On the final weekend of 2007, the New York Mets were holding onto slim hopes of entering the playoffs as the winners of the NL East division, all they had to do was beat the Florida Marlins. The Mets of course lost to the Marlins and missed the playoffs, capping one of the most unbelievable collapses in baseball having blown a 7 game division lead with 17 games to go.

This season despite confident comments from the Mets, it appeared as though they were en route to another collapse that would result in missing the playoffs again. Again this year the Mets welcomed the Marlins to Shea Stadium for 3 games to finish the season, their playoff hopes on the line. The Marlins beat the Mets Friday night, but Santana and the Mets bested the Marlins Saturday setting up a crucial final game on Sunday. If a shot at the playoffs weren’t enough motivation for the Mets, they were closing down Shea Stadium after 44 years.

None of that was enough however as the Marlins defeated the Mets 4-2 on Sunday, which combined with a 3-1 Milwaukee victory over Chicago left the Mets on the outside again, victims of their own inability to finish what they started. Scott Olsen saved his best for the end of the season, pitching 6 innings and allowing only 3H and 2ER while striking out 4. The Marlins had squandered a 2-0 lead, until pinch hitter Wes Helms hit a solo home run in the 8th and Dan Uggla hit another on the next pitch to put the Marlins ahead for good 4-2.

The Mets got a quality start from Oliver Perez who was pitching on short rest going 5 1/3 innings, but eventually handing the game over to the Mets awful bullpen and the game was sealed up from there by the Fish. The Mets again proved pitiful when the season matter most. They folded it in earlier this season, many believe in an attempt to get former manager Willie Randolph fired, but turned it around after the All Star break. In September though, when playoff spots are won and lost, the Mets fell apart again. All they had to do was sweep the Marlins, AT HOME, and they would have been in the playoffs. Instead the Mets sputtered their way through the month and in the end got what they deserved, time off in October to ponder all they lost and question their ability as a team.

The Marlins victory will be their last at Shea Stadium. Shea, the Mets home since 1964, will be torn down as next season the Mets will be moving into their brand new $850 million home at Citi Field. After 44 years as the home of the Mets, Shea Stadium was closed out on back to back years by the Marlins beating the Mets to keep them out of the playoffs. Shea was the 5th oldest stadium in MLB behind Dodger Stadium, Yankee Stadium, Wrigley Field, and Fenway Park.

As for the Marlins, they take a positive note into their offseason. The Marlins finish the season 84-77 and have a very bright future. We saw in the past 2 weeks that the future of the Marlins lies quite securely in the hands of Cameron Maybin, Hanley Ramirez, Ricky Nolasco, Josh Johnson, and others. It is far too early, the 2008 season only over for 2 hours, to make predictions for 2009, but don’t be fooled…the Marlins are in good hands and with a few additions can and should be consider contenders in the NL East for 2009.