The weekend was dubbed "Shea Farewell." But the tears that flowed Sunday were for the Mets' failure to reach the postseason, not the end of the ballpark, which opened in 1964 and once housed the National Football League's Jets as well.
For a second consecutive year, the Marlins knocked out the Mets on the regular season's last day. The Brewers instead claimed the National League wild card. Last season, the Mets squandered a seven-game lead with 17 games to play, and the Phillies claimed the division on the season's final day. This time, the Mets had a 3 1/2-game NL East lead with 17 games remaining but couldn't even muster the wild card.
The elimination put a tremendous damper on an emotional postgame ceremony that included the return of Dwight Gooden to Shea Stadium for the first time since he represented the Yankees as a pitcher in 2000. The final ceremonial pitch at 6:23 p.m. was an offering from Hall of Famer Tom Seaver to Mike Piazza.
The Mets move into $800 million Citi Field next season. This will be the first time since the 1994 players' strike that no New York team will compete in the postseason.
"It feels like a wasted season," David Wright said.
Said Carlos Beltran: "It's disappointing, because it happened what happened last year -- with the same team."
MARLINS 4, METS 2: Scott Schoeneweis and Luis Ayala surrendered eighth-inning solo homers as the Mets were eliminated from postseason contention on the season's final day by Florida for a second straight year. Carlos Beltran's two-run homer in the sixth off Scott Olsen had tied the score.
