It was like the movie Groundhog Day. Except instead of waking up to Sonny & Cher every morning, once again, we are waking up the day after the Mets were eliminated from playoff contention in the last game of the season. Last year was heartbreaking because the lead lost and this year was heartbreaking because it was the final game at Shea.
However, I am not as devastated as I was last year. I had come to accept that our bullpen (quite frankly) sucked and that even if we did make the playoffs, we would lose in the first round anyway. We did the best we could, even after a mediocre start under Willie Randolph. It just wasn’t good enough.
I’m actually kind of glad the season ended the way it did. It clearly showed what problems we had and what Omar needs to do to better the team, such as dismantling and reassembling the bullpen from scratch and getting rid of Luis Castillo, who reminds me more and more of Guillermo Mota. We were such a better team without Castillo (and Mota) on the field and on the bench. Castillo is dead weight to me and needs to be dealt. And give Carlos Delgado another year; he really deserves it thanks to his stellar performance in the 2nd half.
I’m glad to see that they’re bringing back Jerry and even though the Mets didn’t make the playoffs, I still think he’s a legitimate Manager of the Year candidate.
I’m ready to put 2007 and 2008 behind me if the Mets are. We’re getting a fresh new start in Citi Field and I’m ready for the great memories to begin.
Forever and always……LGM.
