After a brilliant pitching performance by John Maine on September 30th, and a big loss by the Phillies, it looked like even after the Mets monumental collapse; they would sneak into the playoffs. But on October 1st, against the Marlins, they looked pitiful. Throughout all of September the Mets looked like garbage. Tom Glavine pitched so bad he was taken out before the end of the first inning; José Reyes didn’t run out ground balls and tried to steal third with two out. The bullpen was the worst of all Heilman was dreadful, Schmoll was okay but spotty and, Wagner pitched well but because he was a closer the Mets couldn’t get him in with a lead.
The Mets collapse was the worst in baseball history. No team was ever up seven games with seventeen to play, and then fell out of the division. This team looked like they didn’t care. They were unprepared and that blame must fall on Willie Randolph. While I don’t think he should be fired, the Mets should at least consider firing Willie especially if they look like this at the beginning of next season.
The Mets were a talented team but I felt they were over rated. First their offence has major flaws, including Carols Beltran being extremely streaky, a week pinch-hitting staff, Carlos Delgado is older and can’t produce like he used to. Second, their rotation is week and has no depth. In the early part of the year, Glavine looked good but the he fell apart. In his last two appearances he didn’t make it out of the first inning. Pedro Martinez only pitched in three games. Orlando Hernandez missed the last month of the year with a broken foot. Third, their bullpen is undependable and can’t hold leads. Besides Hielman, Schmoll, and Wagner, who all looked bad, they had no one else remotely good to pitch.