Phillies And Mets Rivalry
New York and Philadelphia Should Contend for NL East Division
The National League Eastern Division pennant race looks like it will come down to two teams again when the 2009 Major League Baseball season starts in April
During the past two seasons, the final outcome came down to two teams – the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets.
In 2007, the Phillies won the NL East coming back from a 7 ½ game deficit with 14 games to play to take the division championship away from the Mets.
It was the biggest late season collapse in baseball history and made Phillies fans forget the 1964 season in which their team blew a 6 ½ game lead against the St. Louis Cardinals with 12 games to play.
Phillies Beat Mets in 2008 and Win World Series
The Phillies didn’t do much after winning the 2007 NL East. The Colorado Rockies in the divisional playoffs in a three-game sweep eliminated the team.
During the 2008 season, the Mets once again were in first place in the National League East headed down the stretch.
The Phillies once again came from behind to win the division while the Mets once again lost their last game of the season for elimination.
Philadelphia went on to win the World Series, four-games to two, over American League champion Tampa Bay Rays.
Mets fans were left to wonder what is wrong with their beloved team.
How could they blow it two years ago, especially to a team like the Phillies, who most New York fans never had any respect for.
The Phillies are current World Champs, so New York teams have their respect now.
Phillies-Mets Territorial Rivals
While Philadelphia and New York are only 100 miles apart and virtually connected by the New Jersey Turnpike, the Phillies and Mets never had that heated of a rivalry.
It still doesn’t compare to the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox rivalry.
But the 2009 season should be one in which Phillies and Mets fans go at each other with a vengeance. It should make for good attendance at their respective ballparks and for high television ratings.
Phillies-Mets Rivalry Dates Back to 1962
Technically, the Phillies-Mets rivalry is 47 years old.
Fans from both cities have always gone to the other’s ballpark to see their team play.
Until the last couple of seasons, the teams were never in contention at the same time.
During the Mets’ World Series years of 1969, 1973 1986 and 2000, the Phillies were non-contenders.
The Mets were at the bottom of the standings during the Phillies World Series runs in 1980, 1983 and 1993.
Things started to change when the Phillies started becoming contenders again in the National League East in 2001.
The Atlanta Braves dominated the division until their 14-year divisional title run ended in 2006. Right now, the division belongs to the Phillies with the Mets looking for revenge.
The Mets new stadium – CitiField – could see a lot of Phillies fans this year.
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