This is the end, the merciful end for the 2009 New York Mets. My only friend ... the end.This may, or may not be the end for Nelson Figueroa as a Met. If so, what an ending. And I know that Figueroa will probably never, ever read this. But if he does: Nelson, keep doing what you do, and keep being who you are. From hanging with the Youth Service League team from Brooklyn while you were in Buffalo, to remembering who they were when I brought them up in Washington while you were signing my baseball (and thanks for that, again), and everything in between, you've been nothing but a class act who's easy to root for. I'm sure even amongst this wasteland of a season, there will be fond memories that fans will take with them courtesy of yourself.
If the Mets were smart (and the jury's out on that), the minute you decide to hang 'em up they will hire you as a fan liaison and keep you around the ballpark for the sole purpose of making the fans feel good. Because people will forget what you do (and yes, that means that people will probably forget this game that you pitched, eventually), but they'll never forget how you made them feel. I'm not going to forget the ball you signed. I'm not going to forget how you didn't forget that youth team from Brooklyn. The Mets have made us feel like garbage for three seasons. You didn't. Don't forget that, ever.
That said, Snoop Manuel should be fired. Where was Nelson for the final game last year? Or the year before that? I know Snoop wasn't managing in '07, but I still blame him. Fire him, now. Because ... now they sweep the last series of the season, which makes the '09 Mets only slightly less useful than a screen door on a submarine. Dammit.
For those who stuck around here through the last few painful months, thanks and bless you ... seriously. For those that didn't, well you're probably not reading this now. But if you are, who the hell could blame you? Watching the Mets must have felt like homework lately. I can only imagine what reading the crap I spew on a daily basis must feel like. You're always welcome back, as I'm not going anywhere ... this month will be the one where we all try to figure out what we've learned this season. There will be refreshments.
But I'm looking forward to a few mental health days here and there, as I'm sure you are too. Rest in pieces, boys and girls.
