key hits, especially in the early innings.
After loading the bases in the first inning, two on in the second and third, the Mets came away empty. This is nothing new. The ability to get key hits with runners in scoring position and two outs has hurt the Mets all season. It’s one of the reasons why tomorrow’s game at Shea will likely close the building. But it's not the main reason.
The biggest reason why the Mets will likely not get to the post season is the bullpen and we were not disappointed last night either. The pen was responsible for giving up three additional runs. But frankly the Mets were never in this game anyway. The Met hating Marlins out played the Amazins and for two years in a row it looks as if
The papers will have a field day writing articles about the second collapse in a row. Given the fact that the Mets really did not control first place to the degree they did last year, it’s hard for me to see this ending as a collapse of the same magnitude. But coming on the heels of last year is what makes it feel just as devastating.
It probably would have been better had the Mets had not reached first place this season. That gave us false hope. Think about it, the Mets bullpen has been a complete disaster all season long blowing countless leads. Once Billy Wagner went down, there was no way the Mets would be able to hold on to any lead late in the game. The responsibility of getting to the post season fell squarely on the Mets hitters. Sorry but baseball history shows teams seldom pound their way to the post season. Good pitching will always stop good hitting and that was the case last night.
The real story is how amazing it is that this Mets team is still mathematically alive with two games left in the season. I know that’s not the way most Mets fans will look at this. I just heard Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts on WFAN screaming and crying about how the Mets continue to punch us in the stomach. The fact is the Mets lost the division and the wild card all season long in that bullpen. Had that bullpen saved just half of the leads they blew, the Mets would have already clinched a post season berth. You want blame Mets fans, then here is who you blame: Aaron Heilman, Pedro Feliciano, Scott Schoeneweis, Duaner Sanchez, Luis Ayala, Brian Stokes, Nelson Figueroa, Joe Smith, and Billy Wagner. Oh and let’s not forget Omar Minaya who built this pen and has received a four year extension. You can blame him too.
Perhaps this post mortem is a bit premature. Johan Santana is going today and if he can somehow fashion a win on short rest and the Cubs can defeat the Brewers, the Mets will be back in business for one more day.
