Not What I Hoped to be Writing Today...

I wasn’t prepared to write this today. Oh, there were fleeting thoughts that they could lose, but I pushed them to the dark recesses of my mind. After seeing the rebound in Game 6, I believed we would win. I knew it. Alas, it was not meant to be.

For all the concern from all corners about the starters for Game 6 and Game 7, both young men acquitted themselves quite well. Oliver Perez was dealing last night. I think we saw the birth of our #4 or #5 starter for next season. He got in trouble, but worked out of it. Big scare in the 6th after Willie visited the mound with a runner on and Scott Rolen at the plate. Rolen, who had been getting killed by Buck and McCarver all night for not being able to turn on a fastball, turned on one, sending it towards the Cardinal Bullpen. A gasp, and then a ray of hope as Endy Chavez lept and made the Best.Catch.Ever., and then proceeded to double up Jim Edmonds. The break we had been looking for had arrived.

Then another, in the bottom of the sixth Rolen threw a ball away. The Mets would load the bases with 1 out. Things looked good. But Suppan, who pitched well again, worked out of it, getting Stache and Endy to work out of trouble.

ChadBrad worked the 7th. Aaron worked the eighth, and came back out for the ninth, Then, Yadier Molina takes Aaron deep, and it is 3-1 Cards. The Mets get runners on in the 9th. Uncle Cliffy would stride to the plate as the tying run. I had stated that he would do something positive this series. Alas, there would be no Kirk Gibson like heroics. Beltran would come up with the bases loaded. He owns Cardinal pitching. The good feeling was still there. Then, he looks at a sick curveball, going down without a swing. Game and Season of such promise, over.

Now, I’m not going to sit here and name individual scapegoats. I’m not going to kill Aaron. I’m not going to kill Billy, or David. This team wins as a team, and loses as a team. The vaunted lineup is what failed them. Allowing Jeff Weaver and Jeff Suppan to dominate you twice each in the same series is not the way to win. They hit Carpenter well, but lose to two guys who are hardly great. A young Cardinal bullpen is battered once. There is no single goat. The lost together. Nobody hit last night, or for most of the series. Guys would have one great game, or two, but there was no consistency. They failed to execute. Coming into the NLDS, few experts thought the team would get past the Dodgers, considering how hot they were coming in, and the state of the Mets rotation. They swept them. Then, the same pitching issues were there for the NLCS, but save for blowing game 2, and a poor start in game 3, the pitching did well. The bats did not come through, that is the fact. None of the big bats came through, but we also lacked an unsung hero. Where was our counter to So Taguchi, or Yadier Molina (a 216 hitter in the regular season)?

This team is set for a number of years. The young guys, Reyes and Wright, have there first playoffs under their belts. We have found two starters for next year in Perez and Maine. Filthy Sanchez will be back (arbitration eligible). Endy is arb eligible as well. Delgado will want to get back to October, Beltran will want to wash it away as well. I have faith that Omar will do what he can to get a top starter, either through Free Agency or a trade. This is not 1986, with a lot of veterans and problem children. This team will be back next year. The problems will be fixed.

I’m tired. I’m sad. I’m left with the Jets and Islanders for the next several months until pitchers and catcher report. (Now I am even sadder thinking about that.)

Next week, I’ll have thoughts on next steps. Who should be back (hint, Steve Trachsel is NOT on that list)? Who should be a trade target, or Free Agency target? For now, I want to thank the team for a great ride. It was bumpy, yes. But it was fun, the first time in 6 years I can say that. I want to thank those of you who read and comment, and those who do not comment but just read. I want to thank other bloggers, Metstradamus, Toasty Joe, the guys at Faith & Fear, Metsgeek.com, and others for making this season even more enjoyable.

I’ll post Mets thoughts throughout the off-season. I’ll also post Jets and Islanders stuff, so stop by every once in a while. I might not have something every day, but I’ll still be here.