Almost to the exact day as last year, the Mets find themselves again on the verge of elimination at the hands of the Florida Marlins.
What is it about the Mets that can energize and motivate a team like the Marlins to deriving such pleasure from delivering the final blow to the Mets? Former Mets catcher and current Marlin, Paul LoDuca believes it’s not really the Mets player’s attitudes like so many believe.
“It’s a low market team loaded with kids. To them, playing the Mets is their version of a post season game. They get to play spoilers for a team that has the highest payroll in the National League and is loaded up and down with superstars. We play our games with three thousand fans at home, and then we come to Shea with hundreds of media and 50,000 screaming fans. It’s a pretty big deal for these young players.”
Because of last nights loss, the Phillies and Brewers now control their own destinies. Even if the Mets win their final two games against the Marlins, the Phillies can clinch the NL East title simply by winning one more game, and the Brewers can win the NL Wild Card by winning both of their remaining games against the Cubs.
This mighty blow came at the hands of the lowly Marlins, just as it did last season. Once again the Marlins have embraced the role of spoilers, and once again the Mets have wilted in the face of adversity. All the David Wright quotes in the world can’t change the fact that the Mets are choking again.
