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As the Mets sit back and watch this year's postseason from afar, there's probably a lot of wondering taking place. What would have happened had they acquired a power hitter like Gary Sheffield in the offseason? Where would they be if they hadn't fallen 13 games under .500 by the All-Star break? And how much more dangerous would they have been had they not blown two crucial saves against Atlanta in the final two weeks? No one knows the answer, but the Mets do know that they have become the latest example of "too little, too late."
Best Pitcher: Let's see, the staff ace and ERA leader, Al Leiter, finished at .500 with an 11-11 mark. The only regular starter that was two games over .500, Rick Reed, got traded to Minnesota during the summer. And the best second-half pitcher, Steve Trachsel, finished at 11-13 with a 4.46 ERA. So instead, we'll pick Armando Benitez -- who'll be remembered more for his blown save in Atlanta's incredible comeback on Sept. 23. But despite that unforgettable moment, Benitez had a remarkable season -- finishing with 43 saves to break his own team record of 41. He only blew three saves on the season and finished with a 6-4 record.
Best Position Player: Mike Piazza once again proved that he'll produce no matter how much his body aches and regardless of what color his hair is (currently blond). In some people's eyes, he made the Mets' season by simply hitting the dramatic two-run home run off of Atlanta's Steve Karsay on Sept. 21. It was the Mets first home game following the terrorist attacks. But Piazza came through for the Mets in many other situations as well -- batting .300 with 36 homers and 94 RBI.
Grading The Manager: C. New York's late-season surge may have taken some of the heat off Bobby Valentine. But then again, his reported stubbornness and smugness are probably enough to remind people that his team played well below expectations much of the season. It may not have been his fault that the outfielders were struggling, but the players didn't appreciate not knowing how long their stints in the starting lineup would last. Some may also question his ability to stick with struggling players -- like keeping Trachsel in the lineup. Yet, he had to have pushed some right buttons down the stretch in order to get his team back in the playoff hunt.
Most Improved: Trachsel got off to such a horrific start that some Mets fans wanted him off the team at the All-Star break -- even if that meant trading him since he probably had no trade value at that point. Trachsel had ERAs of eight-plus in April and May and even though it dropped to 3.55 in June, he still finished 1-3 that month (2-9 overall through June). But something happened. For some reason, the ERA stayed down and he started getting wins. He went 3-1 in both July and August and ended his season with a complete-game, two-hit shutout against the Pirates.
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Mets 2000-01 comparison
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2000
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2001
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W-L
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94-68
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82-80
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HR leader
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Piazza, 38
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Piazza, 36
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BA leader
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2 tied at .324
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Piazza, .300
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ERA
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Hampton, 3.14
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Leiter, 3.31
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Biggest Weakness: Valentine kept rotating his outfielders, hoping someone at some point would be consistent in getting on base or driving in runs. No one did. Benny Agbayani and Jay Payton, who struggled to stay healthy, combined for 14 home runs and 61 RBI. Timo Perez and Alex Escobar spent most of the season in the minor leagues. Tsuyoshi Shinjo provided a couple of dramatic home runs, but wasn't a consistent spark plug. And Matt Lawton, acquired in a midseason trade for Rick Reed, hit just .246.
Gaining Momentum: Al Leiter shook off an early season elbow injury to reestablish himself as the team ace. He went 7-3 after the All-Star break with a 3.09 ERA. Payton heated up down the stretch, batting .304 with nine RBI and 11 runs scored in September. Desi Relaford was one of the Mets more consistent players this season, but put up his best numbers in the second half -- batting .312. And C.J. Nitkowski, a late-season pick up, looked good in the brief time he put on a Mets jersey. He allowed three hits and no runs over 5 2/3 innings in five outings to go 1-0.
Kicked Off The Island: Robin Ventura had been thought of as "Mr. Grand Slam." This year, he became the guy the Mets wanted to desperately trade. Rumors of a deal sending him to the Yankees in August proved fruitless, but he's still very available this offseason. So is Todd Zeile. It's possible the team has decided that the high salaries of two solid players could be put to better use by acquiring one superstar. Will they make another run at Sheffield this offseason? Stay tuned...
James C. Black is an associate editor for ESPN.com.
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