The only problem that fateful Sunday was the fact that the Marlins actually came to play and ended up throttling the Mets and sending their players scattering for October tee-times all across the nation. The Mets lost at Shea Stadium no less and the faithful fans, after a two-week nightmare, were shell-shocked.

Fast forward to two weeks ago. With 14 days left in the regular season, the Mets held a 3 ½ game lead in the division and no one, and I do mean no one, believed it possible for the team to take another nosedive and miss the postseason.

Someone forgot to tell the Mets.

By Friday of last week the Phillies had caught and passed the Mets and they again captured the division crown, just like last year. The Mets still had a chance for the playoffs. Last Saturday Johann Santana took the bump for the Mets. If the Mets won and the Brewers lost, New York had the inside shot at the Wild Card. Santana did exactly what they pay him all those millions to do - he won. This set up Sunday's action.

If the Mets won on Sunday and the Brewers lost, the Mets would win the Wild Card. If both teams won, the Brewers and Mets would meet in a one-game playoff to determine the National League Wild Card. There was a third possibility to this scenario. If the Mets lost and the Brewers won, the Mets would be eliminated once again on the final day of the season, also once again a Sunday. Not wanting to jinx the team, no one talked about that third possibility.

Ultimately, it didn't matter.

The Brewers won and the Mets lost. And guess who beat New York, in the final game to ever be played at Shea Stadium? Who else - the Marlins. Weird, huh?

So now the Mets will get to spend the entire winter thinking about how close they came; pondering what might have been if they had just won one game more than they did. You have to figure the New York brass will throw a bundle of money at free agent C.C. Sabathia, who ironically pitched the Brewers into the postseason by starting three consecutive games on three days rest. Look for the Mets and the Yankees to enter an all out bidding war for Sabathia. Boston also figures to get into the fray.

So the National League playoffs are set. Play begins today, Wednesday, October 1.

The aforementioned Brewers will be taking on the Phillies. This should be a great series as both teams have decent pitching and good lineups. The Phils have the edge in speed, but the Brewers have a slight edge in power. The way I figure it, things will boil down to the bullpens in this series. Philadelphia has a better bullpen, especially at closer. Brad Lidge, who has resurrected his career once he got out of Houston, has been lights out this season. Incredibly, Lidge has converted 41-out-of-41 save opportunities. Folks, you can't get any better than that.

In the other series, it will be the Cubs and the Dodgers. Chicago is all a-twitter about the Cubs going all the way to the Fall Classic this year. Keep in mind the Cubbies haven't won the World Series in an even 100 years. They are, in a word, due.

Chicago has the best shot of all the National League entries. The Cubs have an impressive offense and their front line pitching, if healthy, is perhaps the best in baseball. Much will be riding on the arm and sore shoulder of staff ace Carlos Zambrano. When the flame throwing righty is on his game, he is untouchable. Two weeks ago he pitched a no-hitter to prove it. Since then, however, he has given up 13 runs in just 6 2/3 innings.

The Dodgers got hot at the right time of year while their major competition in the National League West, Arizona, went in the tank. Injuries to key pitchers, however, may doom Los Angeles quickly. This would be a shame as I am a big Dodger fan.

The addition of Manny Ramirez ignited the team and Joe Torre, in his first year as Dodger skipper, will see the postseason for the 11th consecutive year. His former team, the Yankees, will not.

Last year, the Dodgers faded down the stretch, largely due to clubhouse tension between veteran Jeff Kent and a number of the team's young stars. This year Kent is injured and is not even on the postseason roster. The absence of the griping, negative Kent from the locker room is a bonus.