One More Thing...

A bunch of people in the media are bringing up the fact that the big players on the Mets have disappeared in big spots, while the Phillies guys have come through. Namely Reyes/Wright/Beltran compared to Rollins/Howard/Utley. I understand the argument and I have always been critical of the Mets guys not stepping up, at least Wright and Reyes. One point that I have not seen made though is the fact that Rollins & Utley are both 29 and Howard is 28. Reyes and Wright are still only 25. Before these past two years, the Phillies had a reputation of shrinking in September and never coming through. It took them a few years to get over the hump. I'm just saying we have to have a little patience with Reyes and Wright even if they are killing us right now.

Just to be clear, I am not saying that this is the rule. I know that the Brewers young guys like Fielder & Braun came up huge the past week and they had never really been here before. All I am saying is that you can't trade a Wright or Reyes at age 25 when they each have only had 3 chances at a pennant race/playoffs each while at young ages. Some players need to mature to hit in the big spot. Some are born that way and some never find it. I have faith that Reyes & Wright will find it. Its only natural to compare the Phillies core to the Mets core, but while they are all 28 or older, Reyes and Wright are still only 25, and they both did not go to college. There is a certain maturity and calmness on the field that the Phillies have developed that they did not have at 25, but do now. Even Braun with the Brewers was a star at the U before getting drafted where be probably cultivated a lot of that cockiness.