Mets September Baseball: Don't Touch that Dial

It's not easy watching the Mets these days. On the list of things to do on a weeknight, turning on SNY has fallen behind doing the dishes, constantly hitting refresh on your fantasy football waiver wire, and even watching yet another presidential debate.

But for those of us who just can't suffer enough, there are still plenty of reasons to watch the final two weeks of the Mets 2011 season. Here are just a few:

The Jose Reyes Watch - Most Mets fans are hoping Reyes wins the NL batting title, but I'm not one of them. In fact, I'm hoping he goes hitless the rest of the year. Why, you ask? Well, a 28 year old reigning batting champion shortstop sounds way to expensive for the cash-strapped Wilpons. A 28 year old shortstop with injury concerns who goes 0 for his last 60, on the other hand, sounds right up their alley.

Bay vs. Pelfrey - The battle for the biggest bust of 2011 comes down to the wire. Bay may be the heavy favorite because of his enormous contract and paltry stats (.245, 12 hrs, 56 rbi), but he hurt his chances by somehow capturing Player of the Week honors last week. Pelfrey has put up a strong underdog fight by going from staff "ace" to complete dud (7-11, 4.66 ERA), but he too has shot himself in the foot with a few decent outings down the stretch. Who wants it more?

Keith Hernandez - We now basically know what to expect from each Mets players on a daily basis, but Keith is a constant wild card in the booth. The man once questioned a woman's presence in the dugout and fell asleep during a live broadcast, so who knows what he will say or do down the stretch run of another lost season. Here's hoping it's something entertaining enough to keep us watching but sane enough to keep him from getting fired.

The Battle for 3rd Place - Don't discount the value of the Mets finishing 3rd in the NL East, ahead of the Nationals and Marlins. Pulling off this seemingly meaningless feat will go a long way in helping us argue against our friends who may belittle the Mets. After all, the Red Sox finished 3rd last year and the Rays will likely finish 3rd this year, so 3rd place can't be all that bad, right?

The First No-Hitter - If you get really desperate for reasons to keep watching. Hey, even a Mets fan can dream.

Terry's Tonic: These Mets Won't Quit

"We're not going to stop the focus, we're not going to throw our hands up."

When Terry Collins uttered that quote on Sunday after the Mets fell 9 games back of the Wild Card and lost both Daniel Murphy and Jose Reyes to injury, most Mets fans probably just rolled their eyes.

We had seen and heard it all before the last couple of years - the Mets get our hopes up, dash them quickly with a bad series and a never ending string of injuries, and then the manager proclaims that they won't give up. But as the season comes to an end, the team seems like it is simply playing out the string on its way to a horrible record.

Well, if the past two games are any indication, the 2011 Mets are looking to change the ending to that script.

These Mets had every reason to be lifeless following that devastating loss to Atlanta, not to mention everything else that has gone wrong this year. Yet they rallied to victory on Monday after trailing by 2 in the 9th, something I can't remember happening the past couple of years. Then they did it again on Tuesday, coming back in the 8th to steal another victory.

The fact that two of the Mets most impressive wins of the season came after their worst game speaks volumes about this team and its manager. Their current roster may be lacking in star power and experience, but these Mets continue to show that they have no quit in them. Part of it is the ragtag nature of this team, as all the rejects, youngsters and no-names are playing for future jobs and don't know any better than to play their hardest. But a ton of credit has to be given to the manager; while past skippers have promised to keep the Mets fighting through adversity, Terry Collins is actually making sure it happens.

It may be too late for the 2011 Mets to put together a miracle playoff run, but that doesn't mean they are going to give up. These Mets are Amazin' in their own right.

An Alternate Mets Universe

With Carlos Beltran in his final days as a New York Met, there's been a lot of talk about the last five years and the end of an era. In 2006, one year after Beltran signed, the Mets seemed destined for greatness. Beltran, Reyes, Wright, and eventually Santana in or entering their prime and poised to lead the Mets to contention for years to come. Accomplished veterans like Pedro Martinez, Glavine and Delgado would round out this potential dynasty and end their careers on top of the world. These were "the New Mets".

What we didn't realize is that the only thing "new" about these Mets would be the ways that they tormented us fans. Instead of penants and rings, we got a heartbreaking Game 7 loss, two unbelievable collapses and a couple of seasons destroyed by injuries and marked by mediocrity.

But let's go back to that fateful October night in 2006, right before Beltran stood frozen at the plate on a called strike 3 and the Cardinals rushed the field, to see what could have been...

2006: In Game 7 of the NLCS, with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, the bases loaded and the Mets trailing 3-1, Beltran hits a nasty two-strike curveball from Cardinals closer Adam Wainwright for a series winning homer. Beltran is mobbed by his teammates before can reach 2nd base. The Mets go on to sweep the Tigers in the World Series. Robin Ventura cries knowing that his own "grand slam single" will be immediately forgotten and he will only be known for getting pummeled by Nolan Ryan.

2007: The Mets, about to fall victim to the biggest collapse in baseball history, are saved when Tom Glavine shuts down the Marlins in game 162. Oliver Perez then beats the Phillies in the one game playoff, further establishing himself as a fan favorite of Mets fans. Pedro Martinez says the Yankees may be his daddy but the Red Sox are his little brother who he helps raise and then beats up.

2008: The Mets win the Wild Card and beat the 1st place Phillies in the NLCS. During the offseason, Aaron Heilman calls the Phillies "choke artists" because they've blown it the last two seasons, and they prove him right by falling into a downward cycle for the next several years thanks to horrible starting pitching. The Mets are so impressed with Oliver Perez that they sign him to a 3 year, $36 million contract.

2009: Citi Field opens with 8 foot high blue walls, enabling David Wright to hit a career high 42 home runs. The Mets capture the Subway Series when Luis Castillo drops a pop up but then throws out Derek Jeter, who wasn't hustling on the play. The loss is a major psychological blow to the Yankees, who miss the playoffs and deal the lackadaisical Jeter to the Royals in the offseason. Meanwhile, the Mets medical staff is lauded for keeping their players so healthy all year.

2010: With the core of the Mets healthy and playing great the past few years, the Mets pass on Jason Bay and instead pick up a few cheaper alternatives. The starting lineup is so good that insurance pickups Gary Matthews, Mike Jacobs and Alex Cora languish in AAA and don't see the majors all season.

Oh, what could have been.

Keep Reyes, Trade Wright

With talk of a potential Jose Reyes trade trending just below Osama and the royal wedding these days, it seems like a good time for Mets Kool-Aid to address the trade issue.

Let me first say this: the Mets should NOT trade Jose Reyes if they think they can re-sign him.

Then, let me say this: if the Mets think they can re-sign Reyes, they SHOULD trade David Wright this season.

In an ideal world, Reyes and Wright, both in their primes, would obviously remain together and lead the Mets' resurgence. But the Mets world is miles away from ideal. In their world massive debt and a billion dollar lawsuit rule the day, which is why trading one of their homegrown stars seems inevitable. Reyes is the name that comes up most often, but if either of them has to go it should be Wright.

Look, I like David Wright. He is the favorite of most Mets fans, from older die-hards to teenage girls. He is a very good baseball player who is rarely injured and always does and says the right thing. He will probably be an all-star and gold glove candidate for many years ahead, and will be even better if he has a great hitter behind him to take some of the pressure off him.

Finding another David Wright will be very tough, but finding another Jose Reyes might be downright impossible. Reyes can do it all - he has hit for as many as 19 home runs, stolen as many as 78 bases, and plays excellent defense. His speed and pension for hitting the ball in the gaps makes Reyes the perfect player for Citi Field, whereas Wright is a pseudo-power hitter who seems somewhat affected by the cavernous stadium and high fences.

And almost as important as Reyes' immense talent is the excitement and energy he brings. The chance to watch Reyes leg out a triple is right up there with Ike's towering homers as reasons to buy an overpriced ticket. While Wright's stoic personality is to be admired, Reyes' fiery attitude is exactly what the Mets need in these tough times.

Here's something else to consider: with Reyes' free agency looming this offseason and reputation for being injury-prone, he might actually bring in LESS of a prospect haul than Wright, who is under a reasonable contract for another year. Yes, Reyes will likely demand $18M or more per season, but with several huge contracts coming off the books even the cash strapped Mets should be able to afford him, especially if they know they won't have to pay Wright the same going forward.

Again, I would love to see Wright and Reyes play together in Flushing for the next decade if it was possible. But if the choice is between re-building the franchise around Reyes or Wright, then Wright has to be the one to go.