-And so, the New York baseball season is over and it really does feel weird that both the Mets and Yankees won’t be playing meaningful baseball as October gets ready to hit. I just can’t remember what this felt like. Sure. The two teams both finished with identical records winning 89 games which meant they didn’t stink by any stretch but when you have the kind of payrolls they do, so many expectations come with it for this spoiled city which makes it all the more disappointing.

In the end, both teams despite big names proved to be flawed which was why they fell short in their postseason bids. Injuries aside, the Yankees didn’t have enough pitching or timely hitting. For some reason, they never hit the way they could’ve and too often couldn’t deliver in the clutch. That along with being a very streaky team which sometimes lacked energy kept them from putting together that run with their best ball coming way too late when the season was already lost.

The Mets also had their share of injuries but severely underperformed the first 10 weeks getting Willie Randolph axed before waking up under Jerry Manuel to get back in the race. Despite no pen to speak of, they persevered and once again were in great position to win their division before it all came crashing down in the final couple of weeks though not as badly as last year. While the pen could never be trusted and cost them a ton of games, what was most baffling was the offense which at times disappeared. How do you explain getting shutout 1-0 against the majors’ worst team the Nats? And what about scoring only five runs in the do or die weekend series against the same Marlins who danced on their field eliminating them last year? Questions will continue to linger about David Wright and Jose Reyes until they stop disappearing and carry this team back to October and beyond.

Now, it will be a long offseason for Omar Minaya with plenty of angry customers wondering why next year will be different at Citi Field. Getting a real second baseman while unloading Luis Castillo along with revamping the bullpen are just a couple of topics he must address with new record closer Francisco Rodriguez at the top of the list. It’s also likely Pedro Martinez pitched his final game as a Met after struggling mightily. And then there’s Oliver Perez, who will be seeking a deal in the neighborhood of $12-16 million per year under greedy agent Scott Boras$. Is he really worth that kind of money longterm? I say no. He’s just too unpredictable to get to that next level. What about Carlos Delgado? Do they pick up the $12 million option rewarding him for his brilliant second half or do they try to get younger going for better defense? If they let him go, it won’t be easy to replace his big bat.

As for the Yankees, they will need to decide on center field moving forward along with what they intend to do with Joba Chamberlain. If they make him a starter, then they must continue to shore up their pen. Bringing back 20-game winner Mike Mussina should be at the top of Brian Cashman’s list. Figure Andy Pettite to either retire or go elsewhere following a dismal second half. The Yanks of course need a real ace and should be in the running for C.C. Sabathia, John Lackey or A.J. Burnett with him expected to opt out of Toronto. There’s also the first base situation where they could be competing with the Angels and Mets for Mark Teixeira. Figure Jason Giambi to go elsewhere after a productive season proving he can still be a valuable DH somewhere. As for Bobby Abreu, he’s a solid run producer who gets on base but leaves something to be desired for in right which is why we see Xavier Nady shifting.

Whatever transpires over the next three months, New York baseball fans know full well their rosters won’t look the same following a quiet October.

Get ready for chaos.

-Just in case we forgot, there’s still one more regular season game to be played later today when the Twins visit the Windy City against the White Sox, who earned the one-game home playoff by getting a grand slam from overlooked rookie second baseman Alexei Ramirez in an 8-2 win over the Tigers in a makeup game Monday. They get the game despite winning their first in six thanks to the Twins dropping two of three to the Royals despite sweeping three from Ozzie Guillen’s club to pull half a game up. It’ll be John Danks going on three days rest against Nick Blackburn to decide the AL Central for the final playoff berth.

One team will advance to play the Tampa Bay Rays in the Division Series while Boston travels to California to meet the 100-win Angels.

The NL of course is all set with the Cubs taking on the Dodgers while the Phillies host the Brewers, who are in their first postseason in 26 years.

We’ll have more playoff stuff later on.

-It’s hard to choose one between each but our pick for NL MVP would be Ryan Howard for how he carried the Phillies the final month having one of the best Septembers eerily similar to when he clubbed 58 home runs and knocking in 149 to win the award two years ago. I’ve always been a huge fan of Manny Ramirez and he sure stepped up carrying the Dodgers in the final two months impacting their lineup while coming back to win the NL West. But it’s hard to pick him over Howard with how well the first base slugger finished leading his team to a 13-3 record over the final 16 pressure packed games in a very tight race.

-The same could be said for the NL Cy Young where worthy candidates like Johan Santana, Brandon Webb and Tim Lincecum all are in the running against Milwaukee rental Sabathia, who tossed a remarkable seven complete games pacing the league while turning in a money performance following Santana’s gem to get the Brewers in. For that, we’ll give the nod to Sabathia over Lincecum with Santana third and Webb fourth.

-AL MVP is a little easier and could depend on if the Twins win with Justin Morneau once again in the running against Boston tandem Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis. It’s hard to ignore Carlos Quentin’s impact with the White Sox, who haven’t been the same since he went down. To be honest, he would’ve been a lock had he not broken his wrist. If the Twins get in, Morneau should win his second MVP in three years this time edging another do everything infielder Pedroia, who resembles a young Derek Jeter. If not, give the award to Pedroia because he’s been his team’s best player since the Manny trade.

-As for AL Cy Young, Cliff Lee should get the nod handily edging out K-Rod, Dice-K and Roy Halladay. I know he won’t get a lot of consideration but Moose deserves a few votes for how well he pitched in the Bronx this year.

-What else can Joe Girardi be two-faced about and purposely hide from the media?

-It’s nice to see Brett Favre finally be allowed to open it up and get on the same page with Laveranues Coles, who caught three touchdowns for the first time in his career- half of Favre’s career high six in the Jets’ 56-35 win over Kurt Warner and the Cards. I just wonder if Gang Green fans can be pleased about their D turning a 34-0 halftime cushion into a game by allowing three straight TDs in the third quarter before Favre and the Jet offense put it away.

-Did anyone ever think the Bills and Titans would both be the only remaining unbeatens in the AFC looking like playoff locks?

-How come Terrell Owens always blames Dallas defeats on not getting him involved enough when it was about as believable as anything Sarah Palin says? Can’t he ever give credit to the opponent because the Redskins played a heck of a game and have certainly turned things around since the NFL Opener defeat to the Giants? But hey. T-Ho will always be a selfserving primadona who doesn’t care about the team concept despite his talent which is why I’d never take him on my team.

-I could do a better job than Scott Linehan did with the Rams.

-It sure took long enough for the Lions to realize Matt Millen wasn’t a good Team President. I wonder what keyed them in on that.

-When someone takes shots at the Yanks and Mets for not qualifying, just remember you could be the Tigers who gave up the world for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, who now looks like a serious rebuilding project. Tell ya one thing. Cameron Maybin sure looks good in center for the Marlins. And if Andrew Miller pans out, that’s gonna be one heck of a rotation in 2009. The Mets and Phillies might have some competition for the NL East.

-Just how ridiculous is Jim Dolan? Idiotic enough to continue bringing back Allan Houston while refusing to payoff Stephon Marbury to get him off the Knicks roster. That’s why no matter who’s running it, they’ll always be the same laughingstock.

-Now would be a good time to tell the Rangers that the NHL regular season begins in a few days over in Europe cause they have looked really bad so far. I wonder what Glen Sather thinks now of investing six years and six and a half per on Wade Redden. Just wait till the season starts up. You ain’t seen nothing yet.

-What I like about the Giant organization is they stick to their rules disciplining Plaxico Burress for missing two straight days of practice even if it was due to a personal family matter. The wideout still should’ve communicated better this way he wouldn’t be fined and have to sit out next week’s home game versus Seattle. However, there aren’t any excuses and no exceptions under Coach Coughlin which is why I believe this team can repeat. They get it!

-Someone might want to tell Jerry Jones that this isn’t the 50’s anymore when he last played organized football. He doesn’t belong on the sideline.

-Boomer and Carton are a fun listen on WFAN in the morning because they work well and have solid chemistry. Listening to them rant over the Mets’ latest disappointment was good radio. Loved Carton’s nickname for Wright for failing to deliver in the clutch: “D-Rod.” A reference to Alex Rodriguez.

-I feel bad for diehard Met fans like Steve Somers, Tony Paige, Evan Roberts and Joe Benigno, who live and die with their team all year long. You can feel the emotion and terrible bitterness in their voices. Particularly Somers, who last week coming back from a great Weezer concert sounded heartbroken over a costly extra inning defeat to the Cubs. You could really tell how badly he wanted to see them get in and reverse last year.

They all did and showed so much. Maybe if the Mets had played with as much energy as they brought to the WFAN airwaves, they wouldn’t be sitting home instead getting ready for Lou Piniella’s Cubs. They might get paid to talk sports but they wear the Mets’ logo as a badge of honor as did outstanding play-by-play man Howie Rose.

Nobody ever likes to get their hearts broken. Especially by their favorite sports team which is what can make following sports so crazy. One minute, you’re as high as the sky and the next you feel like burying yourself under the sand.

It’s the real diehards who never abandon ship who shall always get my sorrows. Cause it takes a lot sometimes to stay with a team that constantly gives you heartache.

-The amazing Mets continued their clutch stretch play thanks to a two out ninth inning rally coming from a run down against shaky Florida closer Kevin Gregg. After he retired the first couple, ex-Marlin Luis Castillo kept it alive with a two strike single followed by a David Wright base hit. Gregg then hit the dangerous Carlos Delgado with the first offering loading the bases for Carlos Beltran. As unclutch a big name star in this town with only the chronicles of Alex Rodriguez worse, the $119 million center fielder drove the first pitch he saw over the right field wall for a go-ahead grand slam which WFAN play-by-play man Howie Rose nearly orgasmed to.

Did we just say that? Well, I was in the car and he did. Sometimes, you get the impression the Met announcers think this is some sorta miracle that the NL’s highest payroll is winning these kind of big games and now up two games over the reeling Phillies with a month to go. Granted. The Mets have had their share of injuries but you want to talk about over the top. Rose and Co. have lost their minds. If they sugarcoated anymore, you’d think they were adding even more sugar to a batch of cookies.

Take nothing away from Jerry Manuel’s club’s resiliency. They deserve to be where they are atop the NL East. But why shouldn’t they be? The Phillies are very flawed as proven with that eighth inning implosion in which Delgado tied it with a homer followed by a couple of more big hits including by David Murphy. They just don’t have enough pitching and their big hitters come up pretty soft in big spots. Paging Chase Utley and Pat Burrell. Jimmy Rollins is no better. Ryan Howard’s hit or miss literally. Honestly, the two guys I’d fear in a big spot are outfield overachievers Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino as they always seem to be in the middle of a comeback.

As for the fading Marlins, they’ve always been a flawed team due to the lack of fundamentals in the field and at the plate. Have you ever in your life seen a more undisciplined free swinging team which struck out more than Fredi Gonzalez’ bunch? Unless the ultra talented Hanley Ramirez matures and Dan Uggla (soon to be renamed Uggly for his dreadful 2nd half and fielding), they’ll continue to fail in big spots. As for their pen, Gonzalez deserves plenty of criticism for sticking with Gregg when he’s continually choked away leads blowing game after game to put them seven out. How in the world did he not send out ex-Met Matt Lindstrom for the ninth when he needed only five pitches to record the final out of the eighth? Just call it a case of bad managing 101. When your team desperately needs a game as much as his did, you don’t always stay conventional and remain loyal to struggling performers.

Precisely why managing by the book is vastly overrated.

Not surprisingly, the Marlins nearly tied it with a two out rally of their own scoring twice off Luis Ayala before he finally got Wes Helms to bounce out to short stranding the tying run at third and winning run at second. Does this mean the luster is finally off the ex-Nat pickup as temporary closer for the Mets? Who knows? Manuel is mixing and matching doing the best he can because he doesn’t got much no thanks to Omar Minaya. If the Mets do fall short, it won’t be for lack of heart cause they got plenty of that. But due to a pen which makes every Amazin fan squeamish.

Still, they should have enough to win the division. Especially with Jose Reyes playing well while Wright and Delgado rake. With plenty of contributions from unsung heroes such as Damion Easley, Murphy and even light hitting defensive catcher Brian Schneider who amazingly enough has gotten a couple of more big hits than A-Rod the past two months, they should score enough runs to support a superior staff led by Johan Santana, Oliver Perez and Mike Pelfrey. Now if only they could get Pedro back on track.

-I know it’s a few days late but what you saw from Joe Girardi’s Yankees those first couple of crucial games against the Red Sox was really how it’s been all year. They just never come up with the big hit or even the big pitches. It’s easy to point the finger at last year’s MVP along with Jason Giambi, who at least saved them the humiliation of a sweep driving in all three Thursday. However, it’s awfully hard not to get on Andy Pettite for his poor showing in such a big spot. To be outpitched by old and older knuckler Tim Wakefield is embarrassing. Even if a banged up Sox club didn’t hit every ball hard, there’s no excuse. Aside from that, who didn’t like that money showing by that pen in a Boston seven-run eighth featuring a Dustin Pedroia grand slam turning a close game into a laugher? Not like they couldn’t have used Kyle Farnsworth there?!?!?!?!?! Oh. That’s right. He was traded for the useless Pudge Rodriguez who looks about ready for retirement.

So, is there anyone out there who doesn’t believe the former Texas catcher didn’t cheat his way to an MVP season in 1999 and was still producing fairly well just a few years ago? I’ve always liked Pudge and he does belong in Cooperstown when it’s done but it’s very hard for me not to think he did something out of the ordinary to manufacture those numbers.

-Whoever would’ve believed that Carl “DL” Pavano would actually be 2-0 after two outings even outpitching Yankee killer A.J. Burnett last night?

-It’s not often you see Andy Roddick outslugged from the baseline but finding a way to persevere and pull out a well earned four set win over the other birthday boy six years younger talented Latvian Ernests Gulbis. Especially when the now 26 year-old American was dangerously close to being down two sets just a couple of points before reeling off the next seven games to assume control. Who knows. Maybe this big win gets the former 2003 U.S. Open champ going for a run and possible quarterfinal against No.3 ranked Serb Novak Djokovic. Who wouldn’t want to see that come down with probably Roger Federer waiting in the wings for the semis? In a year where the final tennis grand slam doesn’t have quite as much appeal on the women’s side with former champ Maria Sharapova sidelined and French Open winner Ana Ivanovic losing in the second round to a little known Frenchwoman, they sure could use the best players on the men’s side to go far.

-I don’t care about who Djokovic “hooked up” with at the Olympics in Beijing. What I want to know is why hasn’t he asked countrywoman Ivanovic out yet? At least it might better explain her poor second half bad thumb and all.

-When Osi Umenyiora went down during last week’s meaningless exhibition versus Brett Favre and the Jets, of course it was said not to be that serious due to the first MRI coming back negative. But anyone who saw the way the Giant sack leader landed had to know better. By the next day not surprisingly, he was done for the year putting a damper on Big Blue’s Super Bowl defense. There ya had it again. Just another reason there are too many NFL preseason games. How many times have you seen a big name star go down before the first real snap? Football more than any other sport can be brutal to its fans. This was just the latest example. Does it all end for the Giants now? Not really cause even if Michael Strahan doesn’t have his “heart in it,” they can move Mathias Kiwanuka back to his original position and get plenty from rising pass rusher Justin Tuck. I still think Steve Spagnuolo finds a way to keep his attacking D a step ahead. Especially with a secondary which should be improved with promising rookie Kenny Phillips. As much as we look at the D, the offense doesn’t have any injuries and should put up points. This is now Eli Manning’s team and time. I expect him to step up.

If there’s an area to be concerned over, it’s the kicking game where they don’t know if NFC championship hero Lawrence Tynes will be ready for next week’s opener versus the Redskins. Given how poorly Josh Huston has performed, they better get Tynes back sooner rather than later.

-It ain’t often they do something right but kudos to the Knicks for acquiring Patrick Ewing, Jr. from the Rockets in exchange for <gulp> all-time draft bust Frederic Weis. Where’s Ed Tapscott these days anyway?

-Is Chad Johnson plain crazy having his name legally changed to Chad Javon Ocho Cinco or just taken too many hits to the head? Here’s the link.

-Mike Lupica’s correct that the Yanks salvaging that final game versus Boston felt more like “saving face” than saving their season. However, the Daily News know it all columnist is quite wrong if he actually believes the best way for them to field a World Series contender in their new Stadium next year is to spend, spend, spend. That change in philosophy is what turned a once modern day dynasty into a colossal disappointment with little to no chemistry continuing to head the wrong way.

-Only in the NL West could the defending NL champion Rockies who improved to eight under .500 (64-72) thanks to a pair of Garrett Atkins homers and five RBI’s in a 9-4 road win over the Padres still be within six of the first place Diamondbacks. Who says history can’t repeat?

-I liked Barack Obama’s speech 45 years to the day after Dr. Martin Luther King’s historic “I Have A Dream” speech in accepting the Democratic Presidential nomination in Denver. However, what the heck were they thinking turning it into that fake Washington cathedral stage?!?!?!?!?!

-And finally, here’s a cool sports video on YouTube I just can’t get enough of of Olympic triple world record gold medalist Jamaican runner Usain “Lightning” Bolt featuring hilarious commentary.

-If ever there were a tale of two New York baseball teams, then this was probably the defining week as the Mets went from a devastating ninth inning loss to running a perfect 6-0 response over lowly Washington and Pittsburgh with the final game of four later today versus those Pirates. Jerry Manuel’s club is a season high 12 over .500 and instead of trailing the Phillies by a couple, they’re up by that margin with the Marlins lumbering four and a half behind after a lost weekend versus the Cubs.

Even with the continued uncertainty of closer Billy Wagner, it’s all working for the Mets who now have emerged into the team to beat in the NL East as many predicted. They did pick up Luis Ayala from the Nats for minor league second baseman Anderson Hernandez to help aid what still is a shaky pen. It remains to be seen if he can rediscover what once made him one of the better late inning guys with a contending team. Still, the move by Omar Minaya is a no-brainer. His pen needs all the help it can get.

-As for the Yankees, they’re fortunate to even still be within striking distance of the WC-leading Red Sox, who dropped the final two games to the streaking Jays opening the door slightly as Joe Girardi’s struggling club got the last two from the lowly Royals though Saturday won’t be remembered for Brett Gardner’s walkoff but rather the amount of runners they left on base with established veteran stars failing time and time again as the game dragged on before the rookie recall delivered the two out hit in the 13th to possibly salvage their season. Have you ever seen a more pathetic bunch when it came to bringing in a runner from third with less than two out? With the caliber of talent they boast, it’s inexcusable. They’re so fundamentally unsound that it begs the question whether they’ve given completely up. That fourth inning where Jason Giambi bounced into an inning ending 4-6-3 double play following an Alex Rodriguez strikeout looking leaving the bases jammed was as ridiculous as it got and that included Derek Jeter hitting into yet another DP and Girardi in a tie game with the first two on electing not to bunt with Johnny Damon, who wound up K-ing for a third time preluding Jeter’s twin killing. Inexplicable strategy considering how much his team was struggling and needed the game.

The offense finally snapped out of it responding with six in the first with A-Rod blasting his club-leading 28th to tie the score followed two batters later by Xavier Nady’s seventh in Pinstripes as they hammered ex-Met Brian Bannister for 10 earned in one-plus with Jason Giambi’s grand slam the exclamation point in a 15-6 rout. Even Cody Ransom got into the act later with a two-run shot as the Yanks made Mike Mussina a 16-game winner.

Sure. It was a good day which hopefully will give Girardi’s guys a spark with only 38 games left including 22 on the road where they’re three under .500. But if they don’t follow it up with a strong road trip versus AL East foes Toronto and Baltimore, then it’s all but over for them. And who actually thinks they’re going to hit A.J. Burnett and Roy Halladay? This team has been inconsistent all year and almost never makes a dent against either. That must change starting tomorrow. They also better discover a way to get Aubrey Huff out when they visit Camden.

For now, the Yanks gained two games on Boston to get within five. Problem is they’re also chasing the Twins or White Sox with the co-AL Central leaders half a game worse than the Red Sox. It’s very possible that both make October leaving the Yanks and Red Sox home. A rarity which is possible considering how flawed both are.

-What happened to the Phillies offense? Granted. They had to play the Dodgers for four getting swept while the Mets were destroying Washington and Pittsburgh but at this point of the season, you don’t expect Charlie Manuel’s club to lose all four to Los Angeles and even drop one to the lowly Padres.

-I thought Romania’s Sandra Izbasa had a great routine capturing gold in the floor gymnastics competition but was it really 1.5 better than American silver medalist Shawn Johnson? Still, the talented 16 year-old was all smiles enjoying her time in the limelight while all around teammate and gold medalist Nastia Liukin took bronze. Speaking of which, her routine was pretty special as well and probably merited a higher score than what she received which tells you just how hard it is to judge three fantastic routines. They all were brilliant.

-Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser blitzed the women’s field in the 100 coasting to gold with a 10.78 time besting teammates Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart giving her country a sweep of both 100’s and gold, silver and bronze while American Lauryn Williams was edged out by Stewart finishing fourth compared to runner-up four years ago in Athens. Disappointing? Certainly. But for years, American has dominated the short distances. Perhaps it was just Jamaica’s time after previously never having a gold medal winner in either 100. While Usain “Lightning” Bolt made it look routine as if he wasn’t trying celebrating the last 20 meters, Fraser got off to a blistering start and ripped through to the end to take gold. Most impressive about world record holder Bolt’s 9.69 was that he easily could’ve gotten 9.59 if he didn’t celebrate prematurely waving his arms. Never before has anyone made it look that easy. Hopefully, it was legit. You never can tell when it comes to world class sprinters.

-Why does NBC even bother touting our USA competitors in the longer distances when they have absolutely zero chance. Even former Kenyan two-time medalist Bernard Lagat struggled in his semifinal 1,500 heat finishing a disappointing sixth with his famous kick not there as he looked gassed after waiting too long to make his move. He just didn’t run a smart race falling too far back and then needing to pass many midway through the final lap which proved to be too much.

-You have to feel bad for Chinese star 110 M hurdler Liu Xiang, whose hamstring injury before his heat didn’t even allow him to defend his gold medal. To say seeing him walk away in obvious pain pulling out would be an understatement. Especially with so much of his country invested in seeing one of their brightest stars in such pain. That had to be very very hard.

-Meanwhile, yahoo’s Josh Peter documents sprinter Tyson Gay’s disappointing Olympics by alluding to a poor decision six weeks prior taking part in a 200 M quarter despite a bad left hamstring.

-I like James Blake and respect how hard he competes and handles himself. I get his complete frustration at Fernando Gonzalez not giving him that first point eight apiece in the final set. But he still could’ve dug deep and overcome it. Gonzalez is a good player but does anyone really believe he’s better than Blake? That’s not getting any press.

-I’d much rather watch curling than synchronized swimming. Just saying.

-The Yanks were swept by the Angels this weekend falling to 2-5 on their road trip with a tough three coming in the Twin Cities next. It really couldn’t have gone any worse for Joe Girardi’s struggling club, who came apart at the seams Saturday blowing a 3-1 lead and then pouring gasoline on the fire by letting seven more Angels come around to score before even recording an out in a disastrous eighth. So much for a reliable pen without Kyle Farnsworth. Then came Sunday as they fell 4-3 on a Chone Figgins walkoff hit off Mariano Rivera, who just can’t seem to get anyone out in tie games. But if you’re Girardi there after Damaso Marte puts two on, what are you supposed to do there but go with your best in that spot? Aside from that, Alex Rodriguez tried to swipe third in the eighth after doubling but was ruled out by umpire Bill Welke leading to mild protests from the star third baseman and Girardi. Here was A-Rod’s reaction afterwards following his team’s 10th loss in their last 15 keeping them four behind Boston and eight and a half behind Tampa Bay:

“It was 100 percent the right move to make. I mean, on the road, you have to play to win. I had a good jump, the catcher made a perfect throw, I stole the base—and everyone knows that. The umpire had great position on it. He just simply missed it.”

Before I leave:

-Why in God’s name did Joe Girardi take out Dan Giese on just 83 pitches after six innings?!?!?!?!?!?! The Angels were held to one run and trailing 3-1 but then the clueless Yankee skipper pulled him in favor of Jose Veras, who promptly gave it up allowing Garrett Anderson and Mike Napoli to go deep tying the game. Unbelievable!

-Aside from that, the unclutchness of Alex Rodriguez rared its ugly head again. With a chance to maybe put the game out of reach with runners on at the corners, the third baseman predictably struck out chasing a high heater out of the zone.

Just another moment where the so-called best player in the game came up short. Oh well.

-The Yanks and Angels are still scoreless headed to the bottom of the fifth in Rally Monkey town. Los Angeles smacked around Ian Kennedy last night in a 10-5 series opening win. Thus far today, spot starter Dan Giese has matched zeroes with ace John Lackey, who just got out of a two out first and third situation by striking out Derek Jeter on three pitches including a nasty slider out he chased out of the zone. Textbook pitching. He started the Yankee shortstop with two perfect outside heaters setting him up for the big K. Jeter entered the AB with a .310 average in money situations where as the team average with runners in scoring position was just .261. Not helped much from Alex Rodriguez, who continues to struggle in those key instances following an MVP year in which he was clutch. You have to wonder if perhaps the added incentive of playing for a new $300 million contract factored into just how locked in the third base slugger was last year as he’s never been a reliable player in the biggest spots no matter how great his statistics are. The Yanks clearly need more from him in tight games if they’re to extend to 14 straight postseason appearances.

-Who ever would’ve believed that Mike Mussina would be the leader of a banged up Yankee rotation working seven shutout innings in winning his 15th the other night on pace for the first 20-win season of his career? In a year where not much has gone right for the Bronx Bombers, Moose has been superb and deserves some AL Cy Young votes.

-Without Oliver Perez, the Mets would be screwed too. He tossed seven scoreless last night for his eighth victory in a 3-0 home shutout of the Marlins. They moved half a game ahead of Florida for second and just a game back of the Phillies, who dropped a 2-0 12 inning decision to the Pirates last night in which former Sock Craig Hansen closed it out for the save.

-The good news for the Amazin’s is that in a year where somehow Mike Pelfrey paces the rotation in wins (10), they find themselves right there in this NL East race. Most encouraging is that David Wright is getting it in gear slugging a walkoff dinger to bail out the Mets pen over San Diego the other day and ripped his 22nd- a two-run shot in last night’s win. The third baseman is up to .288 with 22 homers and ranks third in the Senior Circuit with 89 RBI’s. Even in a year where he’s been very streaky, Wright’s poised to finish strong and have another outstanding season. They’ll need every big swing down the stretch from their biggest star.

-Maybe he heard me. A-Rod went yard for his team-leading 26th in the sixth off Lackey followed by Jason Giambi’s 23rd marking the seventh time this season Yanks have gone back-to-back. They lead the Angels 2-0 and still trail the Red Sox by three games for the wild card.

-Game Update: Mark Teixeira breaks up Giese’s shutout with a mammoth blast to dead center making it his second home run in a week off Yankee pitchers to cut it to 2-1. He also took Edwar Ramirez yard for a go-ahead grand slam in a game the Yanks cameback to win last Sunday.

-I like the Olympics and that opening ceremony in Beijing looked very top notch but maybe it’s just me but these ceremonies just take way too long. Let the games begin already! It’s bad enough we’re some eight hours or so behind with the Pacific even more. Air the events. Gotta say I was amused by that badminton match this morning. Those smaller rackets used to keep that thing are pretty cool. Being that the players can’t let it bounce makes it even more intriguing as there are some good rallies. My friends of course laughed but hey. It’s as Olympic as the sheer grit, intensity and determination of power walking.

-Off to go cover the first place Staten Island Yankees at the nice ballpark by the Ferry Terminal.

-Listening to WFAN’s Tony Paige in his monologue of one of the worst Met losses and the overnight host is absolutely dead on about Johan Santana not being left in to start the ninth inning against the division rival Phillies. The Mets led 5-1 at one point until the former Twins’ AL Cy winner gave up a solo shot to Philly center fielder Shane Victorino in the seventh. Still, the Met ace on this night pitched like one getting through the eighth with a three-run lead intact. In fact, he had thrown just 105 pitches. You had to figure he had something left to maybe even finish what was the biggest game of the season at a packed Shea with first place up for grabs. Instead, on a night when he didn’t have Billy Wagner available (shoulder tightness), Jerry Manuel opted to pinch hit for Santana. Instead, he turned it over to Duaner Sanchez.

Paige took note of the intro of the AP game recap. One which is worth repeating:

When Jimmy Rollins saw New York reliever Duaner Sanchez come out to pitch the ninth inning instead of starter Johan Santana or closer Billy Wagner, he went straight to the batting tee to stay loose.

It didn’t matter that he was due up sixth and the Philadelphia Phillies trailed by three runs. He thought they had a chance.

The ever optimistic NL MVP was right.

You’d think by now some managers would learn. Especially when Wagner wasn’t around to close it out which meant Manuel was banking on Sanchez to come through in a different role. Instead, the setup man failed miserably giving up three straight base hits loading the bases forcing the interim skipper to pull him for second-year reliever Joe Smith. Smith closed games for the Single-A Cyclones a couple of years ago. Truthfully, it wasn’t his fault that Jose Reyes on a grounder missed the second base bag allowing a run to score and everyone to be safe. Still, he was out of the game replaced by lefty Pedro Feliciano. He’s been a fixture in seventh and eighth situations usually against lefties. Don’t believe me? Check the splits entering last night:

vs left .222

vs right .324

-Last night, the Clippers acquired center Marcus Camby from the Nuggets for a 2010 second round pick. Apparently, Denver decided to go in a different direction dealing away the 34 year-old shot blocking big man who led the NBA with 3.61 blocks-per-game last season. The former UMass star played six seasons with the Nuggets after coming over from the Knicks as part of the Antonio McDyess debacle. He also averaged 9.1 PPG and 13.1 boards logging a career high 34.9 minutes.

For the Clippers who lost their best player Elton Brand to the 76ers, it’s understandable why they made the move as it allows them to get a solid replacement and team the defensive oriented Camby with Chris Kaman and new point guard Baron Davis. They’re coming off a dismal 23-59 season- the worst in eight years. So, it was a no-brainer to upgrade the roster in hopes of doubling their win total and possibly making the playoffs in a very crowded West. Still, you wonder if a team with Davis, Camby and Kaman can seriously compete in the Spring.

Did they just do this as a quick fix or because they actually believe they can go far? I believe it’s choice A. Let’s face it. The Clippers have never been about winning. They’re always going to play second fiddle to the Lakers playing in the same area and arena. So, just being able to compete is good enough. If I were a Clips fan, I don’t think I’d be too excited. Sure. They improved. But how much? Perhaps they win a round. They’re not better than the Lakers, Spurs, Jazz or Hornets. And figure the Blazers to be much improved if Greg Oden comes back healthy. It will still be an uphill climb just to make the postseason.

As for the Nuggets, they get the option to swap second round picks in 2010 just so they can get a $10 million trade exception. Funny but didn’t the Knicks turn down a similar deal from the same team for waste of cap space Zach Randolph? So much for the problems at Team Dumb and Dumber Clown Mgt 101 going away with Lord Isiah out of the picture.

At the moment, the Nuggets still have electrifying scoring duo Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony. The question is is Rex Chapman looking to rip apart the team and start over? If so, then expect more moves to follow for a team that’s done nothing but disappoint in the first round. At least they’re admitting it’s not good enough. The Clippers apparently are satisfied if they reach that point. It could always be worse. They could be the Knicks.

-Nice pickup by the Hornets inking sharp shooter James Posey to a $25 million, four-year deal. He was an excellent role player off the championship Celtics and should fit in nicely giving Chris Paul another perimeter option. Something which was badly needed. The 31 year-old veteran forward has necessary championship experience winning two rings with Miami (2005-06) and of course Boston (2007-08). This is a smart move.

-If Hideki Matsui does need surgery on his knee, then the Yanks should be expected to step up their search for a slugging outfielder. Would they be interested in Matt Holliday or will the cost be too steep? Seattle’s Raul Ibanez has always been an overlooked player who wouldn’t cost as much. Another possible option which would be an upgrade for first and utility is Cleveland veteran Casey Blake. Blake can play first, third and outfield and is a decent bat. Let’s see how smart Brian Cashman is.

-With Moises Alou’s season pretty much done, figure the Mets also to be in the market for a slugging outfielder. Though it’s hard to justify doing much right now given how well they’re playing. Still, ex-Met Xavier Nady should be on their radar as will Ibanez and Holliday.

-Watching Dan Uggla try to field at second base was like watching a beginner. Heck. Little leaguers could’ve made those plays.

-Perhaps I’m a minority here but does anyone still care about Roger Clemens?

-Just once I’d like to see Alex Rodriguez (seen here) look like he’s enjoying himself. Have you ever seen a more uncomfortable superstar in any sport? It wouldn’t hurt to loosen up instead of looking a certain way as if everything he does has to be choreographed.

-Did anyone really buy that Brett Favre would call it quits after such a good season last year? The 38 year-old Mr. Packer goofed when he announced his retirement. Imagine a competitor like Favre saying goodbye after leading his team to a 13 wins and the NFC Title Game. And given how they lost with him tossing a costly Int which setup the Jay Feely’s winning kick at Lambeau, you had to figure he’d want another crack at it. Favre has no one to blame but himself.

-Could the NFL (No Fun League) make up their minds already about Ahmad Bradshaw?!?!?!?!?!

-A couple of weeks later and it finally set in just how special that Wimbledon final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer was. That will be hard to top for a very long time even if they do meet in other slams.

-Not many care here but international soccer star Ronaldhino transferring from Barcelona to AC Milan is a pretty huge deal in Europe. The 28 year-old Brazilian scoring forward went for 21 million euros or the equivalent of $33.5 million. Can you imagine a star athlete being sold for that much here? Only one comes to mind and that was The Babe from Boston to the Yankees and we all know how that went. Just tells you how different the world of soccer is. If you think there’s pressure on players and coaches here, try following the game of soccer where so much is riding on almost every game with intense media scrutiny. It really does dwarf anything which comes under a microscope here including the A-Rod day-to-day saga.

-Speaking of which, does any other Yankee fan feel like they’ll never win championship No.27 as long as No.13 wears Pinstripes? He’s too much of a distraction. They would’ve been better off letting him walk.

-Red Wings-Blackhawks from Wrigley in the next Winter Classic on New Year’s Day 2009 will be one you won’t want to miss. Especially if it’s anything like the first one between the Pens and Sabres. This is one of the best ideas the NHL has ever had and should continue becoming a tradition which is exactly what the league could use.

-It’s July 16 and Wilson Betemit of a .268 OBP still holds a major league roster spot on the Yankees.

The tale of two New York baseball teams is being told as we approach the final weekend before the superhyped final All-Star Game at legendary Yankee Stadium in the cathedral which will soon be replaced by a brand new state of the art ballpark across the street.

For one team at least, they can feel pretty darn good about themselves because the Mets have finally discovered that magic formula under interim manager Jerry Manuel reeling off seven in a row including last nite’s 2-1 squeaker over the visiting Rockies at Shea.

Oliver Perez was rock solid for a third consecutive outing permitting just a run despite walking six before giving way to a pen which wiggled out of a couple of bases loaded jams including Aaron Heilman getting the last two Rockies swinging in the seventh. Pedro Feliciano followed suit by escaping a similar jam in the eighth keeping the contest tied to set the stage for surprising veteran second baseman Damion Easley who provided the heroics with a solo shot in the bottom half to give his team another huge victory.

For once, Billy Wagner closed it out 1-2-3 getting the final out on a deep fly to Carlos Beltran which kept the Amazin’s red hot with a season high seventh win in a row to remain tied with the Marlins a game and a half out of first.

Meanwhile in the City of Brotherly Love, the Phillies cameback to beat the one under NL West-leading Diamondbacks 6-5 in 12 innings getting a crucial two-run eighth inning tying triple from gritty center fielder Shane Victorino and a walkoff Jayson Werth RBI base hit to win for the second straight time. Ryan Howard added his major league best 28th dinger.

While the Mets should feel good for closing the gap after trailing by as much as seven to the Phils, the Yankees have to be increasingly frustrated with their inconsistency.

Having looked like they were about to put something together by taking the last two against Boston and sweeping a two-game series from the suddenly slumping first place Rays (lost fifth straight last night), they followed it up by turning Paul Maholm into a Cy Young candidate scoring just two runs in a depressing 4-2 loss to the Pirates in a makeup game Thursday. After a Bobby Abreu two-run single tied it, Pirates’ All-Star center fielder Nate McLouth responded by hitting a gamebreaking two-run home run off normally reliable Jose Veras in the seventh.

It allowed the Pirates to take the series despite another good outing from veteran Mike Mussina (6 IP, 2 ER, 9 H, 5 K’s).

The problem for the Bronx Bombers is that the very next night, they had to deal with Toronto ace Roy Halladay, who brought his ‘A’ game to the table outpitching rookie Joba Chamberlain (6.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, HR, 9 K’s) while going the distance for his impressive major league-leading seventh complete game two-hitting them while walking one and fanning eight.

Only veteran infielders Alex Rodriguez (fourth inning single) and Derek Jeter (ninth inning ground rule double) got hits off Halladay leaving the Yankee captain singing the Toronto ace’s praises:

“He never throws a ball over the middle of the plate. If you face him four or five times a game, you might get one pitch over the plate. He goes from corner to corner as good as any pitcher in the game. He’s probably the best starter in baseball, I would think. I know I’m a little biased because we face him 10 times a year. He’s as consistent as anyone.”

Pretty hard to disagree with that assessment. It’s always been my belief that Halladay and Brandon Webb were the best pitchers in the game. Cue up the arguments.

Unfortunately for Jeter and the Yankee Pinstripes, they blew another golden opportunity to gain valuable ground on Tampa Bay, who lost again to the lowly Indians 5-0. It’s also worth noting that second place Boston also dropped a home game to the Orioles 7-3 remaining a game and a half out of first while the Yanks still trail by six and a half and seven in the loss column.

It’s vital for them to bounceback over the next two days before the break. However, that doesn’t seem likely with struggling fifth starter Darrell Rasner going against Jesse Litsch later today. If he does win, then the finale would see veteran southpaw Andy Pettite take on fireballer A.J. Burnett in a potential great match-up.

We’ll see if Joe Girardi’s ballclub can finish strong.

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.