Mets' Collapse By the Numbers, From 1 To 17

After a September 12 victory over the Atlanta Braves, the New York Mets led the National League East by seven games with 17 remaining. A 5-12 finish, combined with the Philadelphia Phillies’ 13-4 closing run, left the Mets in second place and out of the postseason. New York thus became the first club in major league history to lose such a lead in the last 17 games. Here’s a by-the-numbers look at the Mets’ swoon, from 1 to 17.


1 Number of NL clubs who suffered a three-game sweep at home by the Nationals in 2007, thanks to Washington’s trip to Shea this week.

2 Field goals made (officially) by Auburn kicker Wes Byrum in Saturday’s stunner over the Gators. So unlike the Mets, at least someone stepped up this weekend against Florida.

3 Runs driven in by Bucky Dent on his famous home run versus Boston in 1978 – a game Willie Randolph missed due to injury. Sorry Willie - no one-game playoff for you this year, either.

4 Number of the train that stops at Yankee Stadium, where Mets fans can go to see postseason baseball.

5 Losses, without a win, for Notre Dame – the only team having a worse run than the Mets these days.

6 Emmy acting nominations Ray Romano received for Everybody Loves Raymond. This week the Mets caused more heartache for Ray Barone than his family.

7 Runs by which the Mets lost on Sunday, with their season on the line. Looks like March isn’t the only thing that goes out like a lamb.

8 Consecutive games the Mets have dropped to the Phillies. Only Santa Claus gets worse treatment in Philly.

9 Seasons Matlock was on the air, beginning in 1986. I figured Mets fans could use a reference to 1986.

10 Felonies O.J. Simpson has been charged with committing on September 13. He’s not the only athlete whose fortunes went south after that day.

11 Jersey number of Philadelphia’s Jimmy Rollins, who proved he had great foresight in January by proclaiming the Phillies “the team to beat in the NL East.” Less accurate predictions from that interview were “It’s the Mavs’ year” and “Kucinich is a real sleeper!”

12 Grand Slam singles titles for Roger Federer, including the recently completed U.S. Open. He’s the only male athlete who got to celebrate in Queens this month.

13 Runs scored by the Mets in Saturday’s victory. Sure, it was their only win of the week, but it was a REALLY decisive win.

14 Career postseason victories for Mets starter Tom Glavine, who trails former Atlanta teammate John Smoltz by one. Looks like Smoltz has bragging rights for another year.

15 Consecutive losing seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates. So at least the Mets finished ahead of one team from Pennsylvania.

16 Points scored by the Giants in a win over the Eagles – Met supporters’ only consolation on Sunday. Unless they’re Jets fans – then they’re totally out of luck.

17 Games during the Mets’ 5-12 collapse in which third baseman David Wright had a base hit. Wright got less support than sportswriters at a Mike Gundy press conference.

Smoltz & Cox To Join Mets For Playoffs

Tuesday night in Atlanta, John Smoltz pitched eight impressive innings in the Braves’ 12-0 victory over the New York Mets. Next week, the National League favorites will be much happier to see the veteran right-hander. Thanks to a surprising ruling by Major League Baseball, Smoltz and Atlanta manager Bobby Cox will join the Mets for the postseason.


At 76-81, the Braves have been eliminated from the playoff picture. This will be the first postseason since 1990 in which they will not participate. Smoltz and Cox were present for the entire run of division championships. During that time, October baseball became as much a part of Atlanta as The Varsity’s chili dogs and the thousands of streets named Peachtree. This week, Braves fans are saddened that they will miss out on the annual tradition of staying home from playoff games at Turner Field.


However, the ballclub’s manager and ace will still get to participate in the postseason. After consulting with other MLB officials, commissioner Bud Selig decided that it would be inappropriate to stage the National League playoffs without Smoltz and Cox. Therefore, he invoked his “best interests of the game” authority to put the pair in their customary October position – with the NL East champions. There is no word on whether Selig will also use the best interests clause to remove Tim McCarver from postseason broadcasts.


Smoltz and Cox are merely on loan to New York and will revert back to being Braves after their postseason ends. In the meantime, Mets manager Willie Randolph will welcome Cox as a bench coach, valuing his wealth of experience in the dugout. Randolph is even more excited about adding Smoltz to the rotation, given his accomplished playoff history and the uncertain health of Pedro Martinez. However, the Mets’ new starter will be offset by the removal of Billy Wagner from the pitching staff. Excluding Smoltz’s bullpen stint, Cox is forbidden to have a reliable closer on his team in the postseason.


The development is particularly notable for reuniting Smoltz with longtime teammate Tom Glavine. The pitching duo will enjoy reminiscing about the glory days in Atlanta, highlighted by the Braves’ World Series championship in 1995. Another former Brave on the Mets’ roster, Julio Franco, will add to the nostalgia. He will gleefully recount his own World Series glory with the 1957 Milwaukee Braves.


Expecting to be finished on Sunday, Cox was pleasantly surprised by the commissioner’s decision. He had planned on watching the playoff games on his couch, with former dugout mate Leo Mazzone rocking next to him with a beer in his hand. However, Mets hitters may not be thrilled to see Cox in their dugout. With him on their side in October, they expect their batting averages to take a nosedive.


Game 1 of the National League Division Series will represent a strange situation for Cox and Smoltz. They will be in Shea Stadium, with no one screaming profanities at Chipper Jones. However, Mets fans will do all they can to make the longtime Braves feel at home. Expect to see Mr. Met doing the Tomahawk Chop.