The 2002 Mets were yet another example of the maxim that winning the offseason does not translate into winning the pennant. Determined to avoid a repeat of the 2001 debacle, when the Mets limped to a 77-84 fifth place finish, general manager Steve Phillips worked feverishly to overhaul the roster, jettisoning some longtime Mets and bringing in some well-known replacements. And most media members and baseball insiders commented at the time that Phillips absolute
