-One thing we forgot to note about last night’s blown save by Scott Proctor was the idiotic reaction of some fans. If you can actually call them that. The righty has been one of the Yanks’ best setup men out of the bullpen all year. And unlike Kyle Farnsworth, he’s always ready when called upon and been in more games than any other reliever. I forget the exact number but it’s staggering. So he failed. Sometimes, it happens. But to hear some morons murmur “Proctor you suck,” was just pathetic. This guy has been maybe the most valuable reliever outside the legendary Mo Rivera. And that right there are the type of fans who shouldn’t be allowed in the ballpark.

-One other comment on Chien-Ming Wang. Most consistent Yankee starter and deserves to start Game One this October.

-Nice to see A-Rod silence the critics with a three hit two RBI day including his 27th home run which turned out to be needed in the Yanks’ 6-4 win over those slumping Tigers. Oh btw…for that deranged fan upset about no Rivera last night, he closed out the Tigers for his 33rd save despite a mild muscle strain in his right elbow via an MRI. The last thing the Yanks need is no Mo. He says he can pitch through it. So if we’re Joe Torre, we continue to use him only when really needed. Unfortunately, Randy Johnson ran out of gas in the ninth. Otherwise, he would’ve gotten the complete game.

-If you take out Craig Monroe’s clutch three-run homer off Proctor, the Tigers would’ve been swept and only 3.5 up on Chicago and four on Minnesota who dropped two of three to the Royals at home. Maybe that Monroe blast saved their season. We’ll certainly find out.

-I’m not really sure what to think of Boston dealing David Wells back to San Diego. Especially when in recent starts he had been pitching extremely well. Are the Red Sox throwing in the towel? At least they got some encouraging news on star slugger David Ortiz. Big Papi had missed the past few games due to heart palpitations but it looks like he’ll return to their lineup this weekend. They need all the help they can get.

-How come nobody ever talks about the A’s for representing the AL? They’re 21 over without arguably their best pitcher Rich Harden and he actually could be returning soon. Watch out.

-Watching Andre Agassi trade shot for shot with Marcos Baghdatis during this second round U.S. Open night match has been unreal thus far. It’s only the first set and these guys are literally going toe to toe. If the retiring 36 year-old American can pull this off, wow.

-So you want to know what it’s like to be A-Rod? I was at last night’s tough 5-3 loss to the Tigers. It’s hard to believe this is the same player who won the AL MVP last year. But let’s just forget about all the numbers for a minute. Even in the traditional first inning Bleacher Creature rollcall where they chant each starter’s name and they acknowledge them with a tip of the cap or glove, the much maligned supersensitive third baseman received some boos. For what exactly? For waving a glove to diehards?!?!?!?!?! It borders on absurd. Anything the guy does just gets booed. And it’s usually by people who don’t even care or aren’t real fans. So here’s my question for those who go to these games a lot. If he’s on your team and you know how any little thing can affect his psyche, why would you boo? Why not cheer and give him your unwavering support? The guy needs it and so do the Yankees.

-So did anyone like that ninth inning where Scott Proctor couldn’t tame the Tigers like Mariano Rivera? Sometimes, that will happen. He shouldn’t have been in there but Kyle Farnsworth (man if you look at his name closely it should be called Farn$worth cause he sure isn’t worth it) couldn’t go because of a bad back. They only pay the guy $7 million-a-year. Man. You can’t make it up. Of course, Proctor serving one up to Craig Monroe was about as predictable as the rain is these days. Hope the sun comes up tomorrow and the greatest closer is back out there to finish off two of three.

-Best parts of the game: Derek Jeter’s clutch two-run double which tied it. He also stole third which gave A-Rod a chance for an easy RBI ground out which had the Yanks ahead. Robinson Cano’s sprawling gem and toss out of Sean Casey in which the Tiger first baseman bowled over first baseman Aaron Guiel but he held on to end the eighth. It was as good a defensive play by two infielders as you’ll see.

-Overheard an older fan complaining that Rivera wasn’t used. Let’s see: He closed out the 2-0 shutout during the day game of the doubleheader and pushed the Yanks’ lead to 8.5 over the dead Sahhhxxx. But this game was “really big.” Yep. I can see if they were up only three or four putting him in. But when you have a comfortable lead over an opponent which doesn’t have its best sluggers due to health ailments and has shown no signs of life, what’s the point? May as well give him the night off. But sometimes, logic doesn’t prevail at these games. They must’ve had one too many.

-Also heard during this game on a foul ball five rows into foul territory that was out of A-Rod’s reach: “Jeter would’ve had that.” And that is really all you need to know about these fans.

-How much you want to bet A-Rod finishes his career elsewhere?

-I cringe at the thought that most of the fans I saw at this game will comprise of that new Yankee Stadium. Oh the joy.

-There’s been this debate lately on WFAN that Chris Russo has brought up about the new Shea Stadium including a tribute to Jackie Robinson. Or even naming it after him. Okay…I’m with Russo on this one. I understand what Robinson did for baseball but what the heck does he have to do with the freaking Mets? These Mets fans who call up and defend it are delusional. How about naming it after one of your franchise’s best players: Darryl Strawberry Field, Tom Seaver Park. Even Dwight Gooden Field makes more sense even if the Mets don’t even want to acknowledge what the now jailed former Cy Young winner had on the impact of those 80’s teams. Idiots. That’s why they’re the Mets. If you can’t recognize what was your greatest pitcher on the 1986 team because his life didn’t turn out the way it should have, you are not doing the best job possible for the fans who saw that team play. Sometimes, players have flaws. Gooden still was their best pitcher before cocaine did him in. Btw…one thing I agree on with FAN’s Jerry Reco is if it’s named after some corporate company, it would stink! Nobody wants to have a new stadium called Bubba Burger Park. Ugh.

-Speaking of the Mets, they continued to roll last night at Colorado. What was it again? 11-2 and four home runs? Or was it five? I lost count. I know David Wright hit a grand slam and drove in five. And Carlos Delgado hit one or was it two. And Jose Valentin hit two out. The best aspect for them as they close in on their first division crown since 1988 is that Delgado is red hot (6 HR in last 9 games) and Wright has come out of his month long slump and went over 100 RBI’s. Oh btw…when Delgado gets four more, that will mean the 3-4-5 of Carlos Beltran, Delgado and Wright will all top 100. Find another NL team that has that.

-Marlins finally lost after winning nine straight. Yes, the NL Central-leading Cardinals actually won a game and increased their chances of seeing the postseason. Regarding Florida, they really have done a tremendous job. They did fall to 2.5 back of the wildcard-leading Padres who jumped half a game in front of the Reds after their sixth consecutive loss. However, I still see the Marlins staying in this race for the duration. None of these teams look like they’ll jump ahead. The Reds have been fading lately. The Phillies have played great ball lately but are always a bullpen stint away from self-destructing. The Padres are okay but not what I’d call a lock to run away from anyone. It should be a fun race till the finish.

-So Team USA Basketball cruised into the semis of the FIBA Cup or whatever it’s called and now will face world power Greece. And you’re probably wondering why this doesn’t excite me.

-So the MTV Music Awards are on later tonight. It would be nice if there’s an actual rock moment and not some boneheaded thing on Paris Hilton or Christina Aguilera or some other overrated pop star who can get the heck off my TV set. Ah…I’m probably asking for too much. It will probably be as unwatchable as the last few years. When was it exactly that it stopped being about the music?
-Andre Agassi’s back has flared up and he received a cortisone shot after his first round win over Andrei Pavel. Probably not a good sign for his must see second round match at the Open tonight against Marcos Baghdatis. If he wins and extends his career another round, it would be an upset. Baghdatis is much younger and plays similar to Agassi and can move much faster. This could still turn out to be a great match but it depends on the two-time Open champion’s health which isn’t great going in. No matter what happens, it should be memorable.

-Is this the tournament Maria Sharapova goes from one trick pony to legitimate star?

-Worth noting that the comebacking Serena Williams actually looks a lot fitter and was moving much better in her first round win Wednesday. We’ll see how far it gets her.

-On this yucky rainy miserable day, I guess it makes sense to start with the latest Carl Pavano injury. This guy might just be a moron. He hasn’t pitched in a big league game for the Yankees in over a year. Between all his injuries and uncertain status, it was easy to see that the ex-Marlin is destined to become the biggest bu$t the Yanks have ever signed. So he was finally making rehab starts in the minors and progressing nicely. Even to the point where Yankee brass actually believed he might return this week. Then, the news came of Pavano that after a start he made in Columbus, he reported rib pain the next day. That’s because this jackass decided to keep a car accident he got into two weeks ago under raps. Somehow, he didn’t report it to anyone and continued to pitch “hoping it would get better.” You just can’t make this stuff up. So yesterday it finally came out and Yankee GM Brian Cashman wasn’t too pleased. To think he gave this guy $10 million-a-year for what? Four maybe five years? If I found something like this out, I would have just released this guy. It’s obvious that he can’t be trusted after this and doesn’t deserve to pitch for the Pinstripes. The problem is they have too much invested. I can’t even believe I wasted space on this bozo. He’s just not worth it.

-You could probably say the same thing for Daily News columnist Mike Lupica. The self-proclaimed Know It All continued to make a total jackass out of himself this past weekend in his Sunday column when he stated that Willie Randolph deserved Manager of the Year over Joe Girardi. On what planet? Did Lupica even bother to notice that the Mets have the highest payroll in the NL? Randolph is a good manager. No doubt. He’s done a solid job. But look at the talent he has to work with. What miracles has he performed when he has Carlos Delgado and Paul Lo Duca who the Mets ransacked from those Marlins. He has Billy Wagner who the Mets overpaid in the offseason to fix their pen. Lupica likes to think his Mets (he’d never admit it but anyone can read between the lines) are some welfare case. Oh really? Did we mention MVP candidate Carlos Beltran in center? How did the Amazins’ acquire him btw? Oh wait. It’s the same way the Yankees do things. By offering the most money. And there’s really no harm in it. If you have the cash, why not? How exactly did the Mets go from a laughingstock two years ago to a World Series contender? When you add big name players via free agency or taking advantage of a team in your division’s situation, it’s going to drastically improve your team’s chances. This doesn’t take away from the fact that Jose Reyes and David Wright are two of the game’s emerging stars. But when you go through the Mets roster, you have to account for all the players they paid top dollar for to be in this position. That includes their top two DLed starters Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine. If either doesn’t deliever this Fall, the Mets aren’t winning anything.

Reyes and Wright will be great for years. But understand that they couldn’t accomplish an 80-49 record by themselves. Mets GM Omar Minaya went out and got the pieces. Here’s a suggest to Lupica. Go look at the Marlins’ payroll and read what some of the expectations were for them from real baseball writers such as his colleague Bill Madden. The Marlins can’t afford to rent Shawn Green for a stretch run because their top prospect outfielder isn’t quite ready. Go up and down Florida’s roster and look at the amount of rookies he has surrounding the game’s most underrated star Miguel Cabrera. Or better yet compare the lineups. Look at Dontrelle Willis’ season and you’ll notice it’s not as good as some of Girardi’s rookie hurlers. Despite all the first-year players, he has his ballclub two games under .500 having won eight in a row to close within 1.5 of the wildcard-leading Reds. If you go back to what was predicted for the rookie skipper’s team, this was supposed to be virtually impossible. Many thought they’d lose over 100 games. Btw…what were the predictions for those Mets (4th highest payroll)?!?!?!?!?! Most had them back in the playoffs. Girardi might clash with his silly owner but has done an amazing job. The best in baseball. Chew on this Lupica:

Mets- $101,084,963

Marlins- $14,998,500
-Speaking of the Marlins, rookie shortstop Hanley Ramirez who was acquired as part of the Josh Beckett/Mike Lowell deal looks a lot like the Mets’ Jose Reyes. Don’t believe us? Check out his first season:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7488

-Even with his brilliant tennis career about to end, Andre Agassi gives us a final show before it’s over. Even at the age of 36 with a bad back when everyone of his rivals are already retired, the two-time U.S. Open champion and eight-time slam winner continues to put out the effort when there’s really nothing on the line here. But you see how badly he wants to win and go out on top a la Pete Sampras four years prior. The body might not cooperate Thursday night against a younger Agassi-clone Marcos Baghdatis. But you know deep down the mind will be there in full force trying to pull the upset and get into the third round making New York fans envision a Round of 16 clash against Andy Roddick. Agassi has changed so much over his brilliant 20-year career. From the flambuoyant Image Is Everything model and baggy pants with rebel look (bleached long hair, beard) to the bald clean shaven gritty player we see now who gets it. A man so in touch with what’s right that he’s created his own school for troubled kids back home in Las Vegas. You can’t put into words what he’s meant to tennis. If Thursday is his final match, he will get the proper sendoff fitting of a King on the grandest stage. It will be emotional to watch but fun regardless. There needs to be more Andre Agassis in sports.

-So Chad Pennington is the Jets’ number one quarterback which is a feel good story after a second shoulder surgery. He’ll at least get the chance to prove he can still lead a team which is expected to win 3-4 games. Maybe it won’t last but how could you not root for him? It’s too bad about Curtis Martin.

-What other silly Award shows will they think of in the coming years?

-It’s been a busy few days. Been covering some S.I. Yanks games and putting together some U.S. Open tennis previews. We’ll have links for that later.

-In the mean time, we learned this weekend that no matter what the Yanks’ record is, they can’t deal with the Angels. Can you imagine if Mike Scioscia’s gritty ballclub found its way into October? I think the Yankees (the slumping A-Rod in particular) would just throw in the towel. Well, at least they salvaged the last game even if it was ugly enough to actually bring in Mariano Rivera to close out the Rally Monkey’s. Death to it! The victory wouldn’t have been possible without the Old Guard. Bernie Williams had himself a day. Spelling Melky Cabrera (first day off in forever), the elder statesman had four hits, two home runs and six RBI’s and got the kind of standing ovation in Anaheim that would’ve made you believe the game was in the Bronx. Yeah. Those California fans sure are diehard! And MVP candidate Derek Jeter had three hits including two homers. He’s now at .337, 12 HR and 81 RBI’s. Oh. If you’re wondering, Williams in a bench role now has a respectable .286 average with 11 dingers and 53 RBI’s. Ah. What one game can do for you. But still. That’s not bad production for a guy who’s supposedly on the way out. The offense was enough for an 11-8 win and made recent Columbus recall Jeff Karstens a winner. Where do they find these guys?
-If you’re wondering about A-Rod, so are we. He did have one hit in five plate appearances but K’d three more times to drop his average under .280. Not long ago during the Yanks’ five-game sweep of Boston, it looked like he would climb close to .300 and heat up. But since they left Fenway, he’s been dreadful. I think that’s now 11 or 12 K’s in the last four games. I haven’t been watching every at bat due to my coverage but I have gotten to see enough with the games being on the West Coast to know what the 2005 AL MVP’s problems are:

A.He looks very anxious. Almost like he’s putting too much pressure on himself. One key to being a good hitter is being relaxed. When you watch him at the plate these days, he’s anything but.

B.He’s pulling off the ball. It explains all the K’s. It looks like he’s trying to hit every ball out of the park. Instead of just using his natural power and going to all fields, he’s not and it’s resulting in a lot of failure.

Now, there’s been plenty of talk lately on WFAN (what else are they going to call about, that the Mets should’ve kept Lastings Milledge up when they have a better chance to win with Shawn Green) about it. Almost too much. Between where Joe Torre hits him and what’s wrong, it’s almost like every fan who calls up thinks they’re a therapist. On topic, if the embattled third base slugger is still seeing one, they’re not doing the job. None of us can get inside his head. Ultimately, this is a 31 year-old grown man who’s supposed to be a superstar. It’s up to him to start acting like it instead of looking baffled everytime he goes back to the dugout. If you’re the Yankees, you just hope he gets it fixed in time for that four-game series against the Red Sox.

-If you exclude the Yanks’ five-game destruction of the Sahhhhxxx last week, they’re 3-6 in the other three series against Baltimore, Seattle and Los Angeles. For more breakdown since their August 8th trip to Chicago:
Yanks vs Boston: 5-0

Yanks vs Others: 6-10

Kind of makes you wonder. If you’re a Boston fan, you’re probably screaming a few obscenities right now at the screen. Somehow in the last six games where they lost four of six out West, the Yanks remained 6.5 up because the Sox inexplicably were swept by those powerful Mariners.

-In the even more absurd world of the NL, the Giants have suddenly closed to one game under .500 and just 1.5 behind wild card-leader Cincinnati after taking three of four. You remember the Giants, right? The same team that looked dead two weeks ago but now has suddenly reeled off 11 of 14 and are just 3.5 off the NL West pace set by the Dodgers. Oh. And you’ll love this. The Marlins have now won seven straight and are three under and within three of those Reds much to my Chicago buddy John’s dismay. But according to him, they had no chance. Would you like to rethink that?

-On the wild card, if the Phillies somehow get in, Ryan Howard is the MVP. No questions asked. I still find it hard to believe that a second-year player can have the numbers he’s put up: 46 HR, 121 RBI’s. Scary.

-They may have been rained out today but the Mets’ Magic No. to clinch is 20 after another late comeback last night over the Phillies in which they batted around for seven runs in the seventh. (Sidenote: Have you ever seen a team blow more games than the Phils?) How can anyone deny how special this team is? It doesn’t seem to matter if Pedro or Tom Glavine aren’t on the mound or Cliff Floyd is still DLed. Or that David Wright has slumped badly (maybe that all knowing Daily News expert Mike Lupica put the curse on him). This team just wins. You can’t say that Willie Randolph doesn’t have anything to do with it. His ballclub is never out of a game. They play with such a cockiness. That btw is about the only similarity we see to 1986. Sometimes though, that kind of confidence is enough to push you over the top. I think it’s time to make the Mets the favorites to win the World Series. They should have a much easier path than any AL team. Forget the homefield. The Mets are good enough to win away from Shea. Not much fazes them. I guess it really depends on the health of Pedro, Glavine and El Duque and the nerve of Billy Wagner because they sure have the offensive horses to get there. I just see a team that’s good enough and thinks it should win. That’s all it usually takes. Belief is a big thing in sports.
-So the Tigers are fading quickly and now are no longer a lock to even win their own division. How quickly it changes. Has anyone done a better managing job than the Twins’ Ron Gardenhire? They lose Francisco Liriano and he has his team playing lights out and in the wild card lead- a half game better than the White Sox. Unbelievable.

-Here’s a new entry into the AL MVP talk: Justin Morneau- .319, 32 HR, 110 RBI’s

-Alfonso Soriano 40/40 Countdown: 4-for-5 Sunday with 2 SB’s

HR-41  SB-34 GR-32
Looks like he could make it. Poor Jim Bowden.

-Does any diehard football fan really care about how Eli Manning looked in a meaningless exhibition game against the Jets? I mean outside of ESPN where every one of his pass attempts will be overanalyzed by their panel of experts such as Sean Salisbury. I got a question. How can a scrub QB like him be considered an expert? Just thought we’d ask!

-Make me care about the Oscars or the freaking MTV Music Awards or any awards show.

-This just in: Cowboys fine TO $9,500 for all the missed practices and usual baggage this selfserving overdiscussed star brings. Ah. Exactly what Coach Parcells had in mind for the start to their first year together. Music to our ears!

-Willy Taveras has a 30-game hit streak. I’ll be honest. I wasn’t paying much attention. So I’m still wondering how this is possible. I know. It’s mean. But hey. What the heck?

-As the Mets are about to complete a sweep of the Cards and take their seventh in a row to go 30 over .500, newly acquired right fielder Shawn Green, who has an RBI in his Shea debut was very excited about coming to New York to play in front of a large Jewish contingent. Here were some of his thoughts at a conference call yesterday:

“I’m excited about it. It’s something that has always intrigued me. Playing in L.A., there’s obviously a large population there, but New York is head and shoulders the largest in the country…It’s definitely something that will be an interesting experience for me, a fun experience. I’m looking forward to being a part of the Jewish community there...I just talked about it a lot with my wife, and we both felt like there’s a lot of positives coming there. We both enjoyed coming to New York the times I’ve played there for a few days.“

For more on AP writer Ronald Blum’s article, it can be read in its entirety here:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-mets-green&prov=ap&type=lgns

On the topic, someone should send Green a giant matzah to welcome him. Well, the Mets magic number to clinch after their 6-2 victory is down to 22. Looks like Green joined just in time for the party.

-In other Amazin’s news, they cut loose veteran outfielder Ricky Ledee to make room for Green. They also moved backup catcher Ramon Castro to the 60-day DL and signed Kelly Stinnett. Castro was set to make a rehab start with the Cyclones a few nights prior but tore his medial meniscus of his left knee before it. Stinnett earlier this season was the Yankee backup catcher but was released. This will be his second tour of duty with the Mets. Hopefully for them, he’s a slight upgrade on Mike DiFelice.

-In even more Mets news, rookie starter Brian Bannister will be making his first start since April. He’ll be returning from a severe right hamstring injury. I always wonder how these guys wind up with such issues. It’s usually leg related. Whether it’s a hamstring or a groin or achilles, it always seems to be a troublesome area. You would think such athletes wouldn’t have as many problems with this. Are they stretching out properly? Are they strengthening and conditioning the way they should be? You just never know. In any event, Bannister will return and the Mets will also skip El Duque’s turn in the rotation to give him a rest. He’s been throwing a lot of pitches and has become a workhorse in their staff. It makes sense to give the savvy veteran a blow. Especially with bigger goals ahead. In the mean time, Olivier Perez will be recalled to start Saturday. If he rediscovers his stuff, they’ll soon be talking about the Xavier Nady deal the way they do the Kris Benson one.

-We haven’t done this in a while but here’s our photo of the day. It comes courtesy of SI.com, who featured a shot of 23 year-old LPGA star Natalie Gulbis:

So how many caddies will be lining up pronto to help Natalie with her driver?!?!?!?!?! Just asking.

-We could talk about another Mets win over the Cardinals last night- this time by a 10-8 count to make it six straight. That puts the NL’s best team at 29 games over .500 (77-48). There really isn’t much this team does wrong. They have a lethal lineup which has been well documented in this column before. When you have Carlos Beltran with 38 home runs and over 100 RBI’s, Carlos Delgado with 31 dingers and 86 RBI’s along with David Wright’s 22 HR and 90 RBI’s, you’re going to be pretty tough to pitch to. But as much as those three have been one of baseball’s best middle of the orders, you have to look at what leadoff man Jose Reyes is doing. Lately, the 23 year-old shortstop has been on a tear with three multi-hit games, four HR, 10 RBI’s and three steals in the last eight games. Alright. So if you actually broke it down, three big nights is largely responsible for it including that three homer game in a losing effort against the Phillies. But if you look at when the Mets are winning games, Reyes is usually the lightning rod for their offense. A year removed from only drawing 27 walks and a .300 on-base percentage, the talented Dominican already has 43 walks and lifted his OBP 50 points. Combine with that the power increase (15 HR, 65 RBI’s) along with a second consecutive season of 50-or-more stolen bases (52) and you have one of the most dangerous players in the game. There’s even been some MVP talk for New York’s other shortstop. And why not? How many leadoff men can hurt opponents so many different ways? We haven’t even mentioned the 23 doubles or league-leading 15 triples. Reyes also is hitting .294 which is 21 points better than last year. Look at the improvement the last three years:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7066/career;_ylt=AvcNH5RQpffo273R0Dpfdb2FCLcF 

There’s also his increased production in pressure situations this season which makes a solid case to be put in the MVP discussion with Beltran, Albert Pujols and Ryan Howard:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7066/situational;_ylt=AsT1kXEPfMpjkxn7uoVyp2eFCLcF 

So is he good enough to overcome the power of the other candidates? Well, if Derek Jeter can beat out Big Papi, anything’s possible.

-It’s amazing how things can change. A week ago, we were talking up the Dodgers as possibly the one Senior Circuit team who might be able to challenge the Mets. Now, they’ve lost three in a row and the Padres are just a game out. Oh. And did we mention the Giants have suddenly reeled off three straight to close within four? Only in the bizarre NL West can this actually be possible.

-Meanwhile, the Cards are clinging to a one game lead over the wild card-leading Reds. And the Padres are just a game out of the WC. Plus the Phils have been playing better ball and are two back. You could just flip a coin to figure out who’s going to come out on top in these wild and wacky races.

-Alfonso Soriano 40/40 Watch:  HR-41 SB-30 GR-35

-The Yankees remain 6.5 up on the Red Sox. I still wouldn’t write off Boston yet. Let’s see what happens when they get back Jason Varitek and Trot Nixon for the stretch drive. There’s still that big four-game series at the Stadium coming up. Of course, it doesn’t help the Sox that Manny Ramirez is acting weird by calling up scorekeepers about getting an extra hit after his team gets swept five. Plus he’s also leaving games early with weird injuries. Ah. It’s Manny being Manny. You can say what you want about the guy but he’s one of the greatest hitters of this generation. A Hall of Fame lock.

-Early return on Bobby Abreu: 23 GP, .393, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 19 BB, 7 SB, .505 OBP

The throw-in Cory Lidle hasn’t been bad either:  4 GS, 2-2, 2.82 ERA, .216 BAA

So far, WFAN’s Chris Russo and myself have been wrong on Lidle.

-The Yanks placed starter Mike Mussina on the DL Wednesday retroactive to Monday due to a strained right groin he suffered in last Sunday’s start against Boston. He was 13-5 with a 3.61 ERA. It’s precautionary more than anything. With a comfortable division lead, they can afford this luxury. Meanwhile, the Bronx Bombers finally came to their senses and released Sidney Ponson.

-If Jeter knocks in over 100 and the Yanks win the AL East, is that good enough to take MVP over Papi who will probably wind up with 55 home runs and 150 RBI’s?

-So Terrell Owens reinjured his left hamstring in practice and now might not be able to return to Dallas until their season opener on September 10 at Jacksonville. For a guy who usually is really fit, doesn’t it seem odd that he’s hardly been able to get on the field? What kind of training did he do coming into this camp?

-I really want Andre Agassi to go out with one last run at his final grand slam when the U.S. Open kicks off next Monday. But when you see that his potential second round opponent could be Marcos Baghdatis and a fourth round foe might be Andy Roddick or Lleyton Hewitt, there’s almost no chance for the aching two-time Open champ and eight-time slam winner to make such an improbable run.

-The hot topic is the Mets’ latest comeback victory resulting in a dramatic 8-7 walkoff win thanks to NL MVP candidate Carlos Beltran’s two-run blast off Cards’ closer Jason Isringhausen last night at Shea. It was their 11th walkoff of the season. They overcame a two home run performance by Albert Pujols. In a game they trailed 7-1, first base slugger Carlos Delgado produced two dingers of his own including a grand slam to give his team a chance. Beltran’s ninth inning homer touched off another big celebration at the plate. The Mets have a lot of fun. At this point, they have to know how much better they are than almost anyone in the NL. They play and act like it.

-Mets also received good news on Tom Glavine. The 40 year-old veteran southpaw will not need season-ending surgery on his hand and should be able to return. A huge plus for their postseason aspirations. My question is if John Maine continues to pitch lights out, does he crack that vet playoff rotation? At present, you have to think a healthy Pedro, Glavine and El Duque will be the top three.

-The Amazin’s also upgraded their right field by finally completing a deal with Arizona for Shawn Green late last night. Though the ex-Dodger who once slugged 49 long balls a few years ago isn’t what he used to be, he is steady defensively and his bat should benefit from the Mets potent lineup. Expect a jump in production. What this means is that wiz kid Lastings Milledge probably won’t get much PT and will probably be in a bench role. Still, it will be beneficial for the 21 year-old top prospect to be with the club during this stretch drive.

-Meanwhile, the Yanks suffered a tough defeat in Seattle last night when Adrian Beltre smacked his second HR of the game to give the Mariners a 6-5 walkoff of their own. Can’t really say this was surprising. The Bronx Bombers had come off an impressive five-game sweep of the rival Red Sox. There was a lot of stock in those games and time put into them while it was just four days. You had to figure with the travel, they’d be a little emotionally spent. Ditto for the fading Sox who dropped their sixth in a row to the Angels in Anaheim 4-3.

-So one more day till that much anticipated Jets/Giants preseason tilt which decides so much. It means everything!

-There hasn’t really been much to get excited about with football so far. Unless you think Coach Coughlin’s new mellow persona is actually a plus. I’m still waiting for the first blowup between him and moody receiver Plaxico Burress.

-Speaking of football, this just happened to catch our eye on that new sparkplug back Gang Green acquired in selfdescribed “nice guy” Kevan Barlow:

Jets running back Kevan Barlow apologized to 49ers coach Mike Nolan for comparing him to Adolf Hitler in a newspaper interview.

Barlow, who was traded from San Francisco to New York on Sunday for a fourth-round pick, made his inflammatory comments to the Contra Costa Times in Wednesday’s editions. Jets coach Eric Mangini said Wednesday he has spoken with Barlow, and the player is sorry for what he said.

“He walks around with a chip on his shoulder, like he’s a dictator, like he’s Hitler,” Barlow told the paper. “People are scared of him. If it ain’t Nolan’s way, it’s the highway.”

After making the comments, Barlow called back to say he didn’t mean to make the comparison, blaming his outburst on his emotions.

“I was kind of harsh on him, saying he’s a dictator. That’s bad. Saddam Hussein is a dictator,” Barlow said. “I was speaking on emotion.“

Funny. I was kind of thinking it was more on stupidity. But what do I know?

-Make me care about what cheater Marion Jones has to say about her positive drug test.

-Who was the bigger bust: Brian Bosworth or Drew Henson?

-Been pretty busy the past couple of days covering Staten Island Yankee games. On the subject itself, it sure is fun to cover minor league baseball. I’ve been doing it all summer and it’s been a blast! It’s so refreshing to watch first-year players develop before your eyes. Most of these guys who have the defending NY-Penn League champion Baby Bombers in first three games up on the Cyclones were just drafted this past June. It’s impressive to see the kind of chemistry they have developed so far. With less than three weeks to go in the season, they have a 35-22 record and look on course for another postseason. Could a fourth championship be coming here? It’s definitely a possibility with emerging stars such as Mitch Hilligoss, Wilmer Pino and Colin Curtis among a solid group which pitches and usually fields well- plus gets timely hits. Lately, walkoff wins have become more common invoking pleasant memories of last year’s dramatic win over Auburn to capture their third championship in six years. Aside from enjoying the time covering them, it’s also been a pleasure to deal with these players before and after games. Whether it’s for a game story or special feature, they have been very cooperative. If only every big name athlete was that way. It should be an exciting finish for Staten Island and help make up for Mid Island’s disappointing LLWS.

-As Kyle Farnsworth finishes off the hapless Red Sox (Sahhhhhxxx) in this unpredictable five-game Yankee sweep up at Fenway, you have to wonder if those Boston faithful that booed Johnny Damon wish he was still their leadoff hitter starring for the self-proclaimed Idiots. Can anyone say 1978?

-A lot can be said about this Yankee weekend which sent the fading Sox 6.5 out of the division and an alarming 4.5 behind the wild card-leading White Sox. From how well Damon performed against his ex-team to how unbelievable Bobby Abreu was in this series to the incredible clutchness of Derek Jeter in two big spots to Mo Rivera getting out of a tough jam Sunday night to Jason Giambi and Jorge Posada’s big blasts. To A-Rod doing his part and playing exceptional D Monday to help Cory Lidle get the win. To the continued emergence of Robinson Cano. To rookie Melky Cabrera’s incredible poise. You can go on and on. This was a special four days for one team and a nightmare for the other who couldn’t get any help from their beleaguered pen aside from a brave two inning performance by star rookie closer Jonathan Papelbon only to fall short of getting his team a much needed win. Of course, it would also be fair to point out that with the Sox without emotional leader Jason Varitek, Trot Nixon, Tim Wakefield plus even Matt Clement and Keith Foulke, the Yankees should’ve take this series and ultimately did in convincing fashion by outscoring their biggest rivals 49-26 and posting a respectable 3.60 ERA in sharp contrast to Boston’s which exceeded 11.00. We like Boston GM Theo Epstein a lot but does he still think his team couldn’t use a lefty out of that pen or an upgrade? Of course, a lot of people will write off the Sox after this Boston Massacre Part II. But keep in mind that they will get some of those key players back and still have six weeks to make up ground and reach the postseason. Plus there’s also that four-game series at Yankee Stadium in September. We wouldn’t count them out.

-Whatever happened to Josh Beckett?

-The Mets finally honored their 1986 championship team this past weekend against Colorado. From what little we read, it sounded like it was a nice tribute to a truly amazing team that brought tons of excitement on and off the field. What I remember most as a kid watching was that incredible Game 6 ninth inning comeback against the Astros and then Billy Hatcher tying it up late in extras before the Mets finally pushed in front again and Jesse Orosco got the last out. Of course, another infamous Game 6 also stands out from that incredible run. Who could forget seeing them down to their final strike a couple of times but then team leader Gary Carter started that miraculous comeback which ended with Mookie Wilson’s grounder going through Bill Buckner’s glove into the outfield allowing a disbelieved and jubilant Ray Knight to score the winning run which forced that Game 7 that you knew they weren’t going to lose. Even if they did have to comeback from three down late before that lasting image of Orosco fanning Marty Barrett is replayed.

They were that kind of team. Just amazing to watch. Fun. Who didn’t love watching Lenny Dykstra at bat, on the bases or in the field? Or any Darryl (Darrrrrrrryyylll) Strawberry at bat where you knew if you missed a pitch, you might miss a majestic home run. That ball in old Olympic Stadium still hasn’t landed all these years later. Or the superb first baseman and veteran presence Keith Hernandez playing the kind of ball that won in the field and at the plate. Or Dwight “Doc” Gooden toeing the rubber with that electric fastball and nasty curve which kept hitters off balance. Or Wally Backman blowing bubbles and playing a gritty second base and doing the little things which teams need to win. Or team comic and co-closer Roger McDowell playing club pranks and also going out there and pitching well in tough spots. Or El Sid Fernandez throwing that blazing fastball and curve- giving them and that crowd the kind of spark they needed to comeback in that Game 6. Or the underappreciated Ron Darling or Bobby Ojeda taking the mound and just getting the job done. Plus a talented rookie like Kevin Mitchell off the bench who could deliver when needed.

There were a lot of things we liked about that team. The closeness they had. The passion they played with. The heart and resilience they exhibited. Everything. Aside from all that, I remember two things the most. Legendary broadcaster Vin Scully’s dramatic call of Wilson’s ground ball with Knight coming around to score and that diehard Mets lady behind the plate as that unbelievable 10th inning rally was taking place. During the whole thing, she kept waving her hands back and forth. It’s probably been discussed over a 1,000 times. As a kid, sometimes you pick up on stuff like that and think that’s the good luck charm. As it turned out for those special Mets, it was. All this from a team that just wouldn’t give up until they were champions of baseball. Well earned!

-The only thing missing was the now jailed Gooden. It really is ashame what’s happened to his life. He went from being possibly the greatest pitcher of his time (could’ve been) to battling cocaine and alcohol- hitting rock bottom. It really is sad to see and we sure hope there is a happy ending to this story. His buddy Strawberry is a perfect example. He went through the same stuff but is doing better these days. Hopefully, that continues allowing him to live a long time.

-So is Andy Roddick really back after winning his first title this year at Cincinnati this past weekend over Juan Carlos Ferrero- the same man he beat in 2003 for his only Grand Slam title here in Flushing, New York? Only time will tell a couple of weeks from now at the U.S. Open.

-Is Kevin Barlow really supposed to solve the Jets’ problems at running back?

-Is Phil Mickelson still in the same league as Tiger Woods? Just wondering.

-It’s fun to listen to these Giants football ads on WFAN where they replay a Tiki Barber 2005 highlight with popular radio play-by-play man Bob Papa going nuts. But as much as I like it as a Big Blue supporter, I know this might sound crazy. But wouldn’t a replay of Papa’s Jay Feely call where he missed yet another field goal at Seattle have been better just for amusement purposes?!?!?!?!?!

-It’s too bad that Tom Glavine’s season could be done due to possible blood clots. Still, knowing this year’s Mets team, they’re capable of overcoming this.

-What a difference a day makes for the Yankees? 24 hours after getting their butts kicked by the Orioles to drop a three-game series, they swept a Day/Night doubleheader to kick off the epic five-game tilt up at Fenway. Apparently, the Green Monster (Monstah) couldn’t hold back the Yankee bats from destroying Red Sox pitching to the tune of 26 runs in the impressive sweep of their biggest rivals which increased their division lead to 3.5 games (4 loss column). I wish I had enough time to comment in full about it but I don’t. So I’ll be quick. The first game which the Bronx Bombers won 12-4 was one they had to win because they had the advantage on the mound with Chien-Ming Wang against the immortal Jason Johnson. For a few innings, Johnson had his ballclub in the game but eventually, the Yankee bats came to life and knocked him out. In particular, Johnny “Everyone’s Favorite Idiot” Damon who hit a tiebreaking two-run home run in a three run fifth. Though the Sox chipped away to cut it to 4-3, Wang toughed it out even without his best stuff to keep his team ahead. A four-run seventh which featured big hits from Jason Giambi, A-Rod and Robby Cano broke it open. The Yanks tacked on four more in the ninth to win easily.

The second game was one you figured the Sox would turn the tables on them. Especially with Sidney Ponson on the mound. And after they battled back from 5-1 down and led 10-7, it looked like they would until two key plays took place involving improving Bomber rookie Melky Cabrera. With the Sox primed to go ahead by four on a Derek Jeter error, the left fielder nailed a runner at the plate to end the sixth. He has either 12 or 13 assists. But it was his big at bat against vet reliever Mike Timlin which got the comeback started. Showing great focus, he battled back from a 1-2 hole to work the count full before delivering an RBI single which cut it to two. After Damon popped out to left, Jeter had a similar at bat and then delivered a two out bases clearing double. It was his only hit in the longest nine inning game in major league history (4:45). He’s not an MVP candidate for nothing. Up a run, A-Rod extended the lead to two with a double and the ever dangerous Cano followed with a two-run single to complete the seven-run outburst. Six of the runs came with two out and helped them win a game they shouldn’t have 14-11.

Forget the meaningless David Ortiz ninth inning blast or A-Rod’s major-league leading 22nd error. (Did we just say that) This was a gutcheck. They easily could’ve rolled over and let Boston get the split and feel good about themselves entering the next three this weekend. But instead, the Bronx Bombers stepped on the gas petal and gave the Sox (Sahhhhhxxx) something to think about. In particular, Damon was outstanding notching three hits in each win along with a homer. He really has been on fire for a while. I believe that’s now 14 HR since the All Star break for the Bombers’ leadoff man. Are you kidding? Geez. In any event, it was a great start to the weekend for New York.

-Meanwhile, in a much more relaxed environment at Shea, the Mets took care of business against the Rockies 6-3. David Wright knocked in three and the underrated Endy Chavez (the Mets’ real right fielder) hit a two-run dinger. Even the rejuvenated Michael Tucker knocked in a run against the usually hittable B.J. Kim. Is it any coincidence they scored all six against the former D-Back best known for imploding in his team’s World Series victory five years ago? Nevermind that half that roster was on something. This topic was brought to our attention covering Staten Island Yankee games by the official scorer Kevin. As he astutely pointed out, if you go and take a hard look at that championship roster, get some pictures of Jay Bell, Mark Grace and Luis Gonzalez and compare it to their earlier days. The scariest aspect has to be Grace. He was 36 or 37 and looked beefed up. I wish I had a pic because it would define the words cheat. So remember that next time you watch Grace start off that ninth against Mariano Rivera with a base hit. But at least “he ain’t afraid of no ghosts.” Speaking of that team, has anyone discovered rising stars Junior Spivey or Erubiel Durazo on any milk cartoons lately? Just had to ask.
-Absurd discovery of the night: The red hot A’s were stopped in their tracks by the Royals by a combined score of 12-4. I know K.C. has some risers in Mark Teahen and Ryan Shealy but how was this even possible?

-Alfonso Soriano 40/40 Update: HR-39 SB-30 GR-40

It looks like it could be close.

-Random Thought. If you looked at Nats’ rookie third baseman Ryan Zimmerman’s season, he reminds us a lot of Wright. With three more hits in their win last night, he’s now at .288 with 17 HR and 83 RBI’s. During the season, he’s delivered some clutch walkoff hits. This guy has superstar written all over him.

-It’s ashame that defending U.S. Open women’s champion Kim Clijsters won’t be able to defend her title because of some meaningless U.S. Open Series tournament which she had to play where an injury occurred. I understand both tours want their best players to compete at all these events but when it starts taking its toll on some of the big names and affects the final Grand Slam of the season in Flushing less than 10 days away, it hurts big time.
-So it turns out all that “graduation talk” from recently retired Junior Seau was a load of bull. Just another way for a great athlete to tarnish his reputation. What does he have left to prove with the Patriots? That he can break into a lineup with the idolized Ted Bruschi and deliver as many hits (ah that new ESPN category made for the comebacking linebacker last year during a predictably annoying Sunday Night telecast which my Bills buddies Brian and Rob have never forgiven them for). What would you expect from a professional network? For the record, I like Bruschi. Always have loved the way he plays the game. And it took a lot of courage to return to gridiron. But come on. ESPN took it way too far with that ridiculous category. How many times did they have to air the same posh pieces?

-A music thought. When VH1 is stuck airing the Remaking of Vanilla Ice, you know we’re going straight to Hell. When exactly will they be redoing Milli Vanilli? Sorry.

-So Marion Jones failed a drug test after winning a race a couple of months ago. And this shocks people? Next.

-I realize he actually found someone he could knockout but why is Evander Holyfield still allowed to fight? That’s the problem with boxing.

-Apparently, the Yankees forgot that there was a game against Baltimore yesterday getting trounced 12-2 to lose two of three and see their AL East lead sliced to 1.5 with the big five-game series at Fenway Park looming starting later today. How bad was this game? So bad that after Robby Cano’s home run actually put them up 2-1, the Orioles ran off the last 11 runs which included two consecutive three-run innings and one five spot in an ugly sixth which featured Derek Jeter and A-Rod miscommunicating to drop a ball. Not that it mattered by that point. The damage was already done. The third baseman couldn’t be blamed for the miscue as it was his ball but the Yankee team captain called it and the ball fell off Rodriguez’ glove. Jeter was charged with the error. When your two best players on the left side can’t even get it right, you know it’s not your day. It also wasn’t a good one for Jaret Wright, who lasted just three innings giving up five earned to suffer the loss. The comebacking Octavio Dotel also was roughed up for three runs on three hits in two-thirds. Making his second straight appearance, he threw 22 pitches (15 strikes) but like most Yankee pitchers, took it on the chin. Just call it a wasted day in the Bronx. They now will embark on the pivotal five-gamer up in northern Massachusetts starting with the popular Day/Night doubleheader Friday. This is a potential make-or-break series for both clubs. Something’s got to give.

-Meanwhile, the Mets rebounded from losing three in a row to Philly by salvaging the final game with a 7-2 victory. Carlos Delgado snapped out of it with two homers and four RBI’s. He finished the day with three hits. Carlos Beltran also had a huge day going 4-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Staked to an early four-run lead, John Maine continued to pitch well, going the first six to notch his third win. The only runs he allowed were courtesy of a Ryan Howard two-run blast in the fourth. The second-year slugging Phillie first baseman now leads the NL with 42 dingers and 108 RBI’s. Did we mention he’s also batting .299? Right now, there aren’t many pitchers who can get the emerging star out. So Maine can’t be too upset. Especially considering he pitched in and out of further trouble a couple of times. Pedro Feliciano also got a big out in the seventh by getting Chase Utley looking to strand the bases loaded. Hopefully, this win will put an end to the sudden panic from some Amazin fans who just aren’t satisfied unless their team wins every game. How quick times change.