To my fellow Mets fans...

We have no one to blame but ourselves.

We knew this season was supposed to be a rebuilding year. When Alderson was hired, it was clear that success was a few years away. But then the Mets had a surprising and, dare I say amazin', first half.

Wright was a legitimate MVP candidate. Dickey was spectacular. Tejada made us forget about Reyes.

And then there was The No-Hitter. 

The signs were there, however. Pelfrey went down, the bullpen was spotty at best, Ike's slump, Bay still on the team. Yet the Mets managed to tread water, and kept hope alive for one of the Wild Card spots.

And this meant that as fans...fans in the wake of 2006, we believed in the team/ Why not the Mets, with their ragtag pitching staff and awesome stories? Why not the Mets with their bevy of homegrown talent and underdog mentality?

Well, here's why: the Mets aren't a playoff team. Yet. The talent is there, but it is a year or two away from being ready for the big time. Pitching is in the pipeline, and soon, the unwieldy Flavor Flav Clock contracts leftover from the Minaya regime will be be off our necks. 

It doesn't hurt any less. We sit through year after year of the Yankees being awesome, of watching the other teams in our division improve while the Mets seem stagnant, of John Kruk on Baseball Tonight (but to be fair, he's been less biased this year). The Mets fan base wants something to cheer for, and the first half made us believe. It is our own fault...we knew what this team was. And you know what? They're still doing better than just about anyone's expectation- let's not forget.

So I'm happy for 2012, and here's why:

• Ruben Tejada has proven we can win without Reyes
• Jordany Valdespin is a star in the making
• Dickey is one of the best pitchers out there, and we can lock him up
• Our farm system is being replenished
• Wright is playing out of his mind
• The Marlins and Phillies are stinking up the joint!
• We're still not out of the race!
• The No-Hitter!

So, as always, lets go Mets!