Look: In reality, there were a few solidly awesome Mets moments in 2010, but this will be the only one that makes the TedQuarters Top 10 Things. I could have gone with one of the Ike Davis catches over the rail, or any number of amazing things Angel Pagan did, or Carlos Beltran’s first homer after his return to action. But somehow this seemed a fitting way to eulogize the end of the Omar Minaya Era.

Haters will point out that Luis Hernandez probably shouldn’t have even been playing on Sept. 18. They’ll show you all the evidence that Hernandez wasn’t anything like as deserving of a roster spot as Justin Turner, or anything like a credible Major League hitter. And they’ll complain that in spite of that evidence, Jerry Manuel made the diminutive Venezuelan his de facto starting second baseman for a short while due mostly to one good game in which the Mets scored 18 runs in Chicago.

Haters could also point out that, in fact, Hernandez might not have even been a better hitter than young Ruben Tejada. And they’d say that since Tejada was merely 20 at the time and still could play some role in the Mets’ future, he deserved at-bats to adjust to Major League pitching and audition for 2011.

Haters gonna hate, as they say. And Hernandez’s home run, one pitch after the foul ball that broke his right foot, was tragically heroic. With his front foot broken and Tim Hudson on the mound, with the Mets down 3-1 in the game and long out of the pennant chase, a 5’10” backup infielder with two home runs in 289 prior Major League plate appearances positively crushed one.

I happened to be listening on the radio when it happened, and I wish I could present Howie Rose’s call instead of the one above. I can’t remember it word for word, but he essentially used it to symbolize the Mets’ entire 2010 campaign. To me, it seemed almost a more apt description for Omar Minaya’s entire tenure: The Mets get surprising contributions from an unlikely source, only to have it ultimately go horribly and triumphantly awry.