Requiem for a Dream

The 2024 Mets' dreams may have died in Los Angeles, but the memories will last a lifetime

By Roger Cormier

The dream is over. 

In the end they were too much like their counterparts 25 years ago. A song that acted like a rallying cry (“L.A. Woman,” “OMG”). A team known for their comebacks. A huge home run to win the first round of the playoffs. A player on one good leg (Robin Ventura, Brandon Nimmo.) Alas, losing the NLCS in six games. 

The thing about the 1999 Mets was they made me a fan for life. I was pretty much in the tank for them in 1997 with that scrappy bunch, but it was 1999 that solidified it. 

Those bastards. In all seriousness, I’m happy to know that the 2024 Mets turned otherwise ordinary citizens into Met fans for the rest of their days. 

This was supposed to be a transition year. The 2024 Mets started 0-5, and then 22-33.

There was Seymour Weiner. Grimace. OMG. The playoff pumpkin. 

There was humor, joy, and whimsy.

There was Game 161 in Atlanta. The Milwaukee comebacks. The first playoff clincher at Citi Field.

There was Francisco Lindor. He was terrible at first. Then the fans decided to give him a standing ovation to show their support. He’s going to finish second in the National League MVP voting. 

There was Pete Alonso. If it was his last season as a Met, he’ll be remembered for that game-winning home run against the Brewers.

There was Sean Manaea, who seems like a good egg, having a career year. David Peterson, it turns out, is pretty good! Luis Severino, more than just the OMG sign guy, although I suspect I’ll remember him as the OMG sign guy in 25 years. 

There was Mark Vientos. An afterthought turned star. Nimmo, playing through plantar fasciitis since fucking May. Starling Marte, finally healthy again. Tyrone Taylor and Harrison Bader and Jose Iglesias, making the Mets a team with actual honest-to-goodness Defense with a capital D. Jesse Winker, bringing the dirtbag energy. Hell, there was Jake Diekman, striking out Aaron Judge and saving a game at Yankee Stadium and getting DFA’d a week later. 

There is Carlos Mendoza. David Stearns. Steve and Alex Cohen. The future is bright. 

As Game 6 wound down, Howie Rose explained he was 15 years old when the Mets won the 1969 World Series. “I’ll just say this about the 2024 New York Mets: They made this 70-year-old feel 15 again.” 

That was it. I was 16 in 1999. This 41-year-old felt 16 again. No wonder why I didn’t want it to end.