The Mets started the day at the dreaded 145 game mark - at that point last year, they were up by 7 games with only 17 games left to play. It seemed almost impossible for them to not make the playoffs, but, they ended up one game behind the Phills - Mets fans will never be the same, myself included. We will never be comfortable with a lead again.
This year, however, I think will be different. The resurgence of Carlos Delgado, the emergence of Pelfrey, and the presence of Santana change the dynamic of the N.L. East race, and the Mets are a much tougher team to beat. Jon Niese looked good tonight, too.
I keep reading about teams' payrolls and who they can afford to sign this off-season. It is a little interesting, but I just don't care how much is spent on players. There is this backwards notion that ownership and management really care about winning and fans really care about the bottom line. As a fan, I only care about seeing my team win. I don't care how much they spend to do it. I will never say, "oh, I don't mind that they finished last because they have a $30M payroll, at least they turned a profit." For the owners, this is a business, and if they go bankrupt, winning the wild card doesn't make it any better. For them, it is all about the bottom line.
That being said, if another person tells me how great the Marlins did this year considering their payroll, I may throw up. The Marlins are full of good players who are under team control. Give me a break, every infielder has at least 25 home runs, that's ridiculous. They are loaded with great talent, and still no one goes to the games! If you are a Marlins fan and you are upset that some of your players might not be back next year, then go to some games. You can't pay salaries if you aren't making money on ticket sales. It is all about the bottom line. The Marlins management has down a good job securing great talent on a pathetic budget. Imagine if they were selling out some games...
The AL East race is a little too close for comfort. The Rays let the Sox sneak back in, but I still think Tampa Bay will hold on. It is a great story, but not as great as the story about the other New York team that is sitting in fourth place. That's right, I said it, the other New York team, the Yankees. Hank is nuts, I think he will sink one of the greatest ships in baseball, if not sports, history.
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