Come To Think of It...For the New York Mets, It's Déjà Vu All Over Again

It can't be. Can it? I mean, can the Mets be repeating recent history by collapsing this season like they did in 2007? That's amazin', Mets.

Well, the signs are certainly there for all to see. History can be a cruel teacher when the subject is losing baseball games late in a season. They lost two of three games to the Braves over the weekend, including Sunday's devastating 7-4 defeat that saw the bullpen allow five runs in the ninth inning.

And after Monday's 7-2 loss to the Nats, the reminders were everywhere. Bad memories of a team that blew a seven-game lead with 17 to go last September. This Mets team is looking over the edge of a cliff that leads to nowhere fast.

Hoping to avoid another slide, manager Jerry Manuel called a team meeting before tonight's game. But it was to no avail, as the hapless Mets lost again to the Nats, this time 1-0.

In a New York minute, their half-game lead over the Phillies could be gone if the Phillies beat Atlanta tonight. And if Milwaukee tops the Cubs, they would even be a tick out of the wild-card lead. Both of those games were too close to call at the time this article was published.

And while New York has been losing, Philly has been on fire, having swept the Brewers this past weekend. More reminders of last year's collapse. Although few want to talk about it, the whispers are evident.

"That's a big subject here," manager Jerry Manuel said before Monday night's game at Washington. "It's, unfortunately, just a part of who we are as long as we're in a race and competing. Until we win it or get into the playoffs, that's something we have to deal with."

The Mets won't get much of a break the rest of the way, playing 16 games in 15 days without a rest. Along with Washington, they finish with the Braves, the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs and Florida.

The Mets' flagship radio station, WFAN, was flooded with calls Monday from panicky fans, hoping to avoid a repeat of last year's 5-12 finish.

This makes me wonder if there are laws against having a playoff without a New York team involved. The crosstown Yankees won't be receiving an invitation to the party. Will the Metropolitans?

For New York Mets fans, this must be scary stuff. Well, it is rerun season still, isn't it? Come to think of it, that's amazin', Mets.