In the third inning, Mike Hampton threw a pitch to Barry Bonds that passed over the outside edge of the plate. Hampton thought it was an inning-ending third strike, and began to walk towards the dugout. He didn't get the call. I don't know that it should have been called a strike, but it certainly could have been called a strike. Bonds stayed alive though, and hit an RBI triple. Jeff Kent then walked, and Ellis Burks hit a three-run homer that gave the Giants a 5-1 lead. If only that umpire had made a different call, four runs wouldn't have scored, and the game might have had a very different outcome.

Of course, the Giants hit in the clutch and the Mets didn't, so I guess the deserving team won after all.

This game was typical Hampton: He got a bad call, and pouted just long enough to lose the game.

Sure the ptich to Bonds should have been called for an inning ending 3rd strike. Sure Bonds should have never been granted the opportunity to get another swing and become the catalyst of a game deciding big inning. And sure the Mets might have won that game might that inning have not occurred. But I believe that Bonds triple was the best thing that happened for the Mets in the 2000 post season. Please recall, Derek Bell hurt his ankle on fielding that play and was replaced by the over-achieving Timo Perez for the remainder of the post season. My opinion, but No Timo......no National League Championship.

One pitch meant the whole game in Game 1 of the NLDS between the Mets and the Giants. It was a pitch to Barry Bonds that should have been called strike 3 but it wasn't and Hampton got mad and when Hampton gets mad, he gets bad. So what resulted? Barry Bonds lines a pitch into right and it goes off a wall and Derek Bell makes a bad turn and gets injured and hops over to the ball and throws it in and it's an RBI triple for Bonds and Bell's season and career with the Mets is over. Then Ellis Burks steps up against Hampton and hits a three-run shot down the line and the Mets lose.

I never like to see anyone get hurt - well, maybe except Roger Clemens - but let's face it, folks. The Mets got their biggest break of the year when Derek Bell pulled up with an injury. It was a blessing in disguise, as Bell completely disappeared the second half of the year and it opened the door for Timo Perez's great run. If only he hadn't been the flash in the pan he turned out to be...

I remember feeling so excited before the game started--it was postseason baseball and it was a day game, so I could see the whole thing (I was 12 years old at the time). For some reason a moment that sticks in my mind about that game was when Jay Payton lined a shot that tore a hole in Bill Mueller's glove at third, but that he was able to hang onto it. Mostly for me, I was just so animated to see the Mets in the postseason again that it didn't matter that it was probably the second least memorable game the whole postseason.

This has to go down as one of the biggest wins and most memorable games in Met history. After having been embarrassed in Game 1, on the road, against an excellent team, we give up a 3-run lead on a dreamatic HR by Snow off Benitez, but we hold them there, then we score on em, then we hold em again, as Franco catches Bonds looking. This game gave the Mets the confidence to take the series -- and the next.

I'm a life-long Giant fan and was actually at this game, but I can assure you my feelings and emotions about game 2 aren't the same ones you guys have. When Snow hit the home run off of Benetiz I pretty much thought the series was over. Snow was probobaly the last guy on the planet I would ever expect to get a hit of that magnitude. Granted, it was a 310 foot fly ball, but when the ball left the year, I was sure that the Giants were finally going to get that elusive WS title. Only the Giants could find a way to lose that game. As hard fought and brutal of a loss as game 3 was in NY, I knew that the Giants wouldn't be back at PacBell as I left after Game 2. That was the back-breaker. Gotta give you guys credit because 99 out of 100 teams would fold tent after an emotional let down like that, the Mets didn't. I've seen a lot of bad loses in my years as a Giant fan, but that night at PacBell is at the top of the list.

Typical Armando, thank you Johnny Franco. The changeup on the inside corner that we've seen for years was used at the best time ever.

For Johnny Franco, my all-time favorite Met player of all time, this was the moment of a surefire Hall-Of-Fame career. I'm not married, don't have kids, so that may have been the happiest moment of my life (may live on past the kids as well). Of course, it's targeted for elimination when the final out of the New York Mets fantasy World Series championship is made.

As a Mets fan who came of age in fandom in the mid 1990s, there aren't that many games to pick from in terms of all-time favoirtes, but I think this one takes it for me. It just sent you through the wringer, and really, starting early on. Al pitching so well, then Fonz "clinching" the game in the 9th with that home run.

But of course, Benitez had his say before the night was through, and then the game's over for the second time that night with JT Snow, and there goes the season. Then, comes I think Bobby V's finest managerial moment or two.

First, he went out as soon as the ball was gone, settled Armando, and he got the side out. And next was the most unexpeceted thing, showing such heart, they had to win it there with the momentum that was swinging, with Hamilton and Payton. Finally, Bobby V did his thing again, the great change, and then that other great change, that back-up by Franco. It was from game won, to season lost, to series won in the span of one hour. Incredible theater.

Game 2: 5-2 Mets, bottom of the ninth, 2 runners on, Benitez on the mound, 2 outs, J.T. Snow. He hits it down the right field line, it's gone and the game is tied. Benitez settles down, gets the final out of the inning, game tied at 5, the Mets score and then Fracno comes in and the last pitch to Bonds, he doesn't swing, his knees lock, called strike 3, and the Mets tie the series at 1.

I attended this game in my Met colors.

At the many games I attended at Candlestick over the years, there were TONS of orange and blue hats, shirts, etc. Lots of Met fans at the 'Stick.

Wow, was it a different scene at Pac Bell, especially for the playoffs. I waited outside for a friend and saw ONE Met hat during half an hour. Inside I saw scattered Met fans but none nearby.

So, I didn't make any friends at all with my Mets cheering, which was, as usual, passionate, loud, constant, and clean.

God, when Fonzie's HR cleared the wall did I go nuts. That's when people started getting nasty.

I knew when Jeff Kent beat out that cheap-ass infield hit that doom was imminent. I left my seat and watched from the wings and said to myself, if Benitez gives up an HR, I am outta here.

And damn if that punk JT Snow didn't hit a whiffle ball HR into the RF cage. Have never seen or heard a stadium so loud. I was in a taxi before Snow touched home plate.

So, I watched the end of the game at home. We had a small place then - a little studio while we shopped for a house. My wife was asleep about 10 feet from where I was sitting with the TV on quietly. I was trying to be considerate.

When Franco caught Bonds looking, I opened the window and yelled as loud as I could 'sit down, Barry', 'take that, San Francisco' etc. etc. Lots of things a 39 yr old man should not be doing, but it was the Mets in the playoffs!! My wife tried to be happy for me while telling me to shut up...

Thanks to Fonzie (who else?) the Snow HR did not sink us that night.

Bonds knees buckling and looking at a called strike three from an over-the-hill Johnny Franco is a top-10 all-time Met moment. The Snow home run is an all-time bottom-10. What a swing of emotions in just a few minutes. It's not Game 6 of '86 but it was a wild ride.

When some teams go into the playoffs, they either win easily or lose easily. That never seems to be the case with the Mets. Their postseason series tend to be one nailbiter after another. This game was no exception. It went over five hours, and the last three hours or so were unbelievably tense. The Mets' bullpen, Wendell, Cook, Franco, Benitez, and White all did great jobs holding the tough Giants offense scoreless for seven innings. With one out in the bottom of the 13th, Benny Agbayani ended the game suddenly with a long home run to left field. I jumped so high off my La-Z-Boy that I shook the whole house. I continued jumping up and down until I twisted my ankle. Then I hopped on one foot for a while. And of course Shea went absolutely wild. They played that silly "Who Let the Dogs Out" song, which I'll now forever associate with Benny Agbayani's homer. WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!

BENNY! BENNY! What another freakin amazing game! I can't believe last night's game. Shea is a magical place and something told me not to worry...somehow the Mets would squeeze out a victory. Who let the dogs out!?! On this night Benny Agbayani did! LETS GO METS! LETS GO METS! LETS GO METS!

I was at the game — in Row T of the upper deck, three rows from the top of the stadium! Assuming that since baseball was being played it must still be summertime and 75 degrees out, I wore shorts and a short-sleeved Mets jersey to the game. As one can imagine, I nearly froze to death, but once Benny hit that one out it was all worth it.

Being Jewish and Orthodox, I have never been to a Saturday game. But I had tickets for this one, and damned if I wasn't going to make every effort to be there. So I walked to the ballpark from my apartment and carried nothing with me. And what can I say? God himself must have given his nod of approval because he rewarded me with the most nailbiting, pulsating, mindblowing game I have ever attended in my 25 years of following this team! From the tomahawk chop sendoff to the Braves in the top of the first, to Benny's memorable game-winning blast five and a half hours later, it was a game for the ages. And it was crisp and well-played: no errors, no wild pitches, lots of clutch pitching from both teams. And Benny Agbayani, already one of the most popular players on the Mets, elevated his status to that of all-time Met legend.

I scored tickets last minute and gathered some people to go. We hit traffic on the bridge and didnt get there till the 6th inning. we were quite disapointed for coming so far for a few measly innings. But boy were we mistaken! this was the most exciting ending to a game ive ever been to! I'd never understood why Mets fans have such a liking for Benny Agbayani, but after this night, I knew why! that makes up for his blunder on aug. 12, and then some.

I was at the game, upper deck, behind 3rd. By the time Benny came up, my voice was finished, but with the last of my vocal cords I yelled, "Benny if you hit a homer, I will wear a shirt with your name on it!" I know he heard me. I looked for the shirt for months! Someone at Modell's told me there are no Agbayani jerseys because Benny was a scab, which might be true. There are some fakes for sale on eBay, and I do owe Benny still. I've gotten several balls signed by Benny, and I have a photo which he signed, with "GWHR". Benny, I'll get that jersey and to hell with the Players Association!

the 1-0 to agbayani...and a high fly ball deep left field, back goes bonds, looking up at the wall, that ball is..outta here!

I watched this game on TV with a couple of friends of mine. One was a Yankee fan, but we'll forgive him for that. The other was a Mets fan who had only recently started watching baseball. He was not fully aware of the Mets postseason history, particularly the Robin Ventura grand slam single game of 1999. By the 11th or 12th inning, he began to have trouble watching the game. I responded by reminding him of all the long and wacky postseason games in Mets history. That didn't help him much. He left the room a few times because he couldn't take it. Finally, Agbayani hit the HR to win it, but none of us really saw it, because we were all jumping around and screaming as if we ourselves were Mets. And that would be his baptism to Mets postseason baseball.

Best game ive ever gone to in my life. It was back when timo was good (for those 2 weeks)and showed fonzie at his most clutch. It was soo cold that nite and the guy we were sitting in back of got mad because my friend kicked his seat by accident. But when that ball went over bonds' head, we all joined as met fans and jumped and went crazy. The giants fan who was laughing as the giants didnt fall behind for 13 innings, went home unhappy, haha. "agbayani Hits one into deep left center, 13th inning, Mets win game 3"- fox broadcaster joe buck.

I went to the game with a couple friends and had a great time. I am avid Mets fan and was delighted to watch such an exciting and close game. I can remember following the action closely for all 13 innings. It was a defining moment when Agbayani hit the homer in the bottom of the 13th to win the game. Everyone was yelling and screaming to celbrate the Mets unbelievable victory. It was one of the best and most exciting baseball games I have ever been to.

I was at this game, for some reason I went to Shea with no ticket. It was sold out but they told me to stand in line because there might be some cancellations or something. So a bunch of people including me stayed in line for about an hour and we got tickets. I paid $100 for a seat a few rows behind home plate, it was worth it. Getting to the game about 3 hours early, waiting in line, and paying 100 bucks to see one the greatest games ever. Thank you Benny.

This was the greatest baseball game I've ever been to. It was freezing cold that night. Russ Ortiz pitched well for the Giants. The Mets were down, and then Robb Nen comes in to face Fonzie with the trying run on, and I believe on the first pitch Fonzie hit a double right down the right field line, and then went into extra innings when Benny ended things with his homer. Everyone was hugging each other all around. It was a great moment that I remember like it was yesterday.

I was at a Who concert on this night and I had tickets to Game 4 and I had been to some great games: the Todd Pratt homer to send the Mets to the NLCS in '99, the "grand single" game in the NLCS, and the game where the Mets clinched the wild card that year so I really wanted the Mets to win on this night.

The Who concert was at Madison Square Garden and the Met game was on one of the TV's right next to the pizza stand and I got there early and the game was in the 10th already and I watched and, by the 11th, everyone had surrounded me as we watched the TV screen.

We just wanted Robb Nen or Felix Rodriguez to just blow it already so we could go to our seats but they didn't and neither did the Mets and, in the 12th, the Who concert started but none of us went in and, in the 13th, Benny Agbayani stepped up and hit one into the seats and the Mets won! Plus the Who concert was great.

How many other people can say that their first regular season AND post-season game they attended each ended with walk-off homers in extra innings?? (See my comments on the 9/20/75 game).

Personally I think this is one of the most underrated games in Met history, albeit I'm probably biased. Sure, the Pratt homer the year before won the series, but it was the NLDS no less than this was. And the Ventura grand slam single? Um...we lost that series. Perhaps the fact that Jones' closed the Giants out with that improbable 1-hitter the next day also robs this game of the notoriety it deserves.

The thing that I remember most about this (aside from feeling the stadium shake under me, which until now I'd only experienced once, for Seaver's return game in '83) was, sitting in Section 1 of the Upper Deck - right behind home plate, how the wind seemed to be blowing straight in and my buddy and I remarking to one another that NO BALL was getting out of Shea this night. When Benny hit the ball I thought some great invisible Met in the sky caught it and pushed it and pushed it into the left field bullpen. In our section we had a perfect view of the luv scrum at home plate and even from our perch we could see that ear-to-ear smile on Benny's face.

Another fun thing about that game was way back in the 1st inning, the Braves score went final and they had been swept by the Cardinals. And you had 50,000 plus in Shea Stadium doing the tomahawk chop. Priceless.

Thank you Bobby Jones! What an amazing game! The Mets win the most exciting games I have ever seen in the post-season. Last night, Benny wins the game witha an extra inning walk off home run, today Bobby Jones wins the game with a one-hitter (if only Robin were 6 inches taller). Anyway, I am extremely proud to be a Mets fan (just as I was in 1994 when I went to 22 games as a teenager) and am extremely grateful to my fiance for getting us tickets for the two division series games at Shea.

Great performance.

We miss you Fresno!

Arguably the greatest game ever pitched by a Mets pitcher!

A magnificent game, which I had travelled down from Binghamton that morning to see. Fresno left the Giants flailing away at pitch after pitch, and by the 5th, the game was out of reach. By the end, the chants of "BOBBY JONES!! BOBBY JONES!!" echoed throughout the stadium. And in the parking lot, I saw five young men circled around a cell phone screaming "Who let the dogs out!!" More fitting should have been Who let Bobby Jones out?

I was 17 years old at the time, I worked at a Burger King in Astoria. During work my girlfriend at the time came to my job and surprised me with tickets to the game that afternoon. I was hyped to go, but the game started at 4 and I got out of work at 5. So I did what any 17 year old would do. Fake a sickness. I did, and my supervisor actually bought it. I grabbed some food, and went to the game. Oh boy was it worth it. To see Bobby Jones mow down the Giants 1 by 1 was sweet. When the crowd started chanting Bobby Jones I knew I was watching one of the best Met games in my life. The icing on the cake was when that jackass Balco Bonds ended the game by flying out to Payton. I went bonkers after that.

I was at this game and I was happy with Bobby V's decision to start Bobby Jones instead of Glendon Rusch and it turned out to be an incredible decision because Bobby Jones almost pitched a no- hitter and I thought he would before Jeff Kent hit a double in the fifth and in the ninth, it was a fitting end: Barry Bonds comes up and hits a line drive and Jay Payton is right there and the Mets win and "Who Let the Dogs Out" comes on and, for the second year in a row, I was at the game that sent the Mets to the NLCS.

Sorry mom I played hooky from work to attend this game. I'll be damned if I was going to miss one of the biggest games in the history of this great franchise to flip burgers at Burger King. (Even though I needed the money for my senior trip to Florida.) Anyway Fresno Jones pitched one of the greatest games I've ever seen anybody pitch. Man he was mowing the Giants down one by one. When he got Barry Bonds to fly out to end the series I knew it was a matter of time.

Great playoff game to be at. Beautiful weather, and a 1 hitter- by Bobby Jones, of all people. It hurt a little that Kent got the only hit.

Great game. Little talked about fact in my opinion is this would have/could have been a perfect game. Kent led off the 5th with a screamer off Ventura's glove for a double. The score was 2-0 at the time. He got real careful with the runner on 2d and walked the bases loaded with 2 outs (Baker also got blasted for letting the pitcher hit here). These were the only baserunners SF had in the game, I always felt if Ventura would have caught Kent's smash, Jones sets them down in order as he did the whole game. One of the best I ever saw...Bobby Jones???

Charlie's right -- it was very close to a no-hitter, but it was also very close to one of those games that suddenly unravels. Sitting in the Upper Deck behind home plate, high enough for the winds to freeze my neck, I was absolutely convinced it was all about to come apart there in the 5th. Dusty must have been as well or he'd have pinch-hit for his pitcher there. Was a good explanation ever offered?

Will never forget this game, beautifully pitched and all of us standing on our seats singing, "Who let the dogs out"!

This was the greatest pitched game that I have ever seen in person. I have seen all sorts of great Mets pitchers over the years.but Bobby Jones pitched the game of his life on this day.

Even though I was keeping a scorecard, I did not realize that Bobby had a one-hitter going until I asked the person next to me whether he thought Bobby V would leave Bobby Jones in for the 9th. The person mentioned the one-hitter and I checked the scorecard and sure enough.

This game was also the only time I saw the Mets clinch anything. In 1981, I saw the Expos (with Gary Carter) clinch the second half-season of the NL East at Shea on the next-to-last-day of the season.

When you're a catcher, you have a tendency to wear down at the end of a long season. Mike Piazza had fallen victim to this over his career, and his Postseason numbers had reflected this. The Mets were a great team in 2000, but if they were going to beat the Cardinals and go to the World Series, Piazza needed to regroup and step it up. Before the game, Mets coach John Stearns spoke of "The Monster needing to get out of the cage."

The Monster, of course, was Mike Piazza.

After the Mets roared out of the gate with a Timo Perez double, followed by an Alfonzo walk, Piazza ripped a double down the LF line, scoring Perez and giving the Mets an early lead.

And, for those watching on FOX, we found out how big of a hit it was at the top of the following inning, thanks to their "Sounds of the Game" microphone, being worn by Stearns.

"HE'S OUT OF THE CAGE! THE MONSTER IS OUT OF THE CAGE! THE MONSTER IS OUT OF THE CAGE! LET'S GO! THE MONSTER IS OUT OF THE CAGE! LET'S GO!"

The Monster was indeed out of the cage for the NLCS, and the Mets advanced to the World Series.

Jay Payton did it again! He came through with a base hit in the 9th to win the game. He did it in Game 2 in the NLDS and now in game 2 in the NLCS! Thanx Jay!

Whenever they think about the risks of using pitchers on 3 days rest in the postseason, they'll think of Darryl Kile.

The home first went like this: Double for Timo, double for Alfonzo, double for Piazza, double for Ventura. One out later, double for Agbayani. My brother & I had great seats and the place was going crazy.

Still, we needed five innings of scoreless relief from Rusch, Franco and Bentiez, and a boneheaded error from Fernando Tatis, to finish them off.

The only Mets post-season game I've ever attended (so far) and they got reamed! Oh well, at least they won the series. I do not remember much about the game itself - it was over before it was over (sorry, Yogi). I do remember the LOUD music constantly blasting from the loudspeakers (Mrs. Jarvis, WHERE ARE YOU?), the unseasonably hot weather, the sight of Chris "Mad Dog" Russo putting on a Mets cap and shirt in the press box to applause from the fans underneath, and the fact that I felt deadened and numb as I left Shea. When my friends and I got to the car, I then realized, less-than-wonderful though the experience may have been on some levels (we lost, after all), I had nonetheless seen my first Mets post-season game. And then I was grateful. Thanks, friends (you know who you are) and I sincerely pray that there will be many many more nights like this in the future!

I was at this game and the Mets were killed 8-2 by Andy Benes (who would've thought) but I was ok with that because I still had tickets to Game 5, which now I knew I would get to go to.

I remember an old dude in the mezzanine screaming at Bobby Valentine for leaving Rick Reed in too long. He was pretty awful in this one, and I remember Timo getting a huge ovation after his heroics in St. Louis.

Whenever they think about the risks of using pitchers on 3 days rest in the postseason, they'll think of Darryl Kile.

The home first went like this: Double for Timo, double for Alfonzo, double for Piazza, double for Ventura. One out later, double for Agbayani. My brother & I had great seats and the place was going crazy.

Still, we needed five innings of scoreless relief from Rusch, Franco and Bentiez, and a boneheaded error from Fernando Tatis, to finish them off.

Darryl Kile died in 2002 but before that he had a history of beating the Mets. He had even pitched a no-hitter against them when he was with Houston. BUT YOU DON'T PITCH SOMEONE ON THREE DAYS REST, NO MATTER WHO IT IS! Had Tony LaRussa decided to pitch Darryl Kile in Game 5, a game that I was at, the Cardinals might have gone to the World Series against the Yankees instead of the Mets. But this didn't happen and, as a result, the Mets hit 5 doubles off him in the first inning and the Mets won and, once again, I was going to a game where the Mets could clinch something.

I flew back to town from San Diego for three games of this series with my dad. May Darryl Kile rest in peace, (died in '02) but man, was Shea ROCKIN' that night! Timo Perez was still playing like a man possessed. That first inning was hella exciting with four straight doubles. It was like batting practice!

For much of the 2000 postseason, I've been pacing around in front of my television like a panther in a cage. But, thankfully, this game wasn't very stressful at all. After Zeile's three-run double made the score 6-0, with Hampton in complete control, I was able to sit back on the couch and relax. But after the second out of the 9th inning, I stood up, raised my arms in the air, and let the goosebumps flow all over me.

It's not a common thing to see the Mets clinch a spot in the World Series, and these moments are all the more special because of their scarcity. And the fans at Shea clearly felt the same way. I don't know if I've ever seen the fans there more joyous. It was a fun night. And hopefully it won't be another 14 years before it happens again!

Let's Go Mets! Have your metro cards ready, buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks and you are now ready for the first ever Subway Series between the New York Mets and New York Yankees (Booooooo!!!). I can't believe that I got to go to this game. Boy did the cops look foolish in their riot gear. Nothing happened but I guess the city had to be prepared for the worst. Hampton was incredible (please resign him). I hope I get tix to the World Series but if I don't, I can be grateful that the last game I went to this season was a clincher. I am too young to clearly remember the 86 team so I really hope the Amazins pull it off this year. Let's Go Mets!!!

Wow, I sat in the Mezz box for this one. I had classes the next day and I was hesitant to go but was I sure glad that I did. Right from the start you could feel the electricity running through Shea. It was a muggy, cold, rainy night but that didn't stop us. After the 7th inning stretch and with a comfortable lead, you could see fans starting to make their own confetti. Then after Timo took a leap, then made the final out, it was almost surreal. We made it to the Fall Classic. Walking down Roosevelt Ave. to our car was fun in itself as fans drove by honking horns and shouting Let's Go Mets.

My mother mannaged to score tickets right 3 hours before the game. We had box seats right down the 1st base line. Boy I was never so exitcted in my life. Mike Hampton mannaged to contain the much hyped Dead- Bird line up. As soon as the ball landed in Timo Perez's glove. I never went so crazy in my life.

This was possibly the best moment of my life! Rick Wilkins flying out to Timo Perez (who I thought should have been the NLCS MVP). I went to this game -- it was awesome. My first playoff game at Shea!

I was fortunate enough to be at this game. The one thing I remember and always will remember is after Todd Zeile's three-run double made the score 6-0 how with the fans cheering wildly actually had Shea Stadium rocking, I mean really rocking. You could feel the stadium swaying, and sitting in the upper deck as I was it was a scary feeling.

I was at this game and I watched as the Mets beat up on Pat Hentgen and Hampton went the distance to pitch a shutout and the Mets were going to the World Series.

But there were two other things that happened this game, one that was hilarious, and one that was scary. Let me tell you about Rick Ankiel. He was incredible in the 2000 regular season, almost winning Rookie of the Year, but during the playoffs he was so nervous that he threw too many wild pitches to count and, in this game, he did it again, throwing one onto the screen at Shea.

The other moment was when Jay Payton took a pitch to the head, with blood coming out of it and the scary thing is, they let you take cameras into the stadium then because it was before 9/11 and I caught this scary moment on film. I also saw Mark McGwire pinch hit and he popped out and then a flyball was caught by Timo and the Mets won and I can still picture John Franco waving his NL Pennant shirt in the air. It was an incredible feeling, the Mets were going to the World Series.

We were sitting pretty high up, but it didn't matter at all. I will never forget watching Timo catch the last out, and the place going nuts. We were hugging and high-fiving strangers all around us. Watching Johnny Franco run around waving the white shirt as "Who Let The Mets Out" was blaring from the speakers - one of the best moments in my life!

Of hundreds of Mets games I've attended in person, this one ranks as my number two all-time favorite (Favorite is still 1986 NLCS Game 3, Lenny Dykstra's walk-off two-run homer). What a moment to see the Mets all bolt from the dugout and the bullpen after that magic moment when Timo caught Rick Wilkins's fly ball. Even thought we were all euphoric at Shea, we wanted to choke that punk Dave Veres for hitting Jay Payton in the head. Nevertheless, I flew in from San Diego to join my dad for this series. We heard horns blaring all the way back into his Manhattan apartment, in celebration. I stayed up all night, watching TV clips of the clinching. The next morning, I didn't need the American Airlines 757 to fly home to San Diego - I happily floated there!

I was in Arizona on business and had a hotel suite filled with about 20 people watching this one. The game wasn't overly dramatic (Zeile's double about sealed it) and getting back to the Series after such a long drought was very sweet.

Fianlly our first pennant since 1986! And the first half of the Subway Series as we had to wait until the Yankees won the next day to make this a reality. Beating the Cardinals in this series was a nice way of payback from the heartbreaks they gave the Mets in 1985 and 1987. This is what the Mets could have done against the Cardinals in those years had there been wild cards. This also would be the last time the Mets clinched a postseason series in Shea Stadium. 2006 NLDS was won in Dodger Stadium. Lost 2000 WS and 2006 NLCS in Shea. Now Shea is gone.

Bought a single Upper Deck ticket and experienced this by myself, one of the best things I ever did for myself. The whole building shook when Zeile doubled the bases clear and it became clear we'd put them away.

benitez cost us the game and the Mets have yet to recover

This is the funniest site I have ever seen. I'm glad to know that the loss is still causing Mets fans agony.

If you'd had some professionals on your team, you would have won the series (what the hell was Timo Perez thinking walking around the bases on Zeile's fly ball off the wall? and why, for that matter, was Zeile jogging?)

The Yankees played that series with controlled desperation. The Mets just looked happy not to embarass themselves.

Mike Piazza is one of the few professional ballplayers you've got, but screwups like Agbayani, Payton and Wendell remind us that baseball is a team effort, and that one man alone can't compensate for the shortcomings of his teammates

The at bat by Paul O'Niell was the best sequence of pitches I can remember watching as a Mets fan. I'm am supremely confident that if he makes an out there we win the series...

The Mets had the game but Armando Benitez blew it. This was really the first time that Benitez blew a big game for the Mets but it certainly would not be the last. It went into extras and then a villain for the ages, Jose Viscaino, stepped up and lined one into left and the game was over and, in my mind, the Yankees won the World Series right there.

So many nightmares from this game. I was in Arizona for business/pleasure watching it in the early evening while my wife and mother-in-law went shopping. Obviously the O'Neill at bat was gut-wrenching as Mike mentioned, but for me the Zeile hit was the key play. I will never forgive Timo for not scoring on that play - no excuse for it at all. The series was decided in that O'Neill-Benitez matchup I believe. That was the turning point. I guess it just wasn't meant to be.

This was the first full World Series game I ever saw. I was excited through the whole game. I remember when Justice gave the Yankees a lead with a double. When Zeile hit what should have been a home run I was excited jumping up and down. Then Trammell's 2rbi single got me excited and the Alfonzo hit gave us the lead. Al pitched such a great game and in the 9th it looked like the Mets were going to win. Then Benitez blew the game and I was shocked. I stayed up all night just to get disappointed. If we would have won that game we would have won the World Series.

What Clemens did was unspeakable. You hit a guy in the head just because he's hit well off you in the past and then the World Series comes, a nationally televised game, where millions of people of watching. Clemens pitches to Piazza and Piazza hits a foul ball and breaks the bat and a piece of it comes back to Clemens and he precedes to chuck it right back at Piazza as he's running down the first base line and Clemens ran away with the game but then the Mets came back in the ninth with a home run by Payton and a homer by Piazza but the Mets lost 6-5 as Rivera got them out of the jam.

Every body fails to point out the only postive that came out of the 2000 world Series for us. The game we won. We disrupted two streaks. #1 The Skanks 14 game World Series winning streak, and El Sucke' Postseason winning streak.

I've been a Met fan since the Polo Grounds in 1963 I Jimmy Piersall hit his 100th HR and run the base backwards. The Mets won a doubleheader that day too. I live in LA since 1976 and never miss the Mets here or San Diego. I flew back for the Series VS the Skanks. I was able to get tickets for game #3. Robin hit a HR, but the evil ones scored 2 runs to lead 2-1. We tied it and then in the 8th Zielle singled and Benny hit a gapper to the wall in left- center for a 3-2 Met lead. We added another and Mando held on for a 4-2 win.I was elated as we left Shea yelling Lets go Mets! This was well worth the $$ to go back and will live forever as the best Met game I've been to in almost 40 years.

At this point, I had just found out that I had tickets to Games 5 and 6 of the World Series so the Mets needed to win if I wanted to see one of them. Then Benny Agbayani hit a ball into left- center and I knew the Mets had the game unless Benitez came in and blew and Benitez came in but he didn't blow it and instead got David Justice to pop up and I knew I was going to get to see the Mets play one more time!

This was the greatest moment in Mets history in my life time. Beating the Yankees and ending their streak was GREAT!!!!

One of the most tense games I've been to, up there with Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS. When Bobby Jones's first pitch came, I was in disbelief when Derek Jeter blasted it into the left-centerfield bleachers. I was devastated, but I still had faith. When Mike Piazza's drive landed near where Jeter's did, Shea Stadium exploded! I was sitting in the upper level, and I thought the place was going to crumble! Even though the Mets lost, it was a great ballgame and a nailbiter (just like most of the Mets postseason games!).

This was one of the five playoff games I attended in 1999 & 2000 combined. I went with my dad, and we took the two upper deck tickets that came with the package. I will never forget Bobby Jones saying he threw the first pitch of the game right over the plate to Derek Jeter because he did not think he would hit it. That was majorly stupid. He pitched worse than his line for this game shows. Even a lot of the outs were hard hits off of him. It was still an awesome time, even with the result. I was a senior in high school, and will never forget it because of my bet with these Yankee fans (see my post under Game Five of this series). I also remember this Yankee fan near us who made a comment to my dad and I about how the Mets can still get Alex Rodriguez. It was a good-natured, wise guy remark.

My dad and brother were at this game... apparently when Jeter hit that home run, the Baha Men (who had done a pregame concert performing "Who Let the Dogs Out") were still taking some of their equipment off the field.

I was at the game (first World Series game of my life) and I can't imagine I'll ever see a more sickening sight then the Yankees celebrating on our field. It sounds far too much like the cry of a Brooklyn Dodger fan, but wait 'til next ye

I was watching this game on fox as part of fox sports coverage of the 2000 World Series and when those damn yankees took the 4-2 lead in the top of the ninth I was becoming very nervous about the possiblity of those yankees celebrating baseball's top prize on the Mets home field. So, when the bottom of the 9th began I did my best to prepare myself where I wouldn't have to look if the Mets lost this game and when the yankees got the last three outs I couldn't watch the site of them partying on the Mets home field so I did my best to not look at the tv until the yankees were finished partying on the Mets field. So, the yankees partying on the Mets home field made me pretty upset, boy, i'm sure all of you can understand that. So, as Mets fans we should show an emotion where hopefully they'll be a day where the Mets celebrate the World Series title on the yankees home field!!! get what I am saying?

Bob: you should have done what I did. As soon as that shot by Piazza (which at first looked like a sure home run) landed in Bernie Williams' glove, the television set went off and I went to sleep.

Like watching a traffic accident. The last inning occurred in slow motion. I was in total denial for days. Still trying to get over it......

All I know is when I get sick and I cant throw up, all I got to do is look at the very immage of mariano Rivera and the rest of the Skanks cellebrating on our home field and it will come out.

Been a Mets fan from the cradle and I always took pride in the fact that NOONE had ever celebrated at Shea, until now. I just sat there with my head down, unable to look up at the screen when the last out was made. I was listening to the radio broadcast of the game and recording the T.V. broadcast. I distincly remember hearing Bob Murphy's voice crack when he said "...and they will celebrate at Shea." I turned off the T.V and went to bed. My wife said that I looked as if I had seen a ghost. Now I know what my dad, formally a Brooklyn Dodger fan (now a Mets fan), felt like all those years. I will never get over this.

Living in Maryland, I always root for the NY team, so I cheered for the Yanks in the 90's. But sorry, when it's Yanks vs Mets, I'm going to go with the Mets. Born in Brooklyn to ex-Dodger fans, there was no other way to be.

Anyway, when Petitte mishandled Leiter's bunt, I figured it was that Ol' Met Magic at work and the Metsies were destined to win. You gotta tip your hat to the Yanks, they just sucked it up and didn't fold like Boston did in 1986. I had a lump in my throat watching them lose that game. I felt especially bad for Leiter. The guy pitched his heart out and he STILL has no post season wins.

Keep the faith. The Mets will be back in the post season soon!

For all of my 18 years, I have bled orange and blue. I remember a glimpse of 86, a little more of 88, but when the Mets won that game 7-0 against the Cards, I went crazy. I watched the Mets fight tooth and nail for the first four games. Reed pitched a great game in game three, and all I could think about was that "1986 Year to Remember" tape that I have watched probably over 250 times. All I could think about was that comeback, and thoguht for sure that it was happening again. I was wrong. Probably the lowest moment of my life was in game 5 when Piazza hit that drive. Off the bat I just knew it was gone I held my breath, then jumped up off the couch, and let out a yell. While I was in mid-air, I saw the ball settle into Williams's glove, and it was like I had hit an invisible ceiling. I fell straight down bounced once off the couch, and laid on the floor, sobbing like a little infant. I am not ashamed to say that. That contact of horsehide and leather broke my heart. I had seen this team come from behind to many times. Going into that game, there was not a doubt in my mind that they were going to rattle off three straight.

Let me just say this.... I was watching the game from Cityside Bar and Grill in the Cleveland Circle area of Boston with some of my friends from grad school.

And when Piazza hit the ball, I swear I thought it was a home run. When Williams caught the ball, I left the bar and have REFUSED to watch or listen to a replay of that out ever since. God forbid I might get stuck having to hear that stinking idiot Sterling do his Yankees win thing....I think I'd hurl....

The key to the whole Series came down to 2 walks:

Benitez's walk to O'Neil in game 1, and Leiter's walk to Posada in game 5.

My worst pro sports nightmare come true. One of these days I'll get over it -- maybe after some intense therapy and a Game 7 win over the Yankees in the Bronx. Hope it happens in my lifetime!

I remember this game all too well. I was a senior in high school and I had a hockey game that night as well as something for homecoming week. I kept checking the score of the game in one of the classrooms downstairs. My heart sank when the Yanks went up 1-0, but when we went up 2- 1 I was on cloud 9 and convinced that Shea Magic was alive and well, I guess we all know how that turned out. Some of my friends that were Yankees Fans at school, although can I really consider them friends, were telling me to quit dreaming but my reply was, "ya gotta believe!" I got home to see the Yanks tie the game and take the lead and I decided to go to bed hoping that my non- watching strategy, which paid off before, would work again. Needless to say, it didn't work, but the playoff run of 2000 sure was memorable. The next day at school I wore my black Mets jersey and proclaimed I was still proud of my team, and I took my lumps. But the Yanks will go down eventually to us. And a heartfelt thanks goes out to the Diamondbacks for knocking out the Yankees in the 2001 World Series, you made a group of 8 Rutgers University Students very happy on a November night.

I was in disbelief when this one was over. A moment that will always stand out in my emotions was when Sojo grounded that single up the middle. It was the microcosm of this series: three different fielders barely missed the ball, and the throw barely missed beating Posada. When Posada walked that inning I had an erie feeling he would find a way to score with two outs and he did.

I'm a former New Yorker now living in Israel. I still follow the Mets and I got up every night at 2:00 AM Israel time to watch the games. All in all, it was a fabulous Series, very tense. As soon as Piazza's fly ball was caught, I turned off the TV and made a long distance call to my friend in New York, who is a Yankee fan. They were celebrating, of course, so I congratulated him, then went to sleep for a couple of hours before going to work.

I have been a Mets fan since 1986, I was 7 years old, even though the Mets lost this game and the series, I will always consider Al Leiter to be one of my all time favorite players. He pitched his heart out that night.

Hey there. The way this series turned out pissed me off. My family has a share in season tickets and I got to go to three playoff games in 2000, including the fourth game of the World Series. I was a senior in high school that year. I remember they had designated a school day for showing off your favorite team's colors in honor of the Subway Series. I made a bet with these Yankee fans that the Mets would win it. Here is the part where you will think I am stupid, the Mets were already down 2-0 when we made the bet. If the Mets lost, I would have to pay five dollars and stand up on my desk in class and dance like a monkey. Of course, we all know the result. But, I was prepared for the possible humiliation. Immediately when I got to economics (the class I had with those guys), I walked into the classroom dancing like a monkey with the monkey noises and all. I had to do it a total of like three times over the near 45 minutes we were in the class and pay the five dollars. Anyway, I am not shot on the 2003 season yet. LETS GO METS!!!!!

I was born in 84, so I have no recollection of the 86 series other than the highlight reels. This was my first experience with a World Series that actually had meaning. My dad happens to be a die hard Yankee fan...so it wasn't fun living in my house that week. I remember just getting up from my couch in the bottom of the ninth and leaving the house. I could not watch the rest of the game and listen to my dad's "You should root for the real champs" anymore. Because I never give up, I watched the rest of the game from the porch looking into the window, but when the third out fell I took a walk and didn't come back inside for an hour. In hindsight this was a pretty dumb move because it was midnight, chilly, and I wasn't wearing any shoes. I just remember walking up and down my street in complete denial and damn close to tears. I then gathered up the strength to slink back inside and go to sleep. To this day I refuse to discuss the series with my dad! One day we will get our revenge!

I got to the game at 3:30, knowing that if the Mets won, I could see Roger Clemens and Mike Hampton in Game 6, which promised to be a great game. I watched batting practice and caught a foul ball from Al Leiter and then watched him hit a BP home run.

The pitching matchup was Al Leiter and Andy Petitte and the game was good from the beginning. Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams each hit solo shots but the Mets made it 2-1 before Bernie's homer and it was fun to watch Al Leiter get his first hit in a year on an infield hit.

But in the ninth, Luis Sojo hit a ball up the middle and everyone blames the Mets losing on Bobby V leaving Al Leiter in for a 141st pitch but that wasn't why they lost. Jorge Posada was on second and someone else was on first when Sojo got the hit and Jay Payton made an incredible throw home that should've nailed Posada and ended the inning but Piazza wasn't covering the plate right. Instead of playing in front of home plate so he could catch it and tag Posada he was playing behind home plate, allowing the ball to hit Posada in the knee instead of going into Piazza's glove, the ball gets away, and another run scores and then Piazza hits one in the bottom of the inning deep but not deep enough at exactly midnight and my heart sunk and everyone was cheering as the Yankees ran out on the field and were mobbed by the media and it was horrible. Shea Stadium had been abducted by Yankee fans.

Being a Yankee fan before a Met fan, I was happy with the World Series' outcome.

But I remain annoyed to this day that New York could not hold a joint parade for both teams. The Yankees and Mets gave New York two great pennant runs and a great World Series. They were both champions.

They should have been honored together in a joint ceremony.

My wife and I were at the Met playoff clincher vs. the SF Giants and the NL clincher vs. the Cards as well as this game. Left the game before the bottom of the ninth and have never seen (and never will) the final out or the Yankee celebration. Worst Met loss I have ever attended in my 37 years going out to Shea. I still haven't gotten over it. (Maybe the Mets haven't either.)

I think the ghosts of Shea past cursed the Yankees when they started celebrating at Shea. The spirits of Gil Hodges, and Casey (Even though he used to mannage the Yanks) cast a spell on them when they started to jump around the field like jackasses, carring Joe Torre on their shoulders like he was god or something, and parading the trophy long after the game while thier degenerates, I mean fans was still at Shea like it was the Bronx. Now the Yankees have not won a title since then, and not to mention they had the biggest collapse in sports history. Next time they win anything at Shea they should do it old school. Run off the field, celebrate in the locker room, and stay in the locker room.

Worst night for me at Shea EVER. Even the 1988 NLCS Game 4 wasn't as bad. I still haven't gotten over this game and this Series. Why the Yankees? Why, of all teams to lose a Series to, why did it have to be the Yankees? Lee, you called it EXACTLY right. Payton nailed Posada and Piazza was on the wrong side of the plate. And just as everyone else thought, I just knew Piazza's drive was going to tie the game - just as I thought Todd Zeile's ball in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium surely had cleared the fence. We absolutely should've won Game 1, Game 2 was a complete humiliation at the expense of that jackass, Roger Clemens, Game 4 was complete frustration not being able to score a measly run to tie that 3-2 loss and losing Game 5 on Luis Sojo's 97-hopper up the middle...I remember being monumentally depressed the next year, too, when the Diamondbacks beat the Yankees in the Series, wishing it could've been us who dethroned them.

My dad got tickets for this game and I went with him, my sister and my uncle.

I was in college in Maryland at the time, and even though the game was on a Thursday and I had an exam the next morning, I couldn't turn down the chance to go to a historic game like this one.

I drove from Baltimore to New York after classes on Thursday and made it just in time for the first pitch.

What a great game. Our seats were in the mezzanine, way down the third base line. Leiter was tremendous, fans from both teams yelling back and forth at each other.

I remember the sight of awful Sojo's dribbler up the middle and I remember leaping out of my seat when Piazza hit the ball that became the last out. The ball made a great sound off the bat. I yelled out, "He did it!" but then saw Bernie settling under it near the warning track in center.

I slumped in my chair and just sat there for about 5 minutes.

When we got back to my parents' house, I was so wired from the game, I decided to drive straight home to Baltimore at 1 a.m.

The next day, I took the exam and got an A. Go figure.

I was home for this game. I am a Yankee hater as well as a Met lover but honestly as horrible as the sight of the Yankees winning on our field, it does not rank as my worst moments as a Mets fan. I rank losing to the Dodgers in 1988 and the Cardinals last year. Perhaps a reason for this is that we lost in 5 games and the pain would have been deeper if we had lost in 6 or 7. Nonetheless this was a nightmare. I will not make excuses for us, we lost and that's it. We made too many mistakes and bungles in this series and you cannot do that against an experienced World Series team like the Yankees and I hated people coming up to me and saying well you guys played well. I don't care how well we played or how close the games are we lost 4 games to 1. I am and will always be proud of my Mets and someday retribution will come and when we play those Bums in the series, As my mom used to say, Payback's a bitch.

All I want for Christmas is PEACE ON EARTH, TO WIN THE MEGA-MILLIONS AND SPEND NEW YEARS EVE IN CANCUN WITH A BEAUTIFUL FOX NEWS ANCHORWOMAN. I know, I know that those things may NOT happen but I want one thing for the holidays is for Bud Selig to put a big fat (*) on the 2000 World Series because of the Evil Yankees and their Better Living Through Chemicals program.

I still can't watch the final out without thinking that Piazza's drive is going out. We saw him hit a hundred balls out on swings just like that. I literally jumped to my feet just in time to see the ball fall into Bernie's glove. I still think about how that felt.

I remember this game as well as any game. I was watching the game at my house in South Florida as I was preparing to fly to Tampa, FL the next morning for my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary. They also were watching the game, my grandfather was always a big Mets fan and loved the Dodgers before they fled from Brooklyn. My grandparents always remembered those Yankees-Dodgers Subway Series, so this was special for them too. Only fitting this Subway Series took place on their 60th anniversary. Yes, the Mets did lose and the Yankees celebrated at Shea and it's hard to forget it but was a great year. As this turns out, this game was the last World Series game ever at Shea Stadium. When my aunt picked me up in Tampa the next day we had to drive by the Yankees spring training complex and we saw a worker literally painting over the Yankees World Championships board changing from 25 to 26 titles.

When Piazza hit that fly ball was a quick glimmer of hope until it fell in Williams glove. The second darkest day in Mets history next to the 2007 fall.