Here are guys who can joke about Mets' choke -

[El Viejo]

Jon Heyman wrote:

Great article Mark. George will be very proud. Now lets get together for the Yanks game and collaborate on an article. I bet we can figure out a way to spin it so the Mets are the worst team ever, and responsible for the Yanks failures this post-season.

Bull. Negative columns are far easier to write and this tool always takes the easy way out. Blaming the Mets requires imagination, so you won't see that under Herrman's byline. He'll blame Joe Torre.

[Simons]

The Mets scored 4.5 runs a game with Rick Down as the hitting coach -- and 5.5 runs a game under Howard Johnson. Hard to read that record as sweet vindication for Down, unless you're a moron scraping the bottom of the tabloid barrel.

The Mets lost, therefore they must rue the day they let anyone go. My only regret is that you left out the line about how they miss Xavier Nady's clutch hitting in the seven spot.

[Big Bill From Brooklyn]

S. Phillips? Does a puitcher name Kaz mean anything to you?

[MEETtheMUTTS]

Just remember, Pedro out for 3 1/4's of the year, add 10 or more wins that Pedro would have earned (98 win year) and the Mets win NL East easy.....

[Ed K]

Simons wrote:

The Mets scored 4.5 runs a game with Rick Down as the hitting coach -- and 5.5 runs a game under Howard Johnson. Hard to read that record as sweet vindication for Down, unless you're a moron scraping the bottom of the tabloid barrel.
The Mets lost, therefore they must rue the day they let anyone go. My only regret is that you left out the line about how they miss Xavier Nady's clutch hitting in the seven spot.

Good post, many of us are making knee jerk reactions after comming out of shock. Including myself.

[Bobob]

Yeah, Steve Phillips wasn't a horrible GM, but if the Mets had SCOTT KAZMIR this year, we would have been out at Shea cheering at this time of year, instead of just watching the Yankees collapse and the Joe Torre era come to an end.

[Mike]

Very FEW good points in this article. Mainly, the Mike Jacobs comment. Sure, hes been swinging a good bat but I sure don't want Mr. Herrmann playing the GM of the Mets because anyone who watched Jacobs this year knows hes a horrendous fielder. Delgado is no Keith Hernandez, but he does catch most balls in the dirt. Jacobs does not. And how can Sherrmann even imply that Steve Phillips was a good GM. Great, the guy built a team that made the world series (and got embarrassed by the Yankees), but he also set the franchise back 5 years by trading all our prospects. Bravo Phillips.

[TDG]

To assume because two players are speaking in their native language that means they are laughing at a reporter is a paranoid sterotype.To assume that anytime speaks in another launguage means they are talking about someone negative is not fair and it ignores the fact that they just be more comfortable in their native tounge.

[Dan the Mets Fan]

The Desert Cat wrote:

<quoted text>
So let me get this right? Republicans believe you know what's best for you? Than I wonder why they don't actually listen to us when we tell them to stay the heck out god-forsaken places like the middle east.

9/11 changed everything. The #1 job of Government is to protect the Nation. That's why you can't allow despots and dictator's to have a safe haven to plot and plan attacks on this country. And besides, Billary and Chucky are in power now. Not the Republicans. Congress controls the money, not the President.

[Manny]

Duquette didn't trade Kazmir. He just took the blame for it. Duquette was the only upper management guy who knew and wanted to protect the key minor leaguers. Of course, that went hand in hand with being ordered by the Wilpons to pare down the Steve Phillips bloated team salary. Kazmir wasn't liked in the organization by key Wilpon advisors like Leiter and Franco. Even Rick Peterson gave his stamp of approval on the deal. It was basically forced down Duquette's throat.

[KCCardFan]

Two items about (according to most scribes, including Herrmann) "History's Greatest Laughingstocks":

1. How is losing a 7-game lead with 17 to play worse than losing a 6.5-game lead with only 12 to play?

2. The '64 Cardinals team, which overtook the Phils on the last day of the regular season, went on to win the World Series (vs. the Yankees, no less). The '07 Phils were swept IN THE FIRST ROUND.

Apples and oranges, my friends -- apples and oranges.

[Wow]

Hey Chip, you've got something on your shoulder.

[Sean in CA]

I'm with you but I'm sure you'd have to subtract the wins everyone got when they were only in the rotation because Pedro was out.

MEETtheMUTTS wrote:

Just remember, Pedro out for 3 1/4's of the year, add 10 or more wins that Pedro would have earned (98 win year) and the Mets win NL East easy.....

[Ed K]

Sean in CA wrote:

I'm with you but I'm sure you'd have to subtract the wins everyone got when they were only in the rotation because Pedro was out.
<quoted text>

Good point

[rich yacenda]

Jeez interviewing ex- Mets. How low does one have to get to fill his space.Hey its over,, a new year a new season.After all is said and done only two teams get to the Series and only one is Champion, all the rest go home and start again with all the woulda's shoulda's junk.Think about this if no no season what the hell you bush leaguers gonna write about?

[Jack]

haha Kevin Collazo you crack me up...you are such a genious with your 20/20 hindsight vision..."i always believed in Matsui, i wouldnt have traded jacobs (a .250 hitter with poor defense) and petit (who hasnt panned out and was actually traded for jorge julio) for delgado, who hit 38 homers and had 114 rbi with the 2006 mets who had the best record in the game...he has one bad year, and you wish you hadnt acquired him...where would the '06 mets have been with out delgado? come one...but i agree, duquette and phillips are absolute monstrosities in the front office of a major league team..

[jim in nj]

Kazmir for Zambrano?? Right up there with Nolan Ryan for Jim Fregosi!! Must have patience with young, talented pitchers.

[Michelle]

Put Mike Piazza as your catcher in 2008 and you'll be in the world series

[MinnyJohn]

Sorry. The '64 Phillies collapse is still the worst. 6-1/2 games up with 9 to play? Are you kidding me? The Mets were 7 up with 17 to play. Not as bad.