For three straight seasons, I was there when the Mets season ended.  In 2007 and 2008, the season ended with a baffling loss to the Marlins. The 2006 – 2008 seasons left its scars.  Those years weren’t worse than the 2007 – 2014 irrelevance. Well, it’s 2015, and the Mets are back in first place. 

You know what else is back?  The talk of the Mets collapses. All over Twitter, there is discussion about not jinxing anything. Tom Verducci published an article in Sports Illustrated which, in part, highlighted Collins’ own collapses in his prior managerial experience. I’m sure with the Mets playing the Marlins that will only intensify. 

It shouldn’t even be a discussion. In 2007, the Mets entered September with a two game lead over the Phillies. In 2008, the Mets entered September with a one game lead. These Mets entered September with a 6.5 game lead. These Mets have an intact starting rotation even if the team is tempting fate with their handling of it. Even if there are issues with the bullpen, it’s in much better shape with a healthy closer like Jeurys Familia. 

The Marlins now are 14 games under .500 and are part of the Mets weak schedule. They’re a mess even by Marlins’ standards. They still don’t have Giancarlo Stanton back from the DL. The Mets are 9-4 against these Marlins. I’m not worried. 

The 2007 and 2008 Mets were a different team from top to bottom. They were lacking something. We don’t know the makeup of this team yet. There have been positive signs like the sweep of the Nationals. There were negative signs like getting swept by the Pirates. 

Today is September 4th. There’s one month of baseball left starting with the Marlins. For the fans that need it, those ghosts that haunt them will begin to be exorcized tonight. For the other fans, this is a series against a second division club. For everyone, it’s time to enjoy the winning baseball.