As the Phils start looking farther in their rearview mirrors, I am left wondering if this mini collapse is even worse for the Mets than the monumental, historic collapse of 2007.

Sure, the Mets are watching the floundering Ned Yost-bereft Brewers fade in their own Wild Card rearview mirrors. But I cannot help but wonder if the Mets are wasting the collective talent like Bill James said the Milwaukee Braves did in the late Fifties and early Sixties. Now, I don't think this will lead to the Mets relocating as the Braves did (breaking the "heart" of a young Bud Selig prior to his metamorphosis into Gallum). However, they are not exactly building momentum as they move to a new stadium.

The Phils will have won two straight division titles while having nary a major-league starting catcher or third baseman either year. The 2007-08 Phils will rank among the worst back-to-back division winners ever:

Meanwhile, the Phils have again passed the Mets, albeit in not as dramatic fashion as in 2007. However, should they hold the lead again, it will be just the second time baseball history that a division or league rival has passed the same team two straight years in September.

The only other time this occurred was in 1965-66 when the Dodgers passed the Giants two straight years in September. And they passed the Giants Sept. 2 in 1966 so that barely qualifies.

The Phils are really doing something historic, which makes it all the more poignant when they end up losing to the Dodgers in the first round and the Mets meet the Rays in the World Series.