Almost Here

It's almost that time of year again. Oh, I can almost taste it. March Madness. Man I love brackets.

Ok, so it's almost time for pitchers and catchers to report too. Some of the Mets starters are already in Port St. Lucie to start getting ready for the season, but I'm not all that excited about it.

It's weird because I love baseball and I follow the Mets like no other team. But this year is not like last year. In 2007 the "collapse" was a shock to the system. As Mets Lifers, we thought we were headed to the playoffs again and potentially a World Series until our utter demise smacked us in the face. So at the start of last season, we were hopeful. We had Santana. We added a few players. We were prepared for a pennant chace.

Then September 2008 came and stabbed us in the gut. We're no longer fooled into holding on to hopes and dreams of playoff runs and championships. Mets Lifers have become realists, and we know that nothing matters until the calendar turns to October. The Mets could go undefeated in April, May & June, but no Mets Lifer will start thinking playoffs until that final weekend is over.

We're jaded, and until this team produces in September you won't find any giddy banter about this team's potential for a world series run. It's a new world we're living in and this season is going to be a very long journey to make ammends for the past two years.

Let's hope this story has a happier ending.