In their history, one item the Mets have been expert at is not making the playoffs.
Begin with the Mets having only reached the playoffs 11 times in their first 63 seasons. Rarer still, they are trying this year to make the postseason in consecutive seasons for the third time.
What is more familiar to their history is disappointment in failing to reach the tournament — build ups and letdowns and/or getting tantalizingly close just not to gain October entry. There are some real lulus, but none worse than blowing a seven-game lead to the Phillies with 17 to play in 2007.
But what the current Mets have opened themselves up for with their poor play the past two months is arguably the most dismaying playoff miss in their history. That might be tinged by recency bias. Nevertheless, there are many reasons to believe failing to get in would be seminal for the franchise:
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
