Mets Have Bad Luck with Closers

Go ahead and list the Mets top closers of the last 20 years. Benitez. Looper. Franco. Sure there were others but these were the "good" ones.

Now we have Billy Wagner, who I thought was going to be a change from the Mets string of bad luck closers, but is now making me doubt.

So why do the Mets have such bad luck with closers? John Franco might be the left-handed save leader, but he was infamous for not being able to get a save without getting runners on base. Armando Benitez turned into Mr. Choke Job every time there was a big spot. And Looper, who knew he was really supposed to be a starting pitcher?

Are the Mets cursed? Do we not have pitching coaches and scouts that can mold bullpen talent? Why can't we have our own Rivera, Hoffman, Eckersley, Isringhausen, oh wait, we had him but we thought he was a starting pitcher. Where's our K-Rod, our Papplebon, our Joe Nathan?

I understand that every closer, even the great ones, will blow saves from time to time. It's inevitable. But it just feels like the Mets always get a guy that blows them in the really, really big spots.

I like Billy Wagner, but I no longer trust him. Please, please, please prove me wrong, Billy.