Sheffield's drive for 500 must wait

CHICAGO -- Gary Sheffield's chase for 500 home runs will have to wait for next year. Still, don't expect him to sweat it. It's just another reason for him to look forward to next season.

After a September surge left the veteran slugger on the brink of joining the 500 home run club, including two homers on Friday to get to 499, Sheffield went homerless over the final three games of the season. He went 0-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch and a strikeout in Monday's season finale against the White Sox.

As nice as it would've been, however, Sheffield didn't sound like a disappointed slugger.

"I would've loved to have done it," Sheffield said after the game, "but I would've liked to do it at home."

His two shots at home included his family watching from one of the ballpark suites. Sheffield's uncle, former Major League pitching great Dwight Gooden, came to watch him on Saturday. Gooden had hoped to make it to Chicago for Monday's game, but he didn't get there.

Thus, the pressure was off for the season finale. It didn't make a difference.

"I was more so pressing [Sunday] than today," Sheffield said. "I was just trying to do whatever it took to win today. That's just the way it goes sometimes."

White Sox starter Gavin Floyd hit Sheffield with a pitch in the opening inning, then fell behind him in the count again in the third before recovering for a called third strike that Sheffield contested with home-plate umpire Mike DiMuro. Sheffield hit into a fielder's choice to end the top of the fifth inning before flying out to center in the seventh.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland batted Sheffield second in the lineup for the second straight game to potentially get the slugger an extra at-bat. The game ended with Sheffield on deck.

Sheffield has talked more than once over the past month about how much he looks forward to next season. Now that he feels healthy, with his right shoulder strong, he'll have a chance to go through his regular offseason routine for the first time in about five years. The home run feat will simply add to list of things to look forward to.

Twins go from spectators to participants

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins gathered in their clubhouse at the Metrodome on Monday for a tense afternoon. They became Detroit fans for a day and then experienced the frustration that has accompanied that designation so often this year as the Tigers suffered their 88th loss.

Chicago's 8-2 victory over the Tigers ensured the Twins would play a one-game tiebreaker against the White Sox for the American League Central crown on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on TBS and is also available on MLB.TV. Minnesota had a free-roll on this day, however, as a Detroit victory would have clinched the division title for the Twins and averted the one-game playoff.

"It was a little nerve-wracking, like all the fans out there watching the game tonight," Nick Punto said. "But it's a lot more fun to celebrate when you have your uniform on and you're in that clubhouse -- you earn it. We have to go earn it, and we're looking forward to going out there and beating Chicago."

A vast majority of the team left without speaking to the media -- averting eye contact with the throng gathered outside the clubhouse and striding quickly from the stadium after learning their fate -- so whether players were frustrated or determined is left to speculation.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't kick myself or get a little upset," Punto said of watching Alexei Ramirez's sixth-inning grand slam off Detroit reliever Gary Glover that all but clinched the game for the White Sox. "But it is what it is. We have business to take care of in Chicago, and that's the bottom line."

A few players showed up at the Metrodome around 1:05 p.m. CT, the scheduled first pitch at U.S. Cellular Field. But a rain delay pushed the start time back three hours and four minutes, making for a long day.

Punto said the clubhouse atmosphere during the game was "pretty calm." A poker tournament was also held to pass the time. Several players, however, left in the seventh inning -- not incoincidently after Ramirez's shot put Chicago up 6-2.

The club was originally scheduled to fly out at 8 p.m. CT. Despite the delay, the team's travel plans weren't altered significantly. The game ended around 7:30 p.m. CT and the team departed almost immediately to head to the airport.

"We played good against Chicago this year," Punto said. "It's a little different in this Metrodome than it is there. But we feel real confident in the way we're playing right now and looking forward to going out there and beating Ozzie [Guillen] and the White Sox."

Nation turns out to cheer on club

BOSTON -- For the fifth time in six seasons, the Red Sox are making their way to the postseason, looking for their third World Series title in five years. It's beginning to seem like a common occurrence in the New England area to have Sox baseball extend to October, and the faithful came out to celebrate on Monday afternoon at Fenway Park.

An estimated 900 fans headed through Fenway's gates for the 2008 Postseason Rally Monday presented by Bank of America and hosted by NESN, gathering just behind the Boston dugout down the first-base line to cheer and support the Sox.

Boston clinched its 2008 playoff berth on Tuesday with a 5-4 win over the Cleveland Indians, then officially became the American League Wild Card entrant with a loss to the Yankees on Friday -- effectively eliminating themselves from AL East contention.

On Monday, NESN anchor Tom Caron and studio analyst Lou Merloni hosted the event, which featured appearances by manager Terry Francona and players Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay.

Local band Quest, hailing from Roxbury, Mass., took part in the festivities and played songs in between speeches by the members of the Red Sox organization. It was a celebration of just how well the club has played throughout the past six years, and as a reward there were songs that became staples of an evening at Fenway Park played throughout the event.

"Sweet Caroline," "Wild Thing" and "I'm Shipping Up To Boston" (the last two songs synonymous with Jonathan Papelbon's entrance into a ballgame), and "Tessie" all proudly streamed through the loud speakers.

It was the fourth time in five years that the Sox had such an event take place. Major League Baseball began the rallies in 2004 as a way for fans to celebrate advancement to postseason play.

The Red Sox hosted the event at Fenway in 2004 and '05, then took the rally to City Hall plaza in '07 before returning to the ballpark this year.

The event, which was televised live by NESN, will be replayed at 8 p.m. ET on Monday night.

Rebuilding of Mets officially begins

NEW YORK -- The dismantling of Shea Stadium began in earnest Monday at 12:01 a.m., some seven hours after the reconstruction of the ballpark's primary tenant began. Barry Meisel, president of The MeiGray Group, the folks who have purchased and now are selling the ballpark -- clock, sock and Darryl -- began making plans, digging up sod and removing tons of what George Carlin used to call "stuff."

At the same time, Omar Minaya and the other folks in charge of making others forget the last two Septembers had drawn the first lines of the orange and blueprint for the Mets' first season playing in Son of Shea.

No matter how difficult the task of flattening the old place may be, fixing the Mets is bound to be more involved and challenging. Clearly, The MeiGray Group knows where to start, and that time is of the essence. Shea becomes off limits to the Group at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 13. If another copy of Bob Murphy's contract for 1974 and '75 is found -- one was found in a closet adjacent to the pressroom in the mid-1990s -- after the deadline, it will belong to the deconstruction guys who follow.

Minaya's deadline isn't so urgent; his mission is, though. And quite so. And where does he start? Left field, second base, the rotation, the bullpen or the backbone? The general manager considers David Wright, Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran the core of the team, and Johan Santana and Mike Pelfrey are core pitchers. Beltran, 31, is the oldest of the five, so several more years of optimum performance can be expected. But two seasons already have produced less reward than anticipated. And two September slides haven't prompted smiles from the fan base.

Greater success next season is Minaya's mandate. Part of the Mets' lament in 2007 was, "We needed to win one more game." And they did that in 2008, increasing their total to 89, and they still were a victory short. Marginal improvement probably won't suffice in 2009. It didn't in 2008, but it already has put Minaya and his manager, Jerry Manuel, in position for contract extensions and convinced the club to exercise its option on the contract of Carlos Delgado. The latter must be accomplished within five days of the end of the World Series the Mets wanted to host.

Minaya wasn't saying much at Shea on Monday.

"I promise to try to find a way," is what he said. But he said he knows what the job and the market demand. "It's not about [finishing in] second place," he said. He did note that the team had four players who had MVP-type seasons -- Delgado, Wright, Reyes, and Beltran, but he also said: "You have to ask yourself how do you score five runs in a weekend," a reference to the last three games -- two losses -- to the Marlins. And he noted how susceptible the Mets became to left-handed pitching once Fernando Tatis went down.

But he offered few specifics. Other people, though -- those equally familiar with the Mets' thinking -- indicated Monday that:

• Pedro Martinez is unlikely to return

• No steps will be taken toward finding a more suitable -- read productive and reliable -- second baseman until the club has a sense it can deal expensive quasi-incumbent Luis Castillo. Also, Damion Easley, despite the production he provided at second base, is not likely to return.

• Despite his strong showing this season and the plan to have him play second base in the Arizona Fall League, Daniel Murphy is most likely to be a platoon left fielder.

• The club is quite aware the contract demands of Scott Boras client Oliver Perez are likely to be exorbitant. The Mets are interested in re-signing the potential free agent, but they already are asking, "At what price?"

• The Mets still need at least one more starting pitcher -- and two if Perez bolts. And one will have to be a 200-innings guy.

And none of that addresses the bullpen or the need for a closer. The Mets know Francisco Rodriguez is eligible for free agency. But, given all the other areas that need to be addressed, Brian Fuentes is a more likely target for them.

Minaya said: "We'll be open to everything. You don't lock yourself in. We're open to consider everything, [because] we're not playing this week. We have the talent to be playing."

Minaya added: "We have a tough challenge ahead of us."

No one argued that point.

Disappointing loss ends Mets' season

NEW YORK -- Shortly after this latest and final defeat, the rather apt conclusion to an unfathomable demise, the Mets kept themselves busy selecting adjectives to explain what no one completely understood.

"Frustrated," was what David Wright chose, and perhaps that's most apt. The Mets' 4-2 loss to the Marlins on Sunday left him and his teammates rightly frustrated, victims yet again of something beyond the grasp of even their baseball understanding.

"Heartbroken," Ryan Church selected, and that one also seemed to fit. Blowing a 3 1/2-game lead with 17 games to play could humble even the proudest Mets, especially once viewed through the prism of last season.

"Disappointed," Damion Easley said, after pondering for a moment. "I could come up with more. But that's enough."

The rest of his teammates -- a pacing, frazzled group still quite unsure of what to do with themselves -- one by one began to agree.

"I really don't know what else to say," said Scott Schoeneweis, Sunday's losing pitcher. "There's nothing to say."

"I have no more words," Carlos Beltran added, walking away.

Beltran had already used his most pointed words early in Spring Training, trumpeting his opinion that the Mets, and not the Phillies, were the team to beat in the National League East. It was a play on Jimmy Rollins' preseason proclamation from the prior season, when Rollins and his Phillies precipitated the Mets' historic collapse. Up seven games in the standings with 17 to play, the Mets lost six of their final seven games to miss the postseason.

Since the final out of that final game of 2007, the Mets have been unable to take a step, nor utter a word, without drawing comparisons to last September. Perhaps they didn't begin this season as favorites to make the playoffs, even despite Beltran's outspoken confidence. But they played themselves back into that position, building a 3 1/2-game division lead with 17 to play.

That was the first parallel, followed in rapid succession by a string of others. The deeper the Mets descended into September, the more they began to resemble last year's group, stewards of a fair bit of unwanted history.

The final homestand
• Mets greats, fans say goodbye
• Mays' presence inspires awe
• Farewell comes too soon
• Amazin' greats take last look
• Shea's list of lasts
• Fans remember the magic
• Memorable moments: 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1
• Great moments at Shea Stadium
• Bauman: Saying goodbye to Shea
• Doc, Straw took Shea by storm
• Memories: Tom Seaver | Keith Hernandez
• Shea continues to embrace 1969, 1986
• Shea Stadium-Citi Field FAQ
• Farewell Shea Stadium: Complete coverage

Sights and Sounds

Shea La Vie: MLB.com covers closing

Legends reflect after finale

A Shea retrospective

Legendary Mets gather at Shea

Piazza shares Shea memories

Tom's terrific memories

Summers of '69 and '86 revisited

Shea Stadium in pictures

The finale: Pregame | Fans | Game action | Ceremony
The history: 1964-1980 | 1986-2000 | 2000-2007

They jumped out to early leads, but couldn't tack on runs. They received strong starting pitching, but inadequate support from the bullpen. And so after the final Friday of the season, they found themselves staring at second place in the NL Wild Card standings. The Phillies had already clinched the division, but the Mets were now chasing the Brewers. And they were doing so with almost eerie symmetry.

They won Saturday, beating the Marlins on Johan Santana's impressive pitching, just as they had a year ago when John Maine dazzled Shea. Then, riding all that momentum and even a perception of near-invincibility, they lost. The Marlins returned to Shea Stadium and beat the Mets, knocking them out of the playoffs for the second successive season.

"We just didn't get it done," manager Jerry Manuel said.

Jose Reyes let out a long, low sigh, almost a whistle.

"I don't know what happened," he said. "But it's kind of hard to swallow this one. I don't want to go home."

Sunday's loss was rather unlike the one that occurred one year prior. The Mets had a chance in this game until their final at-bat, when Church, with a man on base, sent a fly ball nearly to the warning track in center field.

Innings earlier, Beltran had tied the game with a two-run homer, giving the Mets new life on a day that was all about staying alive. And Oliver Perez pitched admirably on three days' rest, allowing three hits and one run before leaving in the midst of a critical sixth inning -- but otherwise performing as well as Manuel might have hoped.

Yet the bullpen, culprits for so much of this season, folded. Joe Smith entered in relief of Perez and walked in a run, before Schoeneweis and Luis Ayala allowed back-to-back home runs to Wes Helms and Dan Uggla to lead off the eighth.

Only moments later, Shea Stadium's scoreboard, on what turned out to be its last day of use, burned an uncomfortable truth into the afternoon sky: Brewers 3, Cubs 1. The Mets' NL Wild Card competitors had claimed their first lead of the day, doubly vexing the Mets.

"We should have locked this up a long time ago," Church said. "It doesn't feel good. I'm hurting right now."

They all were. From Pedro Martinez -- who may never pitch again in the Majors -- all the way down to rookies Daniel Murphy and Nick Evans, the Mets were hurting. This was not a "done deal in Spring Training," as Moises Alou likened the team's playoff chances last season. But the Mets made it into something worth pursuing, even providing evidence that this might be different, quite different than last year.

In the end, however, in the clubhouse where the team could no longer hide behind hope and potential, several Mets milled around quietly and said their goodbyes. They were practiced in coping with situations such as these, and they remained acutely aware that Sunday's loss would follow them all winter, all spring, even deep into next season.

The Mets knew, also, that on this day, in this room, there was nothing more that they could do.

"It burns," Wright said. "It's a bad feeling. And this is just the beginning."

2007MetsPhilliesMets' Lead2008MetsPhilliesMets' Lead 9/1 Won @ ATL, 5-1 Lost @ FLA, 12-6 3 9/1 Won @ MIL, 4-2 Lost @ WSH, 7-4 2 9/2 Won @ ATL, 3-2 Lost @ FLA, 7-6 4 9/2 Won @ MIL, 6-5 Won @ WSH, 4-0 2 9/3 Won @ CIN, 10-4 Lost @ ATL, 5-1 5 9/3 Won @ MIL, 9-2 Lost @ WSH, 9-7 3 9/4 Won @ CIN, 11-7 Won @ ATL, 5-2 5 9/4 Off Off 3 9/5 Lost @ CIN, 7-0 Lost @ ATL, 9-8 5 9/5 Lost vs PHI, 3-0 Won @ NYM, 3-0 2 9/6 Off Off 5 9/6 Rain out Rain out 2 9/7 Won vs HOU, 11-3 Lost vs FLA, 6-3 6 9/7 Split DH with PHI Split DH with NYM 2 9/8 Won vs HOU, 3-1 Won vs FLA, 9-1 6 9/8 Off Won vs FLA, 8-6 1.5 9/9 Won vs HOU, 4-1 Won vs FLA, 8-5 6 9/9 Won vs WSH, 10-8 Lost vs FLA, 10-8 2.5 9/10 Won vs ATL, 3-2 Won vs COL, 6-5 6 9/10 Won vs WSH, 13-10 Lost vs FLA, 7-3 3.5 9/11 Lost vs ATL, 13-5 Lost vs COL, 8-2 6 9/11 Off Won vs MIL, 6-3 3 9/12 Won vs ATL, 4-3 Lost vs COL, 12-0 7 9/12 Rain out Rain out 3 9/13 Off Won vs COL, 12-4 6.5 9/13 Split DH with ATL Won vs MIL, 7-3 2.5 9/14 Lost vs PHI, 3-2 Won @ NYM, 3-2 5.5 9/14 Lost vs ATL, 7-4 Won DH from MIL 1 9/15 Lost vs PHI, 5-3 Won @ NYM, 5-3 4.5 9/15 Lost @ WSH, 7-2 Off 0.5 9/16 Lost vs PHI, 10-6 Won @ NYM, 10-6 3.5 9/16 Lost @ WSH, 1-0 Won vs ATL, 8-7 -0.5 9/17 Lost @ WSH, 12-4 Won @ STL, 13-11 2.5 9/17 Won @ WSH, 9-7 Won @ ATL, 6-1 -0.5 9/18 Lost @ WSH, 9-8 Won @ STL, 7-4 1.5 9/18 Won @ WSH 7-2 Won @ ATL, 4-3 -0.5 9/19 Won @ WSH, 8-4 Lost @ STL, 2-1 2.5 9/19 Won @ ATL, 9-5 Lost @ FLA, 14-8 0.5 9/20 Lost @ FLA, 8-7 Won @ WSH, 7-6 1.5 9/20 Lost @ ATL, 4-2 Won @ FLA, 3-2 -0.5 9/21 Won @ FLA, 9-6 Won @ WSH, 6-3 1.5 9/21 Lost @ ATL, 7-6 Won @ FLA, 5-2 -1.5 9/22 Won @ FLA, 7-2 Won @ WSH, 4-1 1.5 9/22 Lost vs. CHC, 9-5 Won vs. ATL, 6-2 -2.5 9/23 Won @ FLA, 7-6 Lost @ WSH, 5-3 2.5 9/23 Won vs. CHC, 6-2 Lost vs. ATL, 3-2 -1.5 9/24 Lost vs WSH, 13-4 Off 2 9/24 Lost vs. CHC, 9-6 Lost vs. ATL, 10-4 -1.5 9/25 Lost vs WSH, 10-9 Lost vs ATL, 10-6 2 9/25 Won vs CHC, 7-6 Off -1 9/26 Lost vs WSH, 9-6 Won vs. ATL, 5-2 1 9/26 Lost vs FLA, 6-1 Won vs. WSH, 8-4 -2 9/27 Lost vs STL, 3-0 Won vs ATL, 6-4 Tied 9/27 Won vs FLA, 2-0 Won vs. WSH, 4-3 -2 9/28 Lost vs FLA, 7-4 Won vs WSH, 6-0 -1 9/28 Lost vs FLA, 4-2 Won vs WSH, 8-3 -3 9/29 Won vs FLA, 13-0 Lost vs WSH, 4-2 Tied 9/30 Lost vs FLA, 8-1 Won vs WSH, 6-1 -1

Mays' presence inspires awe at Shea

NEW YORK -- One last time, the legend was on hand to say "hey" to New York fans at Shea Stadium.

The mere mention of his name creates a roar from the crowd, as generations recognize him as synonymous with greatness.

Willie Mays, 77, received among the loudest cheers when introduced as part of the closing ceremonies at Shea Stadium late Sunday afternoon.

In 1973, the "Say Hey Kid" retired with the Mets, after a year in which New York reached the World Series before falling in seven games to Oakland.

Mays avoided much of the fanfare surrounding the cast of former Mets who made Sunday so memorable. From 11 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. ET, New York icons Ron Swoboda, Jerry Koosman, Bud Harrelson, Darryl Strawberry, Ed Kranepool, Yogi Berra, Dwight Gooden and Tom Seaver -- "The Franchise" -- walked across a soggy red carpet into Shea Stadium. Despite a steady drizzle, hundreds of fans pressed against railings to cheer on their favorite Mets.

Sporadically, they'd begin chanting "Let's Go Mets!"

At the time, many players were under umbrellas. With inclement conditions, Mays wasn't part of the red-carpet parade.

But his presence was felt after. In a touching postgame ceremony, Mays was among the last names introduced. He entered from right field and made his way to the infield, giving high fives to fans who extended their hands to connect with the legend.

"Willie always said that you were going to have to rip that jersey off him," said Harrelson, Mays' teammate in 1973. "Willie loved to play. I think he's the greatest player ever to play this game."

Wearing his hat high on his head and a white No. 24 Mets jersey, Mays stood near first base. A few minutes later, Seaver was standing next to him, two Hall of Famers of tremendous acclaim talked briefly.

Mays played with the Giants -- first in New York and then San Francisco -- from 1951-72 before he was dealt to the Mets.

On Sunday, he crossed home plate one final time at Shea Stadium.

The final homestand
• Mets greats, fans say goodbye
• Mays' presence inspires awe
• Farewell comes too soon
• Amazin' greats take last look
• Shea's list of lasts
• Fans remember the magic
• Memorable moments: 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1
• Great moments at Shea Stadium
• Bauman: Saying goodbye to Shea
• Doc, Straw took Shea by storm
• Memories: Tom Seaver | Keith Hernandez
• Shea continues to embrace 1969, 1986
• Shea Stadium-Citi Field FAQ
• Farewell Shea Stadium: Complete coverage

Sights and Sounds

A Shea retrospective

Legendary Mets gather at Shea

Piazza shares Shea memories

Summers of '69 and '86 revisited

Tom's terrific memories

Keith Hernandez and Shea

Seaver's near perfect game

Amazin' Mets managers

Legacy of Doc and Straw

Billy Joel: Last Play at Shea

Shea Stadium in pictures

1964-1980 | 1986-2000 | 2000-2007

As players lined up down the first- and third-base lines, Mays led the way. Walking from first to home, the legend paused at the plate, reached down and, with his right hand, swiped home.

The crowd erupted once more.

A few seconds later, Mays headed behind home plate and exited out of sight, his left hand raised high, waving goodbye.

To those who played with or against him or saw him play, Mays is in a class by himself.

"I was in awe of him, because he was my idol, my hero," Koosman said.

Koosman, one of the all-time best Mets, insists Mays retired too soon.

"He's a very good friend of mine. On the road, I would be with him every day and talk baseball," Koosman said. "I begged him not to quit, because he was still our best player when he quit. Why would you want your best player to quit?"

Mays' body was saying otherwise.

"He said, 'I'm tired, Koos,'" Koosman recalled. "Willie Mays had the best instincts of any player I've ever seen. He taught me how to steal second base. I stole 10 times one year, but I never got credit for it, because it was either a wild pitch or a passed ball. But 10 times, [I advanced] because he taught me how."

Harrelson grew up in the San Francisco area revering Mays. When Mays joined the Mets in the twilight of his career, Harrelson was upset if players would have the audacity to even slap the "Say Hey Kid" on the back.

"For me, I grew up in the San Francisco Bay area. He was a God to me," Harrelson said. "I got mad at guys who were touching him. That's just the way I was. You don't deserve to touch him like that.

"He called me Pee Wee. Yogi called me Pee Wee. So he called me Pee Wee or Shorty."

Hall of Famer Tony Perez, a special assistant for the Marlins, was at the park on Sunday.

"I used to be a fan playing against [Mays]," Perez said. "The way he played and he hit, played the outfield, ran the bases ... he was amazing.

"When I played against Willie Mays in San Francisco, I couldn't believe it. I heard so much about him and I watched him on TV when I was in the Minor Leagues. That is something you cannot describe. I was a fan watching him play."

Among Hall of Famers, Perez says other players wanted to perform the way Mays did.

"I used to watch him hit and try to pick up something," said Perez, an integral member of the Cincinnati Reds' dynasty in the '70s. "I saw an interview of him, and they asked him why he hit .340 or .350 every year. He said, 'When I faced the great pitchers, if I got one hit, it was a great day for me. But the other pitchers, I'd get three or four hits off.' I remembered that was the truth, because the good pitchers are going to get you out. You cannot let the mediocre pitchers get you out."

Shea farewell comes too soon for fans

NEW YORK -- Sally Spiller has been a season-ticket holder at Shea Stadium for the last 14 years, driving up from Philadelphia to find seasonal satisfaction from her beloved Mets. At the start of the eighth inning on Sunday, her eyes began to well up.

Then she openly cried.

"Just coming here has been great," she said on the concourse near her Section 2 mezzanine seats behind home plate. "I'd rather still come to games here. It's got a sentimental charm. It's one of the last of a dying breed."

Moments later, Wes Helms delivered a pinch-hit homer for Florida to break a 2-2 tie. Then Dan Uggla added another solo homer to give the Marlins a 4-2 lead. Just after that, the Shea scoreboard showed the news that compounded the problem for a sellout crowd of 56,059: Milwaukee was coming from behind to take a late lead over the Chicago Cubs, and on the verge of closing Shea history here and now.

Then it became official: History was not only made with Shea permanently closed for baseball, but it also repeated itself in the form of the Mets being eliminated at home by the Marlins. It happened on the final Sunday a year ago. It happened again here, in front of the fans who held such hope, many of them with signs saying things like: "Never Shea Goodbye."

Their theme was: It won't end on this day.

It did. The Brewers' simultaneous 3-1 victory over the Cubs assured it, giving Milwaukee the National League Wild Card and New York nothing but an early start to the offseason. The fans here could imagine the feelings coursing through the veins of those Brewers fans at Miller Park -- how lucky to feel that way. Here, there was numbing sadness in the end. Everything comes to an end, ballparks like these, but this came too early for them.

They won't even see a one-game tiebreaker with the Brewers. Shea is just gone now, a final postgame tribute to follow the last pitch, but a formality to be followed soon by a wrecking ball. Citi Field looms out beyond left field like a majestic wonder, like progress set against an American time gone by.

The final homestand
• Mets greats, fans say goodbye
• Mays' presence inspires awe
• Farewell comes too soon
• Amazin' greats take last look
• Shea's list of lasts
• Fans remember the magic
• Memorable moments: 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1
• Great moments at Shea Stadium
• Bauman: Saying goodbye to Shea
• Doc, Straw took Shea by storm
• Memories: Tom Seaver | Keith Hernandez
• Shea continues to embrace 1969, 1986
• Shea Stadium-Citi Field FAQ
• Farewell Shea Stadium: Complete coverage

Sights and Sounds

A Shea retrospective

Legendary Mets gather at Shea

Piazza shares Shea memories

Summers of '69 and '86 revisited

Tom's terrific memories

Keith Hernandez and Shea

Seaver's near perfect game

Amazin' Mets managers

Legacy of Doc and Straw

Billy Joel: Last Play at Shea

Shea Stadium in pictures

1964-1980 | 1986-2000 | 2000-2007

"My favorite moment was Robin Ventura hitting the 'grand-slam single' to beat the Braves in Game 5 of the 1999 National League Championship Series," Spiller said. "I was there to see it.

"For my No. 2, I would have to say the same year, when [Todd] Pratt hit the home run against Arizona to dead center."

Everyone will have his or her favorite moment now. Truthfully, a lot of people held off on the whole nostalgia thing. There was serious business at hand, and the expectation that nostalgia could really be celebrated during the postseason, whenever that ended. But now it is time to harken back, for those who can stand the pain of doing it.

The Mets franchise made that easier on them, at least for the many who stayed after the disappointment. The club rolled out one Mets legend after another, so many people who evoke particular glorious memories in the hearts and minds of fans who have been here. One of those, the great Ralph Kiner, stood in the tunnel waiting to walk out onto the field for that ceremony, where he was showered with love, and as he waited, he told MLB.com he is going to miss being here but eager to see the new ballpark.

"It's sad that the Mets lost, because it takes a little of the romance away from this day," the Hall of Famer said. "It's apropos, because the first game we played here [in 1964], we lost and then we lost the last one here now. We had huge crowds that year, and I remember that [then-Mets manager] Casey Stengel said, 'I don't know if it's the Metsies or the World's Fair, but we sure are drawing a lot of people.'"

The memories will flood a Mets fan now: Game 5 of the 1969 World Series, the year the Amazin' Mets became world champions for the first time; the Game 6 finish of the 1986 World Series, when Mookie Wilson's dribbler found the promised land, and the subsequent game when the Mets won their second ring; all those Opening Days; all those All-Stars; all those precious moments when a parent passed on a game to a son or daughter on a sultry summer afternoon or chilly night in the orange, blue or green seats at Shea.

They had a chance here Sunday to say goodbye at Shea to Willie Mays. To Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry. To Mike Piazza. To Tom Seaver. To the Mets they loved here at Shea. With each moment, the pain hurt a little less, or at least that's how it felt. Fans could cheer, instead of having to boo the Marlins off the field with chants of "OFF OUR FIELD! OFF OUR FIELD!" Soon enough, the faces of their lives were on the field. How good was it to see Seaver high-fiving fans as he walked along the warning track? To see a Tim Teufel here, a George Foster there, to see Ron Swoboda walk in as his shoestring catch from the 1969 World Series was shown on the big screen?

That's how it felt a week earlier at Yankee Stadium. They talked about memories. This day was so different than that one, only because there was hope and shock before there was the celebration of past greats. In this finale, the game itself mattered. The Yankee Stadium closing was all about history, about emotion and memories, and almost nothing about an actual Major League game. This was the heat of the Wild Card race, all business -- everyone wrapped up in game No. 162 and those updates from Milwaukee, where the Brewers came in tied with the Mets.

There was more tailgating in the parking lot than usual. There was a louder atmosphere than usual as the game began. There was pin-drop silence when normally reliable reliever Joe Smith walked in the Marlins' second run in the sixth. There was pandemonium when Carlos Beltran hit his two-run homer to tie it, and when Endy Chavez added one last Shea highlight by making that dazzling over-the-shoulder catch on the run in left to temporarily keep the score tied.

It could have been so good. No Major League team ever sent out its ballpark with a world championship. Not even the 1914 "Miracle Braves" of Boston, who had to move into temporary housing at Fenway Park in August of that year, before they won the World Series and then later the next summer moved into wondrous Braves Field.

"It's been a long time since we put our hands together," the song lyrics played during the tribute video after all the legends were introduced on Sunday.

They had one last chance to do it this time, but it was not the happy ending they wanted.

"I feel in shock," Beltran said, standing one last time in front of his locker to face the media. "We know we are a good team. This is baseball. Nothing is done on paper. We just need to move forward, address our weaknesses, and go to Spring Training and get back into position."

"We're pretty sad," Carlos Delgado said. "We wanted to see something special. Fans came in with this great energy, a packed house, and they wanted us to win. We gave it our best effort. That's all you can do."

"It's upsetting, because two years in a row we thought we had it," said Queens local Dee Durbulak, a 22-year season-ticket holder who doesn't know yet whether the club will extend her season-ticket package into the new ballpark. "The Cubs were no help. We can't put [Johan] Santana in every game. It's just not fair."

She had her camera, and she photographed the last out, off Ryan Church's bat. Everyone seemed to take that picture. One thing you will remember is all the camera flashes, as everyone wanted to record the history.

They would have rather gone to Chicago for the NL Division Series.

Shea, goodbye.

Former players honored in ceremony

NEW YORK -- Ed Kranepool will be sad to see Shea Stadium leveled, a fact the popular former Mets first baseman thought about on Sunday as he stood on the infield during a ceremony that served as the last rights for a ballpark that opened for business on April 17, 1964.

Kranepool was one of more than 40 former players and managers on hand to watch the Mets close out their regular season. But for the second successive year, they were eliminated by the Marlins -- this time in a 4-2 loss on the final day of the season.

The last out of the last game at Shea was recorded at 5:05 p.m. ET.

The next out in a Major League game in Queens will be recorded across the way in new Citi Field next spring. Shea Stadium, which opened with a 4-3 Mets loss to Pittsburgh, will next play a series with a wrecking ball that it will lose.

"It was sentimental for myself, since I do have records here at Shea Stadium," Kranepool said. "Most games, most hits -- which means I was on the field more than any other player. When they tear it down, as [former manager] Casey [Stengel] used to say, 'They take their records with them.'

"I wish it would have been a happier ending,"' Kranepool continued. "There have been a lot of ups and downs at Shea Stadium. With the new stadium, they can start building a new organization again."

The postgame closing ceremony, with most of a sellout crowd of 56,059 still on hand and cheering in the fading light of a cloudy, humid late September afternoon, opened with former broadcasters and stadium operations people and finished with individual introductions of the players.

"It was just as enjoyable for the players as it was for the fans," said former Mets slugger Dave Kingman, who received a loud welcome when he was introduced. "Emotional on both sides. Everyone out there -- things were going through our minds of events that had happened, fun things. Even in the tunnel, we were reminiscing of events that happened, fun things, all kinds of things. It was a fun time for all. The Mets did a fantastic job."

The final homestand
• Mets greats, fans say goodbye
• Mays' presence inspires awe
• Farewell comes too soon
• Amazin' greats take last look
• Shea's list of lasts
• Fans remember the magic
• Memorable moments: 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1
• Great moments at Shea Stadium
• Bauman: Saying goodbye to Shea
• Doc, Straw took Shea by storm
• Memories: Tom Seaver | Keith Hernandez
• Shea continues to embrace 1969, 1986
• Shea Stadium-Citi Field FAQ
• Farewell Shea Stadium: Complete coverage

Sights and Sounds

A Shea retrospective

Legendary Mets gather at Shea

Piazza shares Shea memories

Summers of '69 and '86 revisited

Tom's terrific memories

Keith Hernandez and Shea

Seaver's near perfect game

Amazin' Mets managers

Legacy of Doc and Straw

Billy Joel: Last Play at Shea

Shea Stadium in pictures

1964-1980 | 1986-2000 | 2000-2007

The welcome from the fans was warm, as players were introduced one-by-one as they emerged from the right- and left-field bullpens and created a line of hits from the past from first base to third base.

"At one time, I felt like I was ready to play," said former left-hander and Mets coach Al Jackson, "being on the field at that time of day. The last time I was on the field, I think I was getting ready to pitch. Just a flashback, that's what it was. It was outstanding, no doubt about it."

There was a collective sigh of "Kooooos" as pitcher Jerry Koosman was introduced. Outfielder Darryl Strawberry's ears had to be ringing when he was brought out. The place went nuts when pitcher Dwight Gooden, who hadn't been to Shea Stadium since the 2000 World Series, followed Strawberry onto the field. It was a little bit quieter for Hall of Fame outfielder Willie Mays, but the tempo picked up again when wildly popular catcher Mike Piazza walked in from left field. Tom Seaver, first introduced as "The Franchise," was also a favorite.

There were friendly outbursts for Brooklyn-born reliever John Franco and Gold Glove first baseman Keith Hernandez. There was rousing applause for Kranepool, outfielder Cleon Jones, third baseman Robin Ventura, pitcher Sid Fernandez, second baseman Wally Backman, outfielder Lenny Dykstra, Kingman and others. Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra, who was a star with the Yankees and who managed the Mets, was both warmly cheered and lightly jeered when he was introduced. Left-hander Al Leiter, who pitched for the Mets and the Yankees and who currently is a broadcaster with the Yankees, smiled when he received a round of boos before the fans gave in and cheered him in earnest.

When all the players had been introduced and a video highlight was shown, the players walked toward home. Each stood on the plate, waved long enough for fans to get a snapshot and then lined the baselines, third to home to first.

Jackson, being a pitcher, didn't score many runs at Shea Stadium, but he touched the plate with a purpose.

"I had to touch that corner I wanted to hit," Jackson said with a big laugh. "Down and away, that's what I wanted. That was my corner. No doubt about it."

The ceremony wrapped up with thousands of flashes blinking as Seaver threw one final Shea Stadium pitch to Piazza. As the players filed out of the gate in center field, they created a symbolic link with Shea Stadium as they headed in the direction of the new Citi Field.

The sky then lit up with a fireworks display in the fading light of the "Shea Goodbye." The last song, "New York State of Mind," came from Billy Joel.

Before the introductions, there was video tribute to William Shea, who spearheaded the push to bring National League baseball back to New York. Two of his grandchildren had thrown out the first pitch.

Those in the sellout crowd, which had included New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, actor Glenn Close and singer Marc Anthony, were in a melancholy mood by the time the closing ceremony began about a half-hour after the last out. The Marlins, who had also finished off the Mets' playoff hopes in 2007, took their time leaving the field as they celebrated their season-ending victory with high-fives, hugs and a long line in which many handshakes were exchanged.

The Marlins seemed unfazed as the crowd shouted, "Off the field, off the field, off the field."

The crowd continued with periodic bursts of boos when several Marlins players came out to scoop up souvenir cups of dirt at home plate.

Good or bad, every person who had been there had memories to take home.

Kranepool just hopes to be around for Opening Day 2009.

"I saw all of them here," Kranepool said. "I hope I'm around to be there."