NOTE: this is a work of FICTION by Corey Gorey. His “Page Two Tuesday” was moved back to Thursday due to inclement weather.

After a lengthy debate during a recent production meeting at SNY, a segment recorded and edited for the Mets Weekly program was deemed objectionable by executives and subsequently shelved by the network. An unnamed twenty-two year-old production assistant given the task of depositing the source material in the production team’s library leaked the video online and was subsequently fired. While the blog responsible for hosting the controversial clip has since taken it down due to a cease and desist order from SNY and Sterling Mets, a now ex-contributing writer for the offending Mets fan site has transcribed the segment for dissemination below.

As a Mets fan, yesterday was … hmm … bittersweet? Sweet in that Jose Reyes won the batting title, and, though not “sweet”, it was somewhat relieving that this morbid season is over and we as fans can think about a fresh start in 2012. Bitter, of course, because there is no more baseball until next spring. Bitter, also, because the team’s final record and fourth-place finish are not exactly anything to cheer about (except for the folks who expected the Mets to finish in last place and 20 games under .500).

As a baseball fan, last night was tremendous, wasn’t it? It might have been one of the most exciting nights in baseball history — I know I was on the edge of my seat.

After the dust settled, the Red Sox and Braves were knocked out, while the Rays and Cardinals jumped in to the postseason. A great story, considering that both Tampa Bay and St. Louis came back from considerable length to put themselves into this position. And of course, the fact the Rays were down 7-0 entering the 8th inning and came all the way back to beat the mighty Yankees was dramatic.

As much as I despise the Adulterated League, I’m pleased to see the Rays in the postseason, but I’m mixed about the way the NL turned out. It was really a no-win situation for a Mets fan; I couldn’t be happy for either the Braves or the Cardinals for obvious reasons. But forced with making a choice last night — between rooting for the Braves or the Cardinals — for me, I was hoping for the Braves to win. Why? I hate the Braves less — probably because I have no love for either Tony LaRussa nor Albert Pujols (though, plenty of respect). And for me the St. Louis hatred goes back to the 1980s.

Also, if the Mets aren’t going into the postseason, then I at least want a team from the NL East winning the World Championship. Maybe that’s strange, but the way I see it, if an NL East team wins the World Series, then at least there’s some validation that the Mets played in the best division in baseball. That may not make any sense to you, but it works in my warped sense of reality. So if both the Braves and Phillies were in the playoffs, I figure there are two shots at an NL East team being crowned World Champs.

In the end, that means, if I’m pulling for a team this fall, it’s the Phillies — as hard as that might be for you to stomach.

What about you? Are you going to be “rooting” for anyone this fall? If so, who, and why? Answer in the comments, and feel free to post your vote in the poll.

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Mets 3 Reds 0

Miguel Batista closes out 50 years of Mets baseball in Nelson Figueroa -like fashion, spinning a two-hit, complete game shutout.

Reds 5 Mets 4

Strange … nowhere in the Mets media guide, nor in the scorebook, nor on the Mets.com website does it say “September 27: Jose Reyes Day”. Yet clearly, this was his day.

Yet it wasn’t, because the Mets lost. Which was remarkable, considering that Reds manager Dusty Baker didn’t care much about the game, his players didn’t care much about putting forth any effort, and Cincinnati closer Francisco Cordero looked like he’d rather be sunbathing on a Caribbean beach with an umbrella drink by his side. A completely unsatisfying outcome for a baseball fan.

Over the last few weeks I noticed opposing pitchers throwing pitches up and in to David Wright. To me it appears as though a purposeful strategy, based on scouting reports that perceive Wright to still have the Matt Cain beaning in the back of his mind. I thought maybe it was just me being my old-school self, but it seems there are others who are seeing things similarly. This is from a participant at the MetsToday Facebook page:

They are throwing up and in on Wright. And the next time a Mets pitcher retaliates by throwing up and in on an opponent’s 3/4 hitter will be the first. That, as much as anything else, ticks me off about this team.

And then there is this from the comments section:

People bust the Mets in hard all the time, and no Met pitcher other than Gee seems to do the same- If I am one of the Mets hitters, I would not be happy.

What do you think? Is David still affected by that beaning? Are opposing pitchers purposely taking advantage of that, if indeed it’s true? And further, should Mets pitchers be retaliating, to protect Wright?

Please post your feelings in the comments.

It’s not as dramatic as clinching first place or a playoff spot, but in the world of the Mets fan, where meaningless games in September are our entertainment, little things like the once-lowly Nationals finish ahead of our favorites from Flushing are important to us.

And it’s official: by rallying in the late innings for a come-from-behind victory over the Florida Marlins, the Washington Nationals won their 79th ballgame — which clinches their third-place position in the NL East.

The Nats still have three games to play to the Mets’ two. The Nats’ record is currently 79-80, while the Mets’ is 76-84. So if the Nats lose all three of their final games, and the Mets win both of theirs, the Mets will finish 78-84 — one game behind the 79-83 Nationals.

How does this make you feel, as a Mets fan? Do you care? Do you think this step forward by the Nats is an indication of what’s to come in the near future, or is it just a fluke?

Post your thoughts in the comments section.

Reds 6 Mets 5

A tough loss for the Mets, but they did go down fighting and they are guaranteed not to finish in last place.

Mets Today has always been a fan of tales of Mets nostalgia. It’s been nearly three years since the last game was played at Shea Stadium, thus ending a thirty-four year era of fastballs, scorecards and silhouetted baseball players bathed in neon as night fell on the stadium. Too often during its waning days as the home to the New York Mets, the Flushing-based ballpark drew the ire of fans as well as opposing players for its ramshackle appearance and antiquated ways. Much like its Long Island neighbor, the Nassau Coliseum, Shea became an icon for a team that had had short bursts of success surrounded by years of frustration and defeat. However, inasmuch as the Mets faithful were eager to welcome Citi Field into their lives and in turn hopefully bring about a new era of baseball, there was something special about Shea, something endearing. It was a place Met fans called home. There are also quite a few things about Shea that many of us never knew.

10. Living in Flushing was never