Here We Go Again

As the 2008 major league baseball season comes to a close, a lot of attention will be payed to what the NY Mets will do compared to last year's epic collapse. Many players on the Mets have told the media, time and time again that last year is behind them and that this year is a different scenario. These players seem to be trying to convince themselves that this is not going to be the same as 2007. But there are some of the same things happening now that were happening last year. Pitching decisions and clutch hitting with players in scoring position are severe problems all over again. Jose Reyes for instance, is batting .211 in the month of September this year, he hit .205 in September of 2007. Without Reyes getting on and stealing bases at the top of the lineup, the Mets as a team will not succeed and it was one of the main reasons the Mets couldn't get wins last year. This year, although the team leads the league in runs scored the first three innings of the game, the big bats seem to disappear late in games when their are players in scoring position. Last year, the Mets failed to get guys on base, in to score when the game was on the line and now, this year, the same thing is happening. The pitching last season in September was just bad and guys like Glavine and Pedro looked as if they were dreaming of playing golf and attending cock fights. This year, the Mets bullpen can not secure any lead what so ever. No matter how big or how small the Mets lead is in the game, the bullpen has found a way to give it away and lose it. They have blown 28 saves this season, that is a horrendous statistic. Jerry Manuel is really just handcuffed by his options in the bullpen and it is hard to blame him entirely, but when situations like last night occur, as an observer, you have to scratch your head. Last night, the Mets were down 4-1 starting the 8th inning and Jerry Manuel brought in Rincon from the bullpen to pitch. Rincon immediately retired the first two batters he faced and he did it easily. Manuel then decided to bring in Duaner Sanchez to face the next guy, why? No one really will know, probably because of the match up situation. Of course, Sanchez then allows guys to get on and then gives up a three-run home run to Elijah Dukes to push the lead to 5 runs. Why did Manuel take out Rincon who seemed to be pitching well? It doesn't matter now, but fans have to hope that the Managers and players learn from all these mistakes. That's how you separate this year from last year, its learning from the mistakes. If the Mets don't do the same things and don't make some of the same mistakes as last year and if they are more in tune to the urgency of their predicament, then things won't end up like they did during that epic collapse. Get hits with players in scoring position, be careful with the choices of pitches thrown and the pitchers throwing them and be aware that any more losses this year will mirror last year and the Mets will be home once again while other baseball teams play in October.