Is fate pulling the Mets’ strings?

When countless calamities befall a single entity, some believe fate has intervened and is “pulling the strings.” Others call it luck or mere coincidence. It may be the universe or it may be a jinx, but one thing is now apparent – something is very wrong with the New York Metropolitans.
When Carlos Beltran struck out looking in Game 7 of the 2006 National League Championship Series, Mets fans were disheartened but remained optimistic about the future. The following year, the team collapsed like a house of cards in a tornado, surrendering a 7.5 game lead with just 17 games remaining in the season. When they crumbled again in 2008, despite trading for Johan Santana, it was clear the Mets did not have what was necessary to win.
The subsequent seasons only made the situation bleaker in Flushing. Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo burdened the Mets with their horrendous play and indefensible contracts, given out by “he who will not be named.” The Wilpons were reportedly swindled out of an exorbitant amount of money by Bernie Madoff, and they are now being sued for roughly $1 billion by other Madoff victims who claim the Mets owners benefited from the scheme, thus leaving the team in financial limbo.
During this depressing streak of failures, the Mets have also been plagued by a myriad of injuries. Jose Reyes has missed significant stretches of the past three years due to several severe injuries, and Carlos Delgado, Santana and Beltran have also suffered physical setbacks that have derailed potentially fruitful seasons.
This year, the Mets have been attacked by injuries once again. Santana has yet to pitch, and the chances of him taking the mound this season appear less likely with each passing day. David Wright missed two months due to a stress fracture in his lower back, and Reyes has already been placed on the 15-Day disabled list on two different occasions. Both Ike Davis and Daniel Murphy have suffered season-ending injuries during breakout years, depriving fans the satisfaction of watching two players who may comprise the fabric of future Mets teams.
The club is currently nine games behind the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card race, and there is no telling where they would be if they were able to put their strongest squad on the field each game.
Regardless of how skilled the team is, how high the payroll is or what improvements are made during the offseason, the Mets are never able to leap into the realm of contenders. Such horrid events must be the work of powers beyond the scope of man, and for whatever reason, these forces have decided the Mets are not meant to be successful.
On the other hand, perhaps the Mets desolation has stemmed from dreadful ownership, inept player evaluation, bad contracts, a lack of clutch performances and an incompetent medical staff.
It’s certainly either that, or some form of ancient curse.