1 New York Mets
Good to the Last Out
Thanks to a glossy new pen, the season will end happily in late, not early, October
Since 2001 the Mets have ranked no lower than third in NL payroll, yet the investments in those eight years have returned more nightmarish endings (two) than playoff appearances (one). The Mets have been on the cusp of something great, and to put them over the top they have emulated the architecture of their bitter rivals, the Phillies, who traded for closer Brad Lidge and parlayed endgame certainty into a world championship. With Putz and Rodriguez, the Mets have what it takes to win the games that they should, including the very last baseball game of 2009.