WASHINGTON: New York Mets manager Jerry Manuel said on Thursday his team's recent poor performance bore little resemblance to last year's collapse.

The Mets held a 3.5-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East on Sept 4 but a 5-6 record since then has brought back bitter memories of 2007. Last year, the Mets lost 12 of their last 17 games to lose the East title to the Phillies by one game.

"It's a different situation," Manuel said on Thursday before the Mets' game against the Washington Nationals which they won 7-2.. "We had a seven-game lead (last year) with 17 to go. We have some different people here now.