The Mets didn't choke.. They had no pitching. They started the season with their best pitcher out for almost the entire season. Indeed, Pedro still isn't fully up to speed. They have Perez, who is either very good or very bad. He doesn't handle pressure well anyway. Maine has had concentration issues, but seems to rise to the occasion. Hernandez suffered several injuries and while a very smart pitcher, is showing his age. Glavine has had several really bad outings, showing that he cannot recover well any longer. His effectiveness declined as the season wore on.
After the All-Star break, the Mets pitching staff started showing significant cracks. By September, it was simply broken.
So, in the first half of the season, the weak starting pitching was offset by a decent bullpen. However, the Met's bullpen was already weakened by the loss of Duaner Sanchez at the end of spring training. The balance of the bullpen was overworked all season. By mid September, they were worn out. Even Wagner was having back problems.
Offensively, the Mets are a powerhouse. Pitching-wise, they are in bad shape. Too many older pitchers, who are not able to perform over the long haul or who suffer injuries easier than younger men.
If the Mets are going to turn things around, Omar Minaya is going to have to rebuild the pitching staff. Under-performers must go. Glavine is done anyway, and Hernandez likely will be cut loose too. Mike Pelfrey hasn't lived up his billing and should be traded. Jose Reyez needs a swift kick in the butt to cure his lack of hustle. Shawn Green will be gone too. Someone needs to slap Milledge in the back of the head once a day just to remind him that showboating breeds bad karma.
This epic collapse can be blamed on injuries and ultimately Minaya's failure to shore up the pitching staff in the off-season and again before the trading deadline.
Now, since the Met's decided to one-up the Red Sox, I'll root for the perennial underdog... Go Cubbies!
My regards,
Widewing
