-In the Mets’ sweep of the Padres this afternoon, they used an outfield of Michael Tucker, Endy Chavez and Ricky Ledee to post a 7-3 win over the NL West leaders. In other words, an all reject outfield (and yes before Chavez suddenly became good here, he was nothing special) was good enough to beat a first place team to complete the sweep at Shea. It really tells you all you need to know about how pathetic the rest of the NL is. In fact, the veteran Tucker made his 2006 debut and chipped in with an RBI double to cap a four-run seventh which gave the Amazin’s their fifth win in a row and first three-game sweep of the year. If you also include catcher Mike DiFelice who gave the much too talked about Paul Lo Duca the day off, that’s four starters who weren’t even part of the Mets roster a week ago. Apparently, manager Willie Randolph realized the stiff competition wasn’t coming from their opponents. Especially with fan favorite (well maybe not anymore after he hit two out last night) Mike Piazza sitting out the final game. And why not? Randolph’s team has an insurmountable lead in their division and an easy bye into October for the first meaningful baseball in Queens since 2000. You can afford to rest some guys down the stretch when you’re 25 games over .500 while the vast majority of who’s still in the playoff race (and who the heck isn’t) battle it out to see which other three teams (2 division winners and 1 wild card) live to see October.

Here’s the best part. The survivors will get one chance to celebrate before they’re taken apart by the NL’s best team, the Mets. And for those who wonder if we’re already putting them in the World Series, you got it. Who exactly is going to beat them in a short series or a seven-game series? The Cardinals? A team that’s hanging on by a thread in the pathetic NL Central and actually sends Jeff Weaver to the mound every fifth day? The Reds who still somehow lead the wild card almost by default when they have virtually no starting pitching? Where’s Jose Rijo when you need him? The joke that is the NL West? The Padres were just swept but can only trail by half a game if the Dodgers win. The Dodgers have a solid lineup now that Nomar Garciaparra and Jeff Kent have returned but also are relying on the 40 year-old Greg Maddux to continue his rebirth. They also have Brad Penny and veteran Derek Lowe. They also have a new closer Takashi Saito who’s done a very good job along with Danys Baez to setup. On paper, this might be the team that could actually present the best challenge to the Mets. But they’re very unpredictable. This is a team that lost eight in a row and 13 of 14 last month before reeling off 11 straight wins before it was snapped by the Rockies last night. So which team are they? And that right there is why the Mets should roll through the first two rounds of the postseason. Who’s going to step up? The Diamondbacks are okay pitching-wise with Brandon Webb and newly acquired Livan Hernandez but have Jorge Julio closing and a paltry offense that just doesn’t measure up.

When it comes down to it, there just aren’t any teams that should scare Randolph’s well balanced ballclub. Heck. The three under .500 Phillies are only three out of the wild card and they sure as heck can’t compete with the Mets. The Astros? Ha. Unless the Mets choke under the pressure, it should be on cruise control to a pennant.

-The Yanks are trailing the White Sox 4-2. Here’s why: E - A Rodriguez (19, throw); M Cabrera (2, bobble). Ah. Say it ain’t so. That is one of our favorite Weezer songs. A-Rod had been going so well in the field lately too but he botched an easy double play ball which helped lead to the White Sox’ four-run second. He threw the ball about eight feet wide of Robinson Cano. We’re not sure why he rushed it but it hurt. Making matters worse, rookie Melky Cabrera booted Alex Cintron’s RBI single which allowed a third run to score and moved Cintron into scoring position. He came around to score on Scott Podsednik’s single up the middle. Poor Moose. His defense really let him down that inning. Jason Giambi got two runs back with his 33rd homer off ex-Yankee Javier Vazquez in the third but also struckout to leave the bases loaded in the fourth. This is a huge game for the Yanks because the unthinkable happened at Kansas City earlier when the Royals scored three in the eighth off Curt Schilling to sweep the Red Sox. A Yankee win would mean a four-game lead in the AL East.

-How dire has the Red Sox’ situation become? They left Schilling in the game and watched him give it up before Mike Timlin got the final two outs. The damage was done as the suddenly fading Sox went 1-2-3 in the ninth (no David Ortiz didn’t come up and get a chance to save them) against the immortal Ambiorix Burgos. Try saying his first name 10 times fast. How thin is Boston’s pen? We think a recovered 61 year-old Hall of Fame Boston Globe columnist Peter Gammons would be an upgrade. All the best to one ESPN Baseball Tonight analyst who doesn’t act bigger than the game and just provides solid knowledge.

-Official Alfonso Soriano Countdown to 40/40: Home Runs-36 (4 needed) Steals- 28 (12 to go) Games Remaining: 48

Washington G.M. Jim Bowden below: