The “Too many shadows” Mets Fan.

                

                Ever since the club came into inception in 1962, they’ve been forced to play second fiddle to their well known and much more liked cross-town rival.  Its two meager W.S. championship rings eerily shadowing the “Bronx Bombers” league leading 27.  Despite the teams’ wide-spread differences, they have managed to co-exist in the Big Apple fairly peacefully, seeing as they usually only re-new the Subway Series rivalry once a year, and the last and only time they met on the big stage was just over a decade ago, where the Yanks notched their third-consecutive title in just 5 games.

                In addition to putting up with the overwhelming shadow being casted by the historic “Broadway” franchise, since their last N.L. East division title in 2006, the Mets have seen multiple cross-division opponents cast smaller, more annoying shadows of their own.  I think it all started with the Mets major August/September “meltdown to remember” in 2007, in which they turned over their all but already won division title to the Phils. 

Since then, it seems the Phils have used that comeback to make themselves an elite favorite in the division.  With the Braves history of consistent division contention, the slowly improving nationals, and now the Marlins with their “Million Miami” changes, the Mets are looking at a much tougher and only improving division in the N.L. East.

The question which remains for Mets fans though, “What have we done to improve in an exceedingly progressing division?”  The answer: not much.  Coming of 77-85 season, showing sparks of encouragement and discouragement throughout the trek, the Mets have done little to change the 77 win production scheme.  They did manage to ship off, Jose “I’m goin to Miami” Reyes arguably the leagues best shortstop, to a 5^th place division opponent who had just 5 less wins then the Mets last year.   I’m sure this year Reyes will prove to be worth at least a 5 game swing in the W column for the Fish.

At times the Mets were able to show sparks of competitive light early on in 2011, but that was with their all-star SS and Carlos Beltran still in the line-up.  With no major changes this off-season otherwise, I think the Mets would be very lucky to see 77 wins posted again this season.  Who knows though, If Johan Santana can make a comeback this year, Mets fans might have something to cheer for every 5 games.