Mets lose, Mets lose!

After blowing a big September lead in the NL East, the Mets missed the playoffs Sunday when Glavine was battered for seven runs during the first inning of a season-ending 8-1 loss to the Florida Marlins. New York's defeat along with Philadelphia's 6-1 win over Washington gave the division title to the Phillies and sent the stunned Mets home wondering how they choked a seven-game lead with 17 to go in the regular season. No major league team had owned a lead of seven games or more with 17 to play and failed to finish in first place. New York, which had that margin on Sept. 12, matched the largest lead blown in September. The 1934 New York Giants (Sept. 6) and 1938 Pittsburgh Pirates (Sept. 1) and also led by seven games in the final month only to drop into a fatal tailspin.

"It's something that's going to take a while for us to get over," said Glavine, pitching for maybe the last time in his major league hall of fame career.

The only other New York collapse rivaling this is the trade center. Even Jean Van De Velde is calling the Mets a bunch of losers.