Cardinals 6 Mets 5: "Goodbye, Farwell, And Amen."

No, this isn't 2006, nor is it 2007 or 2008, but it is painful nonetheless. The last two nights the Mets blew leads late in the game, all at the hands of their inept and over-used bullpen.

One night it might be Beato, another night it might be Igarashi, and then there is still Carrasco and Parnell. The parts are inter-changeable, but the results are the same.

This team has kept us interested much longer than most, if not all, ever expected, but it doesn't make this free-fall any less frustrating. They battle like no other Mets team over the last many years, but the imploding they do is frightening. Last night I blame Collins over the Mets disbelief er, relief staff. Batista had pitched well, getting two outs, but then Collins had to make the switch to Herrera, the young left hander, to switch Berkman to his weaker right handed side. Berkman singled.

Then Collins made the switch to Beato, who promptly served up a three run bomb to Freese. "Goodby, Farewell, and Amen." That 1/2 inning summed up this Mets season perfectly. Play well, fight back, only to lose.

Unlike BJ Honeycutt, who in the final episode of M*A*S*H was unable to say goodbye to his best friend Hawkeye Pierce at the conclusion of the Korean War, I am able to say "goodbye" to the 2011 season. "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen."

Sources: M*A*S*H, CBS Sportsline