NY Mets: The three Marlins players that I despise the most

The New York Mets have enjoyed success against the Miami Marlins in their brief franchise history. The Mets have gone 246-216 against the Marlins franchise which was established in 1993.

The Marlins are the team that I hate the least in the National League East. This in large part is due to them never winning the division. They usually are at the bottom of the division, while the Braves, Phillies, and Nationals beat up on the Mets a lot more.

This rivalry really only exists because the Mets and Marlins because they play each other 19 times a year.

Every Met fan who hates the Marlins hates them for what they did at the end of the Mets tenure at Shea Stadium. In 2007 and 2008, the Mets were in prime position to make the playoffs. All they had to do was play competent baseball down the stretch and they would be in. Unfortunately, the Mets collapsed both years and were eliminated on the final day of the season both years by the same team. The Marlins.

The 2007 collapse is the more famous collapse of the two. The Mets had a seven-game lead in the division with 17 games left to play and lost 12 of their last 17 games. The last game of that season was at home against the Marlins with future Hall of Famer Tom Glavine on the mound.

Glavine was expected to show up due to his veteran presence and big-game experience but instead, he imploded, allowing seven first-inning runs and only recording one out. The Mets season would end with that 8-1 loss.

Now to 2008, the final season at Shea Stadium. The Mets held a three and a half-game lead in the division with 17 games to go. The Mets went on the blow that lead as well and had their season end on the final day at the hands of the Marlins. Johan Santana had pitched a three-hit shutout the day before to keep the Mets alive, but on the final day, the bullpen cost the Mets. Wes Helms and Dan Uggla hit back to back home runs in the eighth inning and New York lost the game 4-2, ending their season.

What makes these collapses more frustrating is the fact that the Marlins were not fighting for a playoff spot themselves. They played the role of spoiler as well as you possibly could, as Mets fans suffered through a tough final two seasons of Shea Stadium.

With the Mets only winning one division title since and the Marlins winning none, it’s safe to say these teams haven’t been too competitive in the National League East. The Mets have made the playoffs twice and the Marlins have once, but they both weren’t good at the same time.

While this isn’t a very heated rivalry, the Marlins still have had some players who I have disliked. Here are three that came to mind.