So when the players cleaned out their lockers and said goodbye Sunday afternoon, many not knowing their status for next season, we are led to believe by Wilpon that changes were already in the works the past few months.  Now the process of trades or free agency awaits all Mets fans in what could be a slow process to rebuild.

Upgrading at the plate, a power hitter at first base, a  good number two starter behind Johan Santana. Just the many tasks ahead for Minaya who knows, as well as Manuel, that one more year will be had at Citi Field if the mess of 2009 becomes a continuance in 2010.

Already gone from the clubhouse Sunday after the last pitch was Gary Sheffield. No presence of Carlos Delgado who packed his bags weeks ago and was home in Puerto Rico. Jose Reyes was preparing for surgery to that bad hamstring that put him on the disabled list on May 26^th.  And you heard from Minaya, and from Wilpon on Monday that if the right move had to be made a Reyes, even Carlos Beltran could be traded.

Mets fans want to hear that the injuries were not the sole reason for the dismal events of a season that saw a finish of 70-92. Even a season ending sweep of the Houston Astros will not leave any form of optimism for the fans who continued to come to Citi Field, over 3 million, and for every reason the novelty of a new ballpark is over so Minaya has to produce.

The ownership made that known, realizing his fans have to see a better product on the field.  So when Nelson Figueroa pitched that complete game four-hit shutout Sunday to close the season, the second for a Mets pitcher this season, there was a mood in that clubhouse that 2010 can be better.

If only their star players had stayed healthy. “Tough year for us,” said Carlos Beltran as he exchanged phone numbers with catcher Omir Santos, “We didn’t expect this coming out of spring training,” he said referring to the influx of injuries that also put him on the disabled list on June 22^nd with a bruised right knee.

Beltran would return in September, It had no impact because the season was lost which sparred, Mets fans from seeing a third straight September collapse. Figueroa who may or may have not pitched his way on the pitching staff next season said, “A lot of us were playing for jobs next year. I feel like I’ve earned a spot to be a major leaguer somewhere next year.”

But that may not be the direction that Minaya will take, even if the 33-year old Figueroa pitched the game of his career and wanted to make a statement. Wilpon says spending money again will not be an issue, and his Mets may once again have the highest payroll in the National League.

The free agent pool will not be the best. So trades may become a vehicle for Minaya. And don’t be surprised if one of the so-called “Core Players” that being Beltran or Reyes changes uniform if the proper deal is put on the table. The uncertainty of where they will be when spring training commences in February was definitely evident after that last pitch was thrown on Sunday.

Guys like Wilson Valdez knew it was last day in New York. And so goes for Anderson Hernandez, two of the infielders who tried to fill the void for Reyes in the infield. “It was good coming back here and I hope so,” said Anderson when asked about plans for next season.

Reyes is the catalyst as Minaya and Manuel know   With a healthy Reyes, the Mets can build around the core with Beltran, David Wright and their new addition in Jeff Francoeur. Angel Pagan showed some consistency at the plate but surly is a better option coming off the bench.

“I think I proved that I can play here and can come back and help this team, commented Pagan who finished fourth in the National League with 13 triples, and proving that Citi Field is a perfect place for hitting the triple. He was one of those Mets that persevered after a stint on the disabled list. “Turning the page and forgetting about it,” added Pagan about the season.

The Mets would finish a fraction of a point second to the Dodgers as the top hitting team in the National League. Their pitching staff issued the second most walks in baseball.  Blame the injuries, or the failure to run the bases properly, even the failure to drive in runs.

It was an entire season collapse instead of another disappointing end in September. And as they left their clubhouse the final time Sunday there was that attitude of failure, knowing that changes would be made. The coaching staff moves made Monday was not what Mets fans wanted to hear.

A long process it will be and Mets fans will have to be patient. They don’t want to hear that Mets players spent more than 1,480 days on the disabled list, eight former all-stars. They don’t want to hear Manuel say as he did Sunday, “For the most part it was a failure,”

Now it up to the manager and more importantly the general manager, to make sure the next season is not a failure. If not Minaya and Manuel are gone and probably a lot of fans will follow them out the door.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

And it was fitting that Martinez would put an unofficial end to this dismal season for the Mets and their fans. Martinez has said, before he put his name on a Phillies contract that he wanted to return to New York and help the Mets. Health was an issue as to why Mets GM Omar Minaya bypassed Martinez, but look who is getting the last laugh.

Martinez has fooled all of the skeptics that he was finished after rotator cuff surgery.  His performance Sunday evening, throwing any pitch with good command and throwing 130 pitches resembled the Martinez days when he wore a uniform with the Boston Red Sox.

Maybe it was all business as to why Minaya would not take the chance.  Perhaps it was better for Pedro, now 5-0 in his comeback and heading to the postseason, while his former team goes home in two weeks and begins the rebuilding process. In the end, Pedro is the winner.

Now it no longer matters who was on the disabled list. That Jose Reyes missed all but two months of the season. That Carlos Delgado could return and play the final two weeks of the schedule, no doubt to audition for a job with another team next April.  It does matter that Carlos Beltran sit down and continue to get strong for next April as a bruised knee has not completely heeled.

Citi Field next Friday evening will in all probability see many no-shows when the Mets return for their next to final home stand of the season next Friday hosting the lowly Washington Nationals. That alone should tell the story.

The humiliation is over.  A team and organization with the highest payroll in the National League will not have a third consecutive September collapse.  But we began to get that feeling in June, even though there was still a pennant race with the Phillies, when Beltran went down with his knee issue.

Only the die hard fans will come to desolate Citi Field next week. Hopefully owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon, and Minaya take notice. You can point to the numerous injuries to position players, injuries to a pitching staff that were unfortunate contributors to a lost season.  You can point to Manager Jerry Manuel perhaps not being the man to start the rebuilding process in 2010.

Agree or disagree with the moves Minaya made last off-season that the bullpen was his only emphasis to putting a winning ball club on the field.  Plenty of decisions to be made this off season and still two weeks left to ponder some of the many decisions Minaya has to make, that is if the GM still has a job.

What matters now is two more weeks of misery.  The Mets can play out the schedule and have some fun for a change   It hasn’t been fun watching this fiasco unfold and Mets fans won’t have to cross their fingers and bite their nails the rest of this September, like they had to do with the last two collapses in September.

The Mets won’t collapse this September because that unfolded months ago and at least that is a relief!

e-mail Rich Mancuso:  Ring 786@aol.com

Apparently none of the turmoil, surrounding the dismissal of Tony Bernazzard, the Director of Player Personnel and Minaya accusing a beat reporter, Adam Rubin of lobbying for Berazzard’s job, has affected the team.  Wilpon addressed the issue before the game with media on the field and then the Mets did their job.

They won another ballgame, and for now, winning for the Mets has become the remedy to put some rest to all of the controversy and soap opera drama that has been a major part of this Mets baseball season.

“We’re just playing better baseball,” said starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey about the Mets current winning streak, their longest since May 25-29.  Pelfrey (8-6) won his third straight start against the Rockies, going 6.1 scoreless innings, allowing seven hits and three walks, striking out five. He also got out of two bases loaded jams twice retiring Clint Barms in the fourth and sixth innings.

Mets manager Jerry Manuel commented that the players don’t pay attention to what has been going off the field   His focus has been to hopefully see things turn around, with the team that he has. The injured players, in particular Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado continue their rehab programs with hopes they will be back in the lineup soon. At the same time, Manuel hoped for some better baseball and the Mets have responded.

“As his season goes along he eventually gets stronger,” said Manuel about Pelfrey. The meets pitching staff during this streak has a 2.25 ERA.  And before winning games resumed an important part of the lineup, Luis Castillo, continued to stay hot. He went 1-3 and drove in one of the Mets runs, and over the last 18 games has a .543 on base percentage which is the best in baseball.

“The thing about Louie is we have found a way to work around his game,” said Manuel about his second baseman.”He has a lot of energy and confidence.” And that comment stems from how Manuel saw Castillo prepare during spring training, and how Castillo has managed to adjust whether he is placed second or eighth in the batting order.

The Rockies have now lost 20 of their last 22 games against the Mets that go back to Shea Stadium and now Citi Field. And suddenly the Mets with their second straight win over Colorado, are creeping slowly back into the NL wild card race. They picked up two games on the Rockies and trail them by 5/1-2 games in the standings.

And for a change things have been going the Mets way. The hitting has been timely, the pitching respectable, and on the field plays are going their way. An eighth inning play that went to the Mets advantage would not have gone in their favor the past month. Castillo was clearly out at the plate trying to score from second on a hit by Daniel Murphy.

In the four game streak the Mets have not committed an error, another indication as to how, at least for the moment, the tide has turned. Every run scored Tuesday came when the leadoff man got on base.  Daniel Murphy doubled and came around in the second inning. Alex Cora singled in the second and scored, Murphy would walk and score again in the fourth and Castillo walked and scored the Mets final run in the eighth.

Pedro Feliciano got five straight outs in relief, and Sean Green finished it up.  David Wright extended his hitting streak to seven games and Daniel Murphy now has hit in five straight. And the Mets infield handled three double plays, something they could not do right against the lowly Washington Nationals last week.

So everything is going right for the Mets right now, despite the fact one of their big scoreboards in right field out of commission the entire night.  “It feels good to win and that starts with our starting pitching,” said Wright who had two hits.

“Omar made a mistake and he admitted it,” said Wilpon speaking about his embattled GM. “We have to get the guys back on track,” he said about his team.”  It is apparent the Mets are on the right track, at least for the moment. In this season that has provided a little bit of everything but winning, maybe we have seen the last of the unexpected.

Game three of the four games series continues Wednesday evening, 7:10pm at Citi Field  Right hander Jason Hammel (5-5) gets the start for Colorado and Johan Santana (11-8) will get the ball for New York.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

The hit was supposed to be a bunt to move runners over which showed a part of his competitive edge. Then there was that move by Manuel, pulling Santana from a game which the Mets eventually won 6-5 in the opener of a three game series with the first place Phillies.

But the talk was about Santana, and the combined seven home runs, three by the Mets and four by the Phils at Citi Field. Santana is the ace of a Mets pitching staff that is fourth in the National League. And with injuries that have taken on toll on this team, in particular to Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes, every time Santana takes the mound it is more significant.

“I just told him ‘that I feel good,’” was the explanation Santana gave to Manuel when he was removed from the game with obvious aggravation shown on his face.  But there was that competitive edge that Manuel also heard when Santana said, according to Manuel, “I’m a man, I’m a man.”

There has been talk that Manuel and Santana are having some differences about the pitch counts and when Santana has had enough. But every Mets fan knows, and so does the team, that they love the competitive edge their ace pitcher provides on the mound.

“What he means by that I don’t know,” said Manuel regarding Santana’s comments about being a man. “He’s a competitor,” added Manuel about his ace, also dispelling any thoughts that their meeting at the mound was something more.

To his credit, Santana, who is 4-0 in eight starts against the Phillies, probably believed he could go another inning. But these three games against Philadelphia are important as the Mets are in a stretch of games this week that also include three against the cross-town New York Yankees in the Bronx starting Friday evening.

Santana is scheduled to pitch the final game of that series Sunday afternoon. “I’m not trying to show anybody up or anything,” said Santana when asked about being removed from the game in which he gave up home runs to Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez, Jimmy Rollins and the last one to Chase Utley in the eighth inning.\

“I just felt that I had enough stuff to battle through it,” he said. “But he thought different, he’s my skipper and I respect everything he does.”  But Manuel saw the vintage Santana changeup, for a second straight start hanging to the Philly hitters who as a team lead the National League in home runs.

The seven home runs combined, also long balls hit by the Mets Carlos Beltran, his team leading 8^th, David Wright number 4, and Ryan Church his 2^nd, was a record in the short span of Citi Field history.

“He hung his pitches and when you hang those type of pitches against those hitters they are going to hit them out of the park,” said Manuel about the home runs hit by Howard, Ibanez, Rollins, and Utley. Howard hit his 18^th in the fourth inning and Ibanez his 20^th also in the same inning, as Santana allowed back-to-back home runs for the first time since  July 17^th 2008 at Cincinnati.

And the four home runs given up by Santana in a game was done once before when he was a member of the Minnesota Twins on July 23, 2007 at Toronto. And that double which came on an 0-2 count, that was supposed to be a bunt, was Santana’s first RBI since last July 27^th and gave the Mets a 5-4 lead in the 6^th.

“I really feel proud of it, because, you know I haven’t been able to do much, the hitting but tonight I think it was the difference in the game..” And at that time it was a difference because Santana once again showed his competitive edge, indeed at a time when the Mets need it.

They have not been getting the offense, 28^th in baseball when it comes to the home run ball.  And Manuel has been utilizing a make ship lineup with all of the injuries that have also occurred to others. Fernando Tatis and Daniel Murphy have been hitting a combined .165 the past month with the absences of Delgado and Reyes.

The bullpen did the rest including Pedro Feliciano who induced a double play ground ball to Ryan Howard in the eighth. And Francisco Rodriquez remained perfect saving his 16^th straight game and preserving a win for Santana now 8-3 on the season.

Only two strikeouts for Santana in seven innings and the home run ball may be a concern, but Citi Field with the warmer weather setting in may have suddenly become the other home run park in New York

“The jury is still out,’ said Manuel about the sudden home run surge at Citi Field. “Until we feel we are healthy every game is a big game for us,” he said.  And every time Santana takes the mound it is becoming more evident the type of competitive edge he brings.