An Historic Collapse

The Berlin Wall … The Fall of Communism … The 2007 New York Mets. These are among the greatest collapses of recent times. For the first time all season, the Mets no longer control their own destiny, in order to get to the Post Season, we need a Philadelphia loss- actually two of them. When they were tied, the Phills needed to lose a game, but that game could have been a head-to-head one game playoff against the Mets, hence Met wins were all that were needed. Now, we NEED the Philies to lose one of their last two games, just to finish in a tie.

As we all know by now, no team has ever had a seven game lead come September 15 and failed to get into the postseason. The Mets could be the first. Having been a Met fan for so many years, you would think I suffered through enough of this to be used to it. Still, this meltdown is of epic proportions and I do not think most fans could have braced for it.

So before the season started, Jimmy Rollins said the Phills were the team to beat and we laughed, we were even disgusted with him. The season started and the Phills got off to a terrible start and we laughed even harder. Now, we come down to the end of the season and we are not laughing. Regardless of what happens, is there anyone of else that feels right now, today, that the Mets are a better team than the Phills. The Mets have been playing heartless, as if they don’t care, finding ways to lose. The Phillies on the other hand are finding ways to win.

Yesterday’s game saw the Marlins take an early lead. Then, the Mets pecked away and actually at one point the score was 4-3. I turned off the game for a bit to take care of my son and when I turned it back on, the Marlins had gotten two more runs, for a 6-3 lead. I laughed. It was a disgusted laugh, but a laugh none the less. If I weren’t a diehard Met fan, this would be funny, it would be amusing.

So, they’ve lost seven in a row at home. When the pitching comes through on that rare occasion, such as Thursday’s game against the Cardinals, the Met bats go silent. Pedro went seven inning, probably the longest start he has made in two years. He did not look great, but certainly good, and good enough to get the win. Still, the Mets managed only a handful of hits, and no runs. When the bullpen comes through (a rarity), the starting pitching falters. It does not matter what happens, they just cannot win a game.

And, then there is Willie Randolph. I realize he is not playing, the players are screwing up, largely the pitching. Still, is there anyone right now who feels comfortable with Randolph managing? Do you have confidence in him? I have lost my confidence and I think, perhaps, so have the Met players. He has winning records with the Mets, but Randolph must go, especially if we don’t make the playoffs and even if we do. I realize you cannot do this, but part of me says they should fire him right now and see if that breathes new life into this team.

Well, I said to a friend a couple of days ago that maybe the Mets needed to fall out of first place to realize this is not a done deal, that right now they suck. Then I told that friend I wanted to see the Mets, after falling out of first place, regain the position. Now, in order for that to happen, the Phills need to lose at least one game against the lowly Washington National, and really two (which is not going to happen with only two games left).

If the Phills lose only one game (and that may not happen), and the Mets win the next two (again, that may not happen), the Mets would have to face Philadelphia in a one game playoff and the Phills have won eight in a row from the Mets.

This is baseball and anything can happen, but right now, as a Met fan, I am not confident and I am feeling absolutely disgusted.

Let’s Go Mets!