Recall how the last two seasons the Mets struggled down the stretch. Night after night, it was an excruciating loss as the Mets just could not get to the finish line for the division in ’07 and the wild card of ’08.

Of course, this season the Mets are completely irrelevant. But if you take a look at the races, there are a number of teams having difficulty closing the deal.

One is the Philadelphia Phillies who are blowing games late in pure Mets fashion. With a magic number of three, the Phillies should win the division but didn’t we say that about the Mets two seasons ago? Yesterday, with another chance to reduce their magic number,  the Phillies lost to the under .500 Astros by a score of 8-2. With six games left, the Phillies have a four game lead over Atlanta.

While the Phillies are limping to the finish line, the Braves are winning. Atlanta has won seven in a row putting pressure on both the Phillies and the Rockies who lead the wild card.

The Los Angeles Dodgers who are assured a playoff appearance of at least a wild card, need one to clinch the division. The Pirates did not give LA the chance to celebrate in Pittsburgh as they pummeled the Dodgers 11-1 yesterday. Regardless, like the Yankees and Cardinals, the Dodgers will be one of the elite eight.

The Detroit Tigers led the AL Central for most of the summer. But the Minnesota Twins, who always seem to get themselves in a race, are breathing down the Tigers neck only two games back. The Twins have a series in Detroit starting today with a day-night doubleheader because of a rain out last evening.

Then there is the Red Sox who backed into a tie for the AL wild card. Returning to Boston having watched the Yankees clinch the division on Sunday, the Sox were humiliated at Fenway when the Toronto Blue Jays spanked them for their fourth loss in a row. Had the Sox won, they could have waited around the clubhouse and celebrated after the Angels defeated the Rangers. The Sox lead the Rangers by six games in the AL wild card and will try to finish it off this evening.

While all of these teams have been feeling the heat, some have thrived down the wire. One is the Yankees who had no difficulty getting it done, assuring themselves of a playoff appearance a week ago.

The Rockies have played incredible ball for the second half of the season and should win the NL wild card but Atlanta is in hot pursuit only two games back now.

The Cardinals are in, having defeated the Rockies on Saturday night. Tony La Russa worked his magic again getting the Cardinals to the post season for the fourth time in six years.

So what does all this prove? While the Mets collapses of 2007 and 2008 are still painful, there are many teams that struggle to get the job done. It doesn’t mean the Phillies, Red Sox, or Rockies will blow it but it does show that when the pressure is on, players feel the heat and begin to press. That behavior forces players out of their rhythm, making it hard to relax and just take the same approach as if it were the end of May instead of September.

The big candidate to cough it up is Detroit. They have struggled in September while the Twins have been very hot. The Rockies could blow the wild card too but they have continued to play well. There is an outside shot the Phillies could blow it with their very ineffective bullpen. Wouldn't that be wonderful. But with a magic number of three and that tremendous offense, the Phillies should get it done.

All in all, I wish the Mets were in the position to blow it again on the final weekend. The feeling of your team being in the race, fully aware they could lose at the end is better than watching them lose their 90th game, don’t you think?