It’s that time of the year again for Mets fans and I’m sure many of them are cringing, and feeling almost the exact same emotions as the did the same time just one year ago.
If you recall it (and I’m sure every Mets fan does) it was this time last year that all Mets fans were watching their teams historic September collapse, giving away a 7 game lead with just 17 games to play and surrendering their NL East lead to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Well, here we are in September again, and here the Mets are, this time surrendering a 3 game lead to the Phillies who now own sole possession of first place in the NL East after Ryan Howard’s go-ahead homer in the 8th inning Tuesday night gave the Phillies an 8-7 win over the Atlanta Braves.
Once again, the Phillies and Howard in particular, seem to thrive in September while the Mets and their offense seem to fold.
The Mets who lost to the Nationals in back-to-back games while surrendering their NL East lead just can seem to get it clicking on all cylinders when it matters most. They received an outstanding pitching performance from Mike Pelfrey but let it go to waste by providing him with no offense in a 1-0 nothing loss to who else, but the Washington Nationals, the same team that squandered the Mets playoff hopes late last season.
This loss came just one day after John Lannan held the Mets to one hit over seven innings, New York managed just two hits against Odalis Perez Tuesday night.
This time around there will be no one to blame except for the Mets players themselves, no Willie to take the heat for a team that just cannot get it done when the pressure is on. If its not the bullpen surrendering runs in late innings of what should have been wins, then its the Met offense whose bats go quiet at the most inopportune times.
And while the Mets remain just a 1/2 game behind the Phillies for the NL East lead their fans grow restless that another September swoon may be on the horizon.
There is still the wild card, even if the Mets do surrender the division to the Phillies, but even that is not a certainty as another team whose had a September to forgot, the Brewers, are just a 1/2 game back.
Perhaps worst of all for the Mets is that they’ve now lost both Fernando Tatis and Damion Easley to injuries. Two right handed bats that the Mets can ill afford to lose down the stretch. Tatis has been an especially nice surprise for the Mets returning from baseball after a prolonged absence to put together some clutch performances when the team needed them most.
Speaking of clutch performances that’s exactly what the Mets are going to need down the stretch to avoid their second consecutive season without a postseason appearance. They need their stars to step up now more then ever, players like David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Pedro Martinez need to demonstrate to their team, and most importantly their fans that this September will not end like last years did.