The Waiting is the Hardest Part

The Magic Number is now down to 1! After 18 long years, the Mets are on the verge of a division title. This season has been special, as the team has been in first place for all but 1 day in the first week of the season. The group Omar put together has gelled, behind Willie, a man who last year was the subject of some criticism. While there are still times Willie makes you scratch your head, it is hard to argue that he has done an excellent job this year. There was an influx of new players to start. Then, numerous injuries to the starting pitching staff, as well as the relief corp. But in the end, the team kept it together, and dominated not only the NL East, but the NL overall. Met fans can now enjoy a division title, one a long time coming.

As I've noted before, I've been a Met fan for some 30 years. I was born in the midst of the 1969 World Series, so in my life, the Mets are 2 - 2 in the WS, and have made the playoffs a total of 6 times. There has not been a stretch where the Mets have been the dominant team. In the early 80's, as the team began to emerge from the doldrums of the M. Donald Grant Error, the fanbase grew. There was a nice mix of veterans and youngsters, and the Mets made nice runs in 1984 and 1985, before finally breaking through in 1986. In 1987, injuries and suspensions hurt them, but 1988 saw another playoff appearance. That would be the last one until 11 years later, when in 1999 the Mets won the Wild Card. They repeated that in 2000, and made it to the WS, losing to the Yankees. We have waited another 6 years for an appearance, and, much like 86, they did it in style.

During the last 20 years since the Mets last won the Series, we fans have been witness to some truly awful teams and players. The early 90's were painful. The Art Howe (did he get the job) Error sucked. We have seen Jeff Torborg and Dallas Green in the dugout. We've had guys like Robbie Alomar all but spit on the ground at the thought of playing here. Worse, we've seen the other team in town make the playoffs for 10 straight seasons, winning several WS along the way, but also thankfully being the perpetrator of the BIGGEST CHOKE IN SPORTS HISTORY (you didn't think I was going to forget that now, did you?). We fans have suffered the slings and arrows of Yankee fans who could not name 3 players from the pre 1996 roster. Ask them who Luis Polinia or Mike Pagliarulo were, and you would get a blank stare.

We've suffered the jibes from Atlanta Braves players, like John Rocker, who insulted our fair city. Of Larry Jones, who uttered the biggest insult of all, telling Met fans to put on their Yankee shirts. Of Larry naming his daughter Shea. Of Alomar hating playing here. Of Mo Vaughn, well, being Mo Vaughn. Of various bad trades and bad free agent signings and draft picks not panning out. Of the media reveling in the latest Mets lost. Of the media, despite the fact the Mets were having an outstanding year, still feeling the escapades of various Yankee losers like Carl Pavano deserved back page coverage more than the latest Met comeback win. We've heard the snickers of "Pedro is playing with a bad arm. You bought all of your talent", while youngsters such as David Wright, Jose Reyes and Aaron Heilman, among others were conveniently forgotten. We've heard, "Well, it took a Yankee like Willie to teach you how to win, and you needed El Duque too", all while they forget about players such as Straw, Doc, Cone, Leiter, not to mention the manager, Joe Torre, who all came from the Mets and were integral parts of Yankee success.

Well, at some point in the next few days (perhaps, and hopefully as early as tonight, how sweet would it be for Pedro, who helped show that good players should sign with the Mets, to get the win), we fans will be able to exult along with the players, as the clinch the division. All the hard work the team has put in will bear fruit as they enter the postseason. For the fans part, all of the poor play, missed expectations, and various insults from all parties from the past 18 years can be forgotten, as we toast our NL East Champions. The waiting is indeed the hardest part, but it makes the winning that much sweeter. We can worry about who the opponent in the first round will be later. For now, we will enjoy the moment, and savor it.

Feel free to use the comments and tell me and the other readers how you feel about the pending clinching of the division.