When Will it be Time For the Mets To Throw in the Towel on ’09?

How long will it be until the Mets throw in the towel and fold it in for the 2009 season?  The Mets are currently in fourth place, 9.5 games back of the Phillies and 8.5 games behind the wild card leader.  Though I don’t think the Mets have a shot at making the postseason this season, I think they should wait to throw in the towel until they either hit a cold spell and drop to 11 or 12 games back or if they are still around 8 or 9 games back and in fourth place on August 25.  

What I mean by the Mets throwing in the towel is that the Mets should shut down Reyes and Beltran for the remainder of the season, cut back Santana’s innings, call up some prospects to let them get a taste of the majors and see how they perform, and also explain that management will discuss that status’ of Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya (among others) during the offseason.  If the Mets are stuck in fourth place by September 1, why would they want to risk long term injury to their injured players if they really have no shot at going anywhere this season.  There comes a point where the Mets need to start focusing on the 2010 season and as long as they are trailing three teams in their own division, the organization has to start thinking about when that time may be.  

The Mets hierarchy doesn’t have to come out and say they are giving up in ’09 and the players can keep fighting and believing, but they need to take action now in order to help win next season.  If it means shutting down some injured stars and taking Santana out after six innings and 90 pitches, they must do it.  Unless the Mets get on a hot streak and fight back into contention, the team will have thrown it in by September and will be looking ahead to free agency and the 2010 season.