All year long the Mets said they had the talent to make it all the way, yet played with no heart down the stretch. This finally led to their demise this afternoon at Shea. It just goes to show that you can have all the talent in the world, and still not even make the playoffs.

I believed, I really did, that they could pull off a miracle, or at least prevent a collapse from happening.  But I was proven wrong. I'm shocked and disappointed in this team, and am left somewhat speechless.  They didn't deserve the playoffs this year, which makes it a little easier to swallow than last year's loss to St. Louis. But it still feels like I'm swallowing nails.

No more mottoes, good luck charms, or promotions. 161 games down, one more to go and the Mets share a first place lead with the Philthys. This one is for all the marbles, and just goes to show why every game is important.

The Mets have somewhat earned their right to play for the division today. I say somewhat, because they blew a seven game lead with two weeks to go, and a Philly win would cause a tiebreaker game in Philly. Ugh. I thought it wouldn't happen, but it did. Such is baseball, where anything and everything usually does happen.

Instead of lamenting about it, I'm heading to Shea to support our "fighter" while he prepares himself for the 12th round of the bloody boxing match which has been the 2007 season.  It has surely been a wild ride, one that this blogger wishes had been much smoother, but here is where we stand. One game from win, lose, or draw. All they can do is put a W on the board and hope the baseball gods are smiling down upon them.

It looks as if tickets are sold out everywhere which I'm very happy to see. Meet your friends at the bar or their house, gather around your tv sets, or head on out to Shea, and let our gladiators in orange and blue know that we are behind them.

Let's Go Mets!

It's a point in the season where I'd like to take a look back to my various preseason predictions to see how accurate I was.
When I was right I will give myself a
When I was wrong I will give myself a

Which Team Will Be Surprise of '07?
I said:
"I am going to go with the Cleveland Indians who finished 18 games out of first last year."

"In a tough AL Central, which produced last years surprise team the Tigers, if the Indians can stay healthy and focused they could make it interesting between them and the Twins come September."

Result:
Last year the tribe finished 18 games behind first place. Cleveland is now 8.5 games in front in the AL Central. Although Minnesota is 17 games back, I still think I deserve a win.


Burgos Surprise of the Year?
I Said:
"I think Perez will still provide solid numbers, but what a lift it would be if Burgos finds his control and winds up providing major relief for Mets starters who might rarely see the 6th inning."

"I know he's only pitched one inning, but I'm setting the deadline for guessing the surprise of the year at Friday."

Result:
Burgos went 1-0 in 17 games. He pitched only 23 innings and allowed nine earned runs, only to get injured.


Who Will Be Booed?
I Said:
"As horrible as this is to say I think many Mets fans do not want Green to succeed.  For these fans, with the high-ceiling prospect Lastings Milledge waiting in the wings, the sooner Green is replaced the better.  I never want a player to fail, and I'm all for giving Green a chance to prove his worth. But when the boos start raining down after every strikeout or error as I fully expect to happen, Willie and Omar will be listening, and somewhere Lastings may be smiling."

Result:
Green has been pretty clutch this year and has really hit the ball well. If he was booed at all, I don't remember it. He's batting .290 and has held down the right field spot nearly all year as well. Milledge came out with a rap song.


Who Should the Mets Fear?
I Said:
"I don't think the Mets will actually fear any team, but they should be concerned about an improved NL East, that's for sure. Hopefully they just focus on what they have to do and get 'er done!"

Result:
The Mets haven't been able to run away with the division at any point this season. If looking over your shoulder all year during a race doesn't include a fraction of fear that another team will win the division, my name is Keith Hernandez.


Phils Fans Should Curb Enthusiasm
I Said:
"A wild card spot is well within reach for them, but I still pick them to finish 2nd to the Mets IF they can hold off the Braves who will be scrapping to get back to the top."

Result:
To be continued...

Watch this video to see the Red Sox rookies being hazed, including Dice-K as a Teletubby!

In a column for New York Magazine, Sam Anderson spins the legend of the Brooklyn Dodgers' departure from New York in a skeptical light, a side I have never quite heard before. It seems to be a good evaluation of what things were like in old Brooklyn, as we come up on the 50th anniversary of the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn.

Anderson writes:

Admittedly, I am no expert on the Brooklyn Dodgers, and my knowledge of such comes mostly from the documentaries I have watched on TV. 

Nevertheless, well put together articles such as this help me to understand what the Dodgers truly meant to the people of Brooklyn during the good ol' days.

According to the NY Post, Mr. Met has been elected to the Mascot Hall Of Fame.

The Post writes:

"The beloved ball-headed mascot will share the honor with the San Antonio Coyote, who received a whisker more votes."

"Team officials said Mr. Met was "speechless" when he got the news."

Mr. Met was elected by the Executive Committee and Voting Membership since the Coyote barely won out the fan voting.

He joins the Phillie Phanatic, Phoenix Sun Gorilla and San Diego's Famous Chicken in the hall.

Congratulations Mr. Met!

Fancy yourself a Keith Hernandez know it all? Well, Mets Walkoffs posted some great trivia regarding the man, the myth, the legend, including the following:

If you missed Keith throwing Tootsie Roll Pops to the Shea Faithful, you have to check it out here.

Rob Neyer at ESPN writes an article about who got the better part of the 2004 Pedro Martinez transaction, the Red Sox or the Mets.

Neyer writes:

I can't help but agree with Neyer to a point. Yes, a Mets no-hitter would be nice right now, assuming Bucholz would have done it in Queens.  And a strong, youthful arm would also be very nice right now. But what Neyer fails to mention is the "rest of the story" for the Mets, which I call the "Pedro Effect".

Pedro made the Mets a more attractive place to sign for players such as Carlos Delgado, and Carlos Beltran. The signing showed everyone that the Mets were serious again.  Clay friggin' Bucholz doesn't create one tenth of the buzz that Pedro brings to Shea, even when he's not starting. So yes, economically, the signing may not have made much sense, but it's the intangibles Rob, that make the signing very worth it for this fan.