It's bad enough being a Mets fan in '09, but it could be worse

For the second year in a row, the Phillies are in the World Series, and it doesn't help that their crosstown rivals posted the best record in the majors and are one game away from the World Series. 

The Mets were the biggest disappointment of the 2009 season, finishing in 4th place with a 70-92 record. Could you imagine anything worse?

How about this: ESPN.com's Keith Law confirmed an old rumor that the Blue Jays turned down an offer that would have sent 19-year old prospect David Wright to the Blue Jays for outfielder Jose Cruz Jr. (Law worked for the Blue Jays before switching to journalism) Cruz was coming off a great 2001 season, hitting a career high 34 home runs, but had regressed coming into a contract year.

The Mets were willing to take the half-season rental, but the Blue Jays didn't feel the return was enough.

Before the start of the 2002 season, then-Mets GM Steve Phillips traded a package of young players that included Matt Lawton and Alex Escobar to the Indians for All-Star Roberto Alomar. The eight-player blockbuster was one of the biggest deals of the offseason, but only few people know how close the Indians were to landing All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes as well. 

The Indians did not have much information on the young shortstop at the time and were content with taking outfielder Alex Escobar instead. 

Both Wright and Reyes had down years in 2009, but have played major roles in the Mets' success in prior years. How would this team look without those two on the left side of the infield?