Game 7 is now part of me forever. Endy Chavez changed my life. There have been few times in my life where I could not speak due to the shock/awe/respect/amazement/excitement and sheer joy that was just too overwhelming. I was yelling but I have no idea what was coming out of my mouth. I think the Tank just picked me up and threw me into the crowd of high 5s in the Upper Deck of Shea Stadium. The rest is a blur. If the Mets would have won the game I honestly believe that we would have made him Mayor of New York City. I think that the new Mets stadium has the potential to be named after Endy still. That said, it is not everyday where you go from the thrill of that kind of excitement to the sadness of the defeat an hour later.  This is what is means to be a Mets fan!!!

If you would have told me in spring training that the Mets would go to the bottom of the 9^th, 2 outs, bases loaded and Carlos Beltran up with the game on the line in the 7^th game of the NLCS I would have told you that you were crazy. So let’s start from the top: in 34 years of being a Mets fan, while experiencing 33 years of disappointment (1 World Series in 1986), this was the most exciting season I experienced since 1986. Let’s review:

• Endy Chavez changing my life
• I was watching meaningful games in October!
• We were 1 base hit from the World Series
• I witnessed Jose Reyes hit the cycle and steal home
• I witnessed Jose Reyes hit an inside the part home run
• I witnessed the greatest double play of all time (double play at home in Game 1 of the NLDS)
• I witnessed the greatest double play of all time, Chavez’s home rum rob, dethroning the previous greatest double play of all time, the double play at home
• Mets fans came out of the woodwork! Embarrassed or whatever, Mets fans were silent during the Yankee run of the late 90s.  3.5 million fans came out the Shea in 2006.
• For the first time in nearly 20 years I saw more Mets hats than Yankee hats on the subway. My mom even called and said that she was watching Games 6 and 7.
• The Mets season lasted 2 weeks longer than the Yankee season
  

What worked this year:

So much! But in a nutshell a few things:
 

1. Willie Randolph is a tremendous pro and is responsible for a complete turnaround of the team, people just go out and situational hit, bunt, steal, and play the fundamentals better.
2. Carlos Delgado was just the presence they Mets needed in the lineup and clubhouse. He provide the kind of protection and presence to take the load off of a healthy Carlos Beltran.
3. Ricky Henderson’s coaching of Jose Reyes in spring training made all of the difference, as well as Paul Lo Duca’s bat behind him.
4. The Bullpen. No more to say there.
5. “The replacements” or the Endy Chavez/Jose Valentin crowd.
6. They were the most exciting team to watch, always coming back, always doing something exciting (like changing my life.)

 

What did not work was the starting pitching. The rotation was a mess with all the injuries; we lost a few pitchers for the season and had 100% turnover of the rotation-all 5 opening week starters went on the DL or close enough (Glavine and Trachsel) at some point in the season or post season. Even the replacements went on the DL (Maine, el Duque, Solar, Palfrey.)

 
But I can’t complain. I will not make any excuses about the pitching-it is what it is. We lost Game 7 and have to come back next year and try to get back to where we were this year. After the emotional roller coaster NLCS and Game 6 loss to Atlanta in 1999 (damn you Kenny Rogers for walking in the winning run!) the Mets came back, made the playoffs and went to the World Series the next year. Hopefully 2007 is our year.

Posted by Steve in New York.