With the Mets recovering from a brutal two losses at Shea thanks to Oliver Perez’ best outing of the season for a 3-1 home win to gain a split of the four-game weekend series, here are some quick final observations:

-Perez responded to Jerry Manuel’s criticism by fanning eight Yanks and only allowing three hits. Most notably, the southpaw didn’t walk a batter. Still, you have to wonder if he can do this consistently. The Amazin’s sure hope so.

-It’s amazing to think that the one under Mets are three behind the Phillies for first in the division with the Marlins very much in the mix. Even the Braves with all their rash of injuries are still hanging around. This is a very important week for the Queens club as they head for four at wildcard leader St. Louis before a huge four-gamer in the City of Brotherly Love. We’ll se if they’re up to the challenge.

-Jose Reyes is a baby. Plain and simple. His reaction to an E6 which Carlos Delgado should’ve had was bush league. Isn’t it about time the 25 year-old shortstop acted like one? It’s classic overreactions such as that and his shenanigans in the first inning Manuel managed in California which keep him from being the winning player he should be. And don’t forget how many times he gets caught napping while on the bases. It’s inexcusable. Does he want just be a good player who has ups and downs or a great one who impacts the game and is universally considered as one of the game’s best? The choice is his and a large chunk of the Amazin’s future depends on it.

-I realize that Perez had great numbers versus lefties but could Joe Girardi actually try to play to win? He had a chance to go for the sweep and instead, played into the Mets’ hands by not putting his best lineup out there sitting out Robinson Cano, Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu. Would it have killed him to at least keep a couple of those lefty bats in there? They still would’ve been more of a threat than who started. Sometimes, playing by the book is overplayed. Rolling the dice can pay off.

-It’s nice to see Derek Jeter back hitting the way he can. Slowly but surely, the career Yankee shortstop and team captain is getting his average up near .300 and playing better which is good news for his team.

-I’ve been an avid supporter of him and his defense in center continues to improve. But unless Melky Cabrera starts swinging a better bat, the Yanks need to consider sitting him out a few games or recall speedy former Staten Island Yankee Brett Gardner, who continues to excel at Scranton/Wilkes Barre. He has 34 steals and hits a high enough average and plays solid enough defense to get a look. The Yanks don’t have enough speed and he could provide an added dimension.

-David Robertson’s major league debut was rocky giving up a key insurance run to the Amazin’s in two innings while permitting four hits and throwing 33 pitches (22 strikes). Still, it was important for the kid who dominated Triple-A to get his feet wet. And to do it in a scrutinized series isn’t bad for what’s coming up later this week.

-When he hits ‘em, there are few batters more fun to watch than Delgado. Sure. He’s not what he once was. But the three dingers including that two homer, team record nine RBI performance Friday in the Bronx was one to behold. No matter who came it against. The Mets are a much more potent lineup if the veteran first base slugger is knocking a few out of the park.

-David Wright really is the Mets’ best player and sure looked dangerous at the plate everytime he faced the Yanks this weekend.

-Billy Wagner sure knows how to make those ninth innings interesting. Alex Rodriguez nearly tied it but his drive fell just shy of the warning track. Still, the Met closer’s curve which froze Wilson Betemit to end it was a thing of beauty.

-The Pinstripes now trail the first place Rays by five and a half (six in loss column) with the Red Sox half a game out. It’s going to be a real challenge in the second half.

-Can Johan Santana come up with anymore excuses for why he can’t do his job every fifth day? Just saying.

-Can’t believe I’m ending with this but the Giambino actually looks thinner.

The plug was officially pulled on Willie Randolph nearly an hour ago. Reported by the Daily News, word came down on WFAN’s overnight show via Tony Paige at around 3:20 AM.  

For a silly reason only known to Mets management, they waited until the team flew across the coast 3,000 miles away and won their first game of a six-game road trip 9-6 over the Angels on the bat of Carlos Beltran’s two home runs. Ironically, it was their third win in four pulling them within a game of .500 (34-35).

How does this make sense? Firing Randolph after a win is one thing but having the nerve to allow him to fly with the ballclub and get a final ‘W’ before giving them the axe is bush league. Or as he referred to it as Omar Minaya sharpening the machete three weeks prior.

As it turned out, Willie was ultimately proven right about the untouchable Mets GM giving him a vote of confidence being the “kiss of death.”

Sadly, the proverbial writing was on the wall when rumors resurfaced heading into the weekend via WFAN SI baseball reporter Jon Heyman who hinted that the former Yankee second baseman’s job could be in serious jeopardy. Why they waited until after they flied out to the Pacific is baffling. The timing just seems eerie. Already on Paige’s show in the last half hour, both FAN beat reporter Ed Coleman and Daily News Met beat writer Adam Rubin have trashed the move referring to it as “bush league” and “classless.”

Also out along with Randolph are pitching coach Rick Peterson and first base coach Tom Nieto. Former White Sox skipper Jerry Manuel will take over managing duties on an interim basis while Ken Oberfell, Dan Warthen and Luis Aguayo were all promoted.

Not only was this a move the organization knew they were forcing Minaya into but the GM was non-committal as to whether Randolph’s staff would be in uniform for last night’s game. There’s a right and wrong way to handle this kind of stuff. Sadly, the Amazin’s led by the dumb and dumber Wilpon duo chose the wrong path and come out looking pretty small.

The only salvation for Randolph is that the awful last month where the dark storm clouds were hanging over his head ready to strike at any moment are finally over. Perhaps that’s for the best. Clearly, this classy a man didn’t deserve the kind of second rate treatment he received. It had a similar feel to how lowly Hank Steinbrenner and nerd Randy Levine mistreated Joe Torre last year making him feel unwanted and wisely walking away before winding up across the coast in Dodger blue.

Now, the Mets have no more excuses and neither does a fanbase who had favored getting rid of the manager despite the improvement it showed in his three-plus years even capturing the NL East for the first time since 1988 getting within a game of the World Series two years ago.

Unfortunately, Randolph’s tenure will best be remembered not for how close they came but rather for the awful collapse last September blowing a seven-game lead with two weeks left to the Phillies to miss the playoffs.

Even with his team underperforming, Willie always kept a straight face and calmly answered questions when the situation had to be extremely stressful.

Is this the right move for the Mets going forward? We won’t know the answer until three months from now. They’re capable of playing much better. Maybe the change will work sparking energy.

Once the skipper goes, that usually means the players or guy who organized the roster are next. The pressure’s on the personnel to perform. If they don’t and miss October again, you could see an entirely different roster next year.

For now, it is what it is. Bush league.

Copyright Getty Images

The Mets have become the biggest story here in NYC. They finally have all the back pages as many of their diehards have craved for so long. Only thing is it’s not for how well their team is playing on the field and certainly not for the unnecessary distractions off it.

Just call it the circus in Flushing. For years, it’s always been the Yankees who perfected the art not knowing how to handle situations. Joe Torre had to deal with so much garbage. Well, now it’s former bench coach Willie Randolph who’s on the hot seat never really knowing day to day whether he’s staying or going.

Truthfully, it’s not all the former Yankee second baseman’s fault that his team has underachieved headed into a three-game set at the Angels two under .500 at 33 up and 35 down. Does the manager have a responsibility in this mess which has the Amazin’s trailing the Phillies by six and a half entering tonight? Of course. Ultimately, his ballclub hasn’t played the brand of baseball needed to make fans forget last year’s dreadful September collapse.

There’s just been zero consistency for a team many expected to not only win the NL East but had going to the World Series. That’s why they play the games. If talent and highest payrolls always won, then the Yankees wouldn’t be first round failures since that colossal choke job against the rival Red Sox. You can spend all the cash you want on a few of the best players the league has to offer but it doesn’t always account for chemistry.

Last winter, Omar Minaya patiently waited playing a perfect game of chess before cornering the Twins for lefty ace Johan Santana. This was the big deal that would put the Mets over the top. The same way once the Yanks acquired Alex Rodriguez, it was over for the rest of baseball. Despite two MVPs to his collection and a record-breaking new contract, how has that worked out? It’s been eight years since the Bronx Bombers won a 26th World Series.

There’s no such thing as a guarantee in sports unless it’s Rafael Nadal on clay or the Knicks continuing to suck no matter who Jim Dolan brings in.

Are the Mets a colossal disappointment through the first 68 games this season? Undoubtedly. So too are their crosstown rivals who finally got to four over by sweeping the Astros over the weekend. Despite that, they still got bad news when ace Chien-Ming Wang sprained his right foot tearing a tendon while scoring a run in yesterday’s 13-0 win. He’ll likely be lost till September. What that means for New York’s postseason aspirations is a giant sized question mark.

It’s never too late for the Mets to turn around their season. Five in the loss column can be made up quickly. Especially with this much time left. All they have to do is put together a hot streak and the Phils could comeback to the pack. It would be nice for the Queens club to at least demonstrate to their fans that they’re actually capable of that. A couple of weeks ago, it looked like they were coming around but then came that awful four-game series in San Diego and three vicious losses during a mediocre .500 homestand against Arizona and Texas.

After splitting a doubleheader with the Rangers thanks to a solid six from Pedro Martinez and the right move by the much maligned manager pulling his starter for pinch hitter Robinson Cancel who delivered the clutch two-run hit, the Mets headed West for six games against the Angels and the Rockies beginning tonight.

Despite taking two of three over the weekend, there was still a lingering question as to whether Randolph would still be managing them. Such is the chaotic nature of Met management letting the classy former player who grew up in Brooklyn hang in the wind. A published NY Post report indicated that Fred and Jeff Wilpon had given Minaya the authority to axe Randolph and his coaches if he felt it was warranted.

How nice. The owners have no backbone or common decency. Instead, they let their GM who hasn’t exactly done a good job this year bolstering a shaky pen or making the bench younger do all their dirty work cause they want nothing to do with it. It can’t possibly be that the $140 million they shelled out could produce such a mediocre club. Never occurred to them. At least Hank Steinbrenner is hands on even though he’s extremely irritating.

Where’s the accountability? If Minaya fires Randolph or say Howard Johnson, guru Rick Peterson or Sandy Alomar for that dreadful decision sending Brian Schneider which cost them a chance at a great comeback in the first game yesterday, who’s to say it’s going to change a team which can’t rely on Carlos Delgado or Moises “DL” Alou. Luis Castillo isn’t much better due to his knees yet was signed to a four-year extension.

Then there’s Ryan Church who was on his way to the All-Star Game in the Bronx before the Mets rushed him back from a concussion. You don’t ever do that under any consequence.

Will a new skipper automatically change Jose Reyes’ approach? What about the streakiness of stars Carlos Beltran and David Wright? Is it just Randolph’s fault that John Maine throws too many pitches to go more than six most nights? What about Oliver Perez’ continued Jekyll and Hyde act?

They also don’t have a complete game from Santana who makes too much money not to at least go nine once or twice and save the bullpen from wrecking a probable win as what transpired last week. Remarkably, Mike Pelfrey came the closest pitching into the ninth before Billy Wagner blew it serving up a tying three-run dinger. At least the Mets still won thanks to a Beltran extra inning blast.

The options to setup Wagner aren’t great with Pedro Feliciano and Scott Schoeneweis proving to be the best thus far. But both are lefties who can be taken yard. Aaron Heilman has struggled and Duaner Sanchez hasn’t done much better. Joe Smith’s been alright but is never a lock due to comman.

How can it all be on the skipper when this mess of a pen has repeatedly blown games? Isn’t that the GM’s responsibility?

How come a vast majority of the late inning options off the bench are all aging vets such as Damion Easley, Fernando Tatis or Marlon Anderson?

It sure seems like one person is being given a lot more leeway than the other. Why?

Copyright Getty Images

It’s not often you get entertained by frantic Mets fans. But that’s precisely what happened down in Park Slope at the Berkeley Carroll Athletic Center last night.

So there I was recovering from a tough workout cooling off downstairs as BCS Rob came over into the office to see how his Mets were doing. This is one of the quintissential good guys of many quality people who work in a nice location keeping things under control during the school year, etc. The guy’s always around on the job making certain things are in order. He takes it very seriously as does the head of the place Catherine.

If I don’t know last names, sorry. At least I’m getting the first names right after all this time. I’ve only spent the past couple of years scoring the school’s basketball games. Usually, I’m pretty good with names as I have a dope ass memory. But it took some time to remember the hard working security guard who’s usually there in the afternoon to greet you. Sometimes, it happens to even the best of us. It’s like I would have a block thinking so and so was someone else. Isn’t that the most embarrassing thing when you completely mess up and the person looks at you like you’re lower than dirt?

In any event, Rob has plenty of time to kill at nights as us people come and go from the gym or pool. When there’s nobody around, a decent amount is spent watching YouTube videos. Just yesterday, I showed him my first ever edition. It wasn’t much. Just one of my VG Shaolin homies P.J. rapping over a cool beat for nine seconds. Yeah. I just felt like adding one. I really need to upgrade so we can have some decent videos this summer. Oh. You bet your ass D Flex will be part of that shiznit!

So, who’s D Flex exactly? Well, ask my Stanford buddy John “JPG” Giagnorio and he’ll tell you that’s my tag name. See. I can freestyle for real. Amazingly, the name’s caught on. We even got my homies home calling me by it. Heck. Even Rob and pool instructor Frank refer to me by that code.

To be perfectly honest, I at first thought it was silly and kind of shied away from it. However, the more I rapped, the more JPG called me it. So I accepted it and realized it was pretty freaking cool. Now I’ve got players who finished highschool laughing their asses off at my renditions. They must be thinking wtf is this dude on? Sometimes, I don’t even know!

Bottom line: I have fun. Cause if you don’t, life will pass you by in a blink. My advice to anyone of the younger generation is quite simple. Live while you can.

I really do enjoy messing around with lyrics. Just go check out my Xanga and you’ll see what I’m getting at. It’s fun to freestyle and crack people up. But I’m a much better writer than rapper.

So, Rob likes YouTube. Well, who doesn’t? I mean heck. There are a lot of crazy videos out there. Some which are a complete utter waste of time like the one I linked above cause there really wasn’t anything of substance. But you occasionally discover talented individuals such as SupaDupaFlyGirl. And yeah. The name fits because she’s really hot and entertaining. This chick I think lives somewhere out here if you can fathom that. She’s not just a face though but a very smart person who knows how to have fun and utilize all her skills. I happen to think this is one of Liz’ best. It’s like a Charlie Chaplin satire.

Aside from watching YouTube, Rob AKA Mr. Met because he’s got so many damn newspaper pics of his beloved Amazin’s loves to follow his favorite baseball team via the MLB official site. Let’s just say I was in for a treat as he and BCS maintenance worker Tony both rooted on their team hoping and praying that Mike Pelfrey would be allowed to complete his best start in his young career.

Here you had the young righthander pitching the lights out shutting down the D-Backs outpitching 11-game winner Brandon Webb. Even more surprising than the Mets 3-0 lead which all took place in the home fourth on a Carlos Beltran two-run single and RBI fielder’s choice was that Pelfrey had K’d eight leaving Rob and Tony ecstatic. Every time I spoke to Mr. Met, there was a look of concern on his face due to Pelfrey having tossed 109 or 110 pitches entering the ninth inning. Loose translation: He wanted no part of the Met bullpen even if it meant normally reliable closer Billy Wagner.

So of course once the leadoff hitter got on, Willie Randolph came and got Pelfrey which was the appropriate move because you have to do what you can to win the game. And the former first rounder had probably never tossed that many pitches. Everyone knows how much the Mets have been struggling having dropped five straight before last night including the pen giving up six of Arizona’s nine runs (eight unanswered) in a dreadful 9-5 loss at Shea sounding off even more alarms.

Here they were again three outs away this time with Billy The Kid in a save situation hoping to atone for that Tony Clark three-run bomb which helped the hapless Padres sweep four over the weekend in San Diego. As if to make their worst fears realized, a D-Back double had runners in scoring position with one out. As I sat there, all I could think was, ‘No way is he going to blow this. He’s one of the better closers in the game.’

But there were Rob and Tony panicked out of their minds waiting for the other shoe to drop. This is what I love about Met fans. Sadly, I can’t say I blame them much given their team’s recent track record. No need to remind anyone. Besides, I’m a Yankee guy. We’ll just leave it at that.

Wagner had gotten the second out but went 3-2 on Arizona slugging third baseman Mark Reynolds. When mlb.com took long to tell us what had happened, we all were thinking the same thing wondering. Just before Reynolds at-bat, Rob predicted the doom and gloom of a tying three-run home run. I just sat there thinking it can’t happen. But this is how Met fans are trained to think. A minute later, there he was saying:

 ”My God. They tied it.”

At that point, I just gave the dude a pat and got out of there. Who the heck wanted to see what would happen next? It was sort of comical in a sad way. The worst was realized. Even if the game was only tied and the Mets would eventually go on to win thanks to Beltran’s two out 13th inning two-run walkoff bomb on ironically enough a Reynolds error, here you had a couple of glaring examples of what’s wrong with the team in Queens. They each expected Wagner to give it up and Rob even reiterated that he called it.

Who would ever believe that this is what a team which many picked to win the NL and challenge for the World Series would do to their fans as we approach mid-June. It’s no longer early. Yes. The Mets gained a game on the Phillies, who had a rare second defeat in a row thanks to a Dan Uggla grand slam walkoff in Florida. They’re six and a half out with 98 to go two under .500 (31-33).

Hey. The Yanks are back at .500 (33-33) trailing the Red Sox by seven. Who would you rather be? At this juncture, both New York teams have been major disappointments playing inconsistent ball. However, only one kind of fan is flooding the WFAN airwaves in full panic mode even after their team showed some guts and pulled one out.

You guessed right.

That’s how you tell the different between the two New York baseball fans. I got a good appetizer which made for a fun entry.

Who would’ve thunk it?

For once, you really can “Blame It On The Rain.” Much like that once misplaced Milli Vanilli hit some 20 years ago, that accurately reflects both New York baseball teams on the 16th day of May with the Subway Series on tap.

So much for good May weather. But hey. Do either the Yankees or Mets deserve the sun to shine down on them at this early juncture of the season? We already know the answer. Maybe it’s a bit of poetic justice that the weather is so crappy reminding us more of late March and April rather than traditional May days.

Both teams stink. Sure. It’s still very early. There’s plenty of time for the Yanks and Mets to turn it around. Sometimes, that’s forgotten in such a demanding town which is all about the present when it comes to its two baseball teams. The grind of a 162-game schedule has peaks and valleys. Unfortunately, both clubs with high expectations have hit a lull entering this weekend’s three-game set at Yankee Stadium a combined 40-41. Remarkably, it’s the first time since the Subway Series inception that the two metro area teams entered under .500. But as esteemed New York Post columnist Mike Vaccaro pointed out in a well written column, it was bound to happen sometime.

Symbolism is a funny thing. Almost to a U2 hit, “Mysterious Ways.” That it’s pouring literally and dark as can be for this time of year epitomizes the slow starts by our two ballclubs who so many fans in this area live and die with.

Just listening to all the panic on WFAN airwaves is enough to drive you insane. Of course, the “Fire Willie” demands have only intensified after his team’s dreadful 3-4 homestand against last place fodder. Granted. The manager isn’t doing the job. Ultimately, it comes down to his players who are plenty talented but have been lacking consistency, intensity and common sense. Why is it always the same two players who show frustration over their team’s lackadaisical play?

On the flip side of town, the Yanks just lost three of four to the improved Rays down in Tampa drawing the ire of Hank Steinbrenner. They have their own issues which include a paltry offense that’s putting more pressure on the pitching staff. The good news is Mike Mussina has suddenly rediscovered himself and Darrell Rasner, who will oppose Johan Santana whenever Game One gets underway has pitched well. The alarming is the continued ups and downs of Andy Pettite, Ian Kennedy’s struggles and LaTroy Hawkins’ implosions. Combine that with a popgun offense and it’s hard to win games.

Maybe A-Rod’s quad will finally be healthy enough to return soon and help inject much needed righty power in a dead lineup. Who knows what the time table is for Jorge Posada? For now, Joe Girardi continues to pencil in the Shelly Duncans and Morgan Ensbergs while batting Melky Cabrera sixth.

Is this the weekend Jose Reyes sparks the Mets to a big series win before headed to Atlanta possibly saving the manager’s job? Or does the Yankee captain step to the forefront leading his slumping team to two of three and perhaps back on track?

Hard to say. What I do know is that rain never felt more appropriate. And we don’t mean the cold November Guns N’ Roses kind. Bet those two teams wish it were.

We got a long way to go.

Big ups Billy Wagner! It’s not everyday that a ballplayer calls out a teammate for not giving maximum effort but that’s precisely what the Mets’ veteran lefty closer did the other day calling out an ineffective Oliver Perez for not dialing it up a notch.

Instead, the talented southpaw enigma showed his dreadful side losing the plate to the tune of five walks and seven runs (2 ER) in a disastrous second inning against the lowly Pirates. His former club got the better of him taking advantage of porous Met defense turning three errors and one big mental lapse by Jose Reyes to destroy New York 13-1. Prior to the blowout defeat at Shea before another testy crowd (who could blame them), the Amazin’s had won three in a row including the last two from a banged up Atlanta team over the weekend.

Finally, things seemed to be on the way up for Willie Randolph’s ballclub. Not so fast. Instead of making it a two-game sweep of the Pirates and four straight before a challenging West coast swing with stops at major league leader Arizona and the suddenly hot Joe Torre Dodgers (six straight wins), the Mets played sloppy ball in the field and hardly were competitive at the plate against no-name Tom Gorzelanny managing only one hit and zero runs despite five bases on balls in the first five frames.

Where’s Bob Uecker’s Harry Doyle Major League character when you need him?

“There was no get-up-and-go,” a fired up Wagner told reporters after the humiliation. “That can’t happen.”

To say he took Perez and a few lazy teammates to the woodshed would be an understatement. Billy didn’t mince words even indicating that his team was lucky to finish April two over .500 (14-12).

“It might be good if we worked on a little bit of everything,” one of the team’s most consistent performers noted. “Bullpen’s been shoddy. Starting pitching, we’ve had our ups and downs. Hitting comes and goes.”

The talkative Wagner has always been willing to put himself out there challenging teammates to play better. In the third year of a four-year $43 million contract, the 36 year-old who has six saves and 12 K’s in 12 innings while permitting just three hits has every right to be upset. He came here to win a World Series. Despite winning their division two years earlier, they haven’t been to one yet losing in gut wrenching fashion to the Cardinals and then collapsing last September.

With the key acquisition of ace Johan Santana, the Mets were supposed to get a tremendous lift and make the negativity of last year go away. However, that’s not what’s happened so far which is why Wagner sounded the justified alarm that his team needs to be better.

You could start with Reyes being Reyes on a daily basis and Carlos Beltran remembering that he was given over $100 million three years ago to be a big run producer. Not just a streaky player who goes from hot to ice cold making Met fans see the recurring image of the bat on the shoulder with Adam Wainwright and the Cards celebrating on their field.

As for Wagner target Perez, he’s only gone six once in his first six outings. Oh btw…that came in a 13-0 Apr.2 rout at Florida a month ago. It’s awfully hard to accumulate innings when you walk nearly as many batters as you strikeout. Twenty one walks in 29 IP just won’t get it done. Especially with a thin pen which Randolph has already overused.

Outside of Wagner, Pedro Feliciano and the coming along Duaner Sanchez whose role should magnify, who else can Met supporters trust out of that pig pen?

Fairly simple reply.

Wagner even admitted on The Michael Kay show during his weekly segment yesterday that he’s not the most liked teammate. No surprise there since many players today hate when a brutally honest and caring ‘mate tosses high heaters instead of soft lobs to the press if their team isn’t playing to expectation.

Today’s players are too pampered. These Mets feel they’ve accomplished something already when that’s far from the case. It’s about winning championships.

That Wagner spoke up shows his heart’s in the right place. He knows it should be much better. It’s not like anyone’s running away with the NL East. The Phils are still without MVP Jimmy Rollins and don’t have much pitching to speak of. Florida has dropped three straight and aren’t very deep pitching-wise either. The Braves are banged up and have dropped four in a row. Though they’re playing better, the Nats are still the Nats.

On paper, the Mets should have enough to take the division. Maybe that’s the problem. Paper doesn’t win you anything. A crisper brand of baseball will.

The same applies for what’s gone on across town in the Bronx. We’ll get to that story another day.

For now, we admire Billy The Kid and wish there were more players like him in today’s game. He clearly gets IT!