The business side of the equation became an after thought -- unless you are in Mets management. Had the Mets won the division, the playoffs would have brought in anywhere between $1.5 million to $15 million of extra revenue to the organization. Fans feel especially generous during the playoffs: Extra t-shirts, caps and even hot dogs are bought during playoff games. Greater New York City is the largest market in the United States, and ancillary merchandise purchases at regular retail outlets would have felt the upsurge as well.

Plus, lots of fans just plain old hate the Yankees and love the Mets. The Yankees begin their playoff series against my beloved Cleveland Indians starting this Thursday! Go Tribe!!

The baseball playoffs begin today with the surging, hot Colorado Rockies hosting the San Diego Padres for a deciding game to determine the wild card representative for the National League. Purists are pulling for the Rockies because they play in a weird stadium where the thin air of mile-high Denver helps launch "routine" fly balls into barely-home runs. The stadium is a pitcher's nightmare.

The Mets did have a terrific year, until September hit them like a bus. The Phillies should be congratulated for not giving up and playing their unproven, called-up minor league players when all seemed lost in early September.

The Mets' lost revenues will not bankrupt the team. Quite the contrary, as the Mets are one of the highest revenue grossing teams in Major League Baseball. The pain of the collapse may require the entire off-season to figure out the whys and the what ifs, but remember, the beautiful game of baseball is designed to break your heart ... only the Mets will feel the wallet pain.

Georges Yared is the CIO of Yared Investment Research and an avid fan of the Cleveland Indians...the 96-66 Cleveland Indians!