NEW YORK -- The decline that denied the Mets a place in the postseason was steep, excruciating and historic. Moreover, it picked at the scab created by their loss in the 2006 NLCS. Scars probably will be visible for some time. Not because the collapse was more dramatic, but because it was more recent, the '07 Mets now are a universal means by which to measure September shortfall.

The inability of the bullpen to perform with even a semblance of reliability during the final six weeks defaced the season and stained almost everything positive that was accomplished.

A team that, rightly or wrongly, was expected to win a second straight division championship -- that would have been a franchise precedent -- often appeared to play with less urgency than it demonstrated in 2006. Injuries -- mostly to the more veteran players, such as Orlando Hernandez, Moises Alou, Carlos Delgado, Jose Valentin and Damion Easley -- undermined the offensive brilliance of David Wright and the continued emergence of Oliver Perez.

What the shortfall means for 2008 is impossible to assess at this point, though it seems no men connected with it -- save Wright, Jose Reyes, Billy Wagner, Carlos Beltran, Tom Glavine (if he chooses to return), Pedro Martinez, pitching coach Rick Peterson and hitting coach Howard Johnson have strong job security.

Record: 88-74, second in National League East, third in Wild Card standings

Defining moment: In retrospect, it came in the Mets' 157th game when they staged a furious, ninth-inning comeback but still lost, 10-9, to the Nationals. It was the second of five straight losses that doomed the team and quite similar to the weekend the would follow. The six-run rally was the equivalent of the Mets' 13-0 victory Saturday. It renewed their hope. And when Paul Lo Duca popped up for the final out with a runner on third, it was merely the foreshadowing of the dreadful Sunday defeat that left the Mets saying, "We didn't get it done."

What went right: Not enough. This season of acute disappointment brought individual accomplishment, but not enough to salve the wounds of September. Glavine gained his 300th career victory, Wagner notched his 358th save and Pedro got his 3,000th career strikeout, not to mention a foothold on his future. And Wright's run to the fifth 30-30 season in club history and push into the MVP consideration were the highlights of a season that ultimately went quite sour.

What went wrong: The bullpen, brilliant in April and adequate into August, was all but inept thereafter. It was the primary reason a seven-game lead -- as late as Sept. 12 -- proved insufficient. The bullpen lost 12 of its 17 most recent decisions, converted merely 12 of 23 save opportunities and produced a 5.30 ERA in its last 48 games. The season was a long step in the wrong direction that has ramifications yet to be realized.

Biggest surprise: The late-season decline of Reyes. His performance was reflected by the team's September slide. Reyes batted .187 in his final 32 games and .135 in his final 37 at-bats. And worse, he appeared indifferent about his defensive responsibilities and about running out ground balls.

Lineup: The development of Lastings Milledge, and to a lesser degree Carlos Gomez, may allow the Mets to exercise their option on Alou and go forward with an outfield of Alou, Milledge, Gomez (at some point in the summer), Beltran, Endy Chavez and maybe even Shawn Green in a diminished role that would include reserve duty at first base. The infield can remain unchanged unless the club, undermined by injuries to veterans for two seasons, believes Luis Castillo is too great a risk and looks elsewhere for a second baseman. Ruben Gotay, as well as he has performed, probably won't be the second baseman even if Castillo leaves.

And it's not likely a productive September will win Paul Lo Duca the return that he wants.

Rotation: The possible departure of Glavine adds another layer of uncertainty to the plans for 2008. It says something that a 36-year-old pitcher, 18 months removed from rotator cuff surgery, could be the most certain asset among the starters. But Martinez may be just that, if only by default. Perez was inconsistent though productive, while John Maine faded until his brilliant final start. Hernandez had his second straight injury-induced autumn sabbatical, and neither Mike Pelfrey nor Philip Humber asserted himself as the club had hoped.

Bullpen: No component of any team is more fickle than short relief pitching. But that doesn't mean the Mets might or should think the unreliable relievers that put the season at risk could somehow pull a 180 and be in 2008 what Minaya thought they could have been in '07. The pen requires refurbishing. The lone certainty for next season is Wagner.

Now that the value of the other relievers has been diminished by their dreadful September, trading one or two of them to address a need can not be so readily accomplished. Based on value alone -- and not whether either might have to be included in a deal -- Aaron Heilman and Pedro Feliciano are the most likely to return. Jorge Sosa and Joe Smith are next.

Biggest need: Pitching, pitching, pitching. The Mets' offense didn't produce as expected until the return of Alou and September desperation provided a sense of resolve.

But it was the pitching that undermined the team's efforts. In a disturbing 10-game sequence from Sept. 16-25, the Mets endured six losses, including four in which they scored six, eight, seven and nine runs. Those losses were all about poor relief pitching.

Prospect to watch: Milledge has too much experience now to be considered a prospect -- but Gomez doesn't. Gomez, Pelfrey, Humber and perhaps reliever Eddie Kunz, the club's first selection in the Draft this season, will be in position to win jobs with the '08 team.