-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

Copyright Getty Images

The Yankees needed extras to defeat the first place Rays 2-1 sweeping the brief two-game series at The Stadium this afternoon. Bobby Abreu’s one out walkoff double to the right center gap scored team captain Derek Jeter all the way from first giving the Bronx Bombers their fourth consecutive win pulling them seven over .500 at 49-42.

Most importantly, it allowed them to gain another valuable game on the majors’ best team, who fell for the third straight day allowing Boston (18-5 winners over the Twins) to pull within two games while the Pinstripes now trail by six and a half.

The Yanks couldn’t have asked for a better outing from righty veteran Sidney Ponson, who went the first six only permitting a tying solo shot to Tampa first base slugger Carlos Pena. With the game knotted, the Yankee pen did the job thanks to scoreless frames from Jose Veras and Kyle Farnsworth paving the way for closer Mariano Rivera to work the ninth and tenth striking out a season high four over two scoreless.

The Rays got a solid six and a third from Edwin Jackson allowing just an early run on a Jason Giambi RBI single which scored Jeter back in the first. He gave way to J.P. Howell, who was very tough not allowing a hit in two frames while fanning three.

With the game still tied entering the 10th, Grant Balfour who relieved Howell in the ninth getting Melky Cabrera swinging and catcher Jose Molina to groundout walked Jeter with one out setting the stage for Abreu to be the hero. The third-year Yankee right fielder had never had a walkoff hit since coming over to the Bronx from Philly but that changed when he drove a two strike offspeed pitch to deep right center allowing Jeter to round the bases without a relay throw.

A happy Abreu was then doused with Gatorade by Cabrera and buddy Robinson Cano before doing an interview with YES’ Kim Jones, who enjoyed the festivities.

It marked a big win for the Yanks who really needed to take both games against Tampa to have any chance of getting back in the hunt. Just remember, they don’t do it without Rivera, who somehow escaped a bases loaded no out jam against the Red Sox striking out a couple to help them take the final two of a four-game home series a few days back.

The durable 38 year-old veteran fireballer continues to defy logic by throwing the ball as well as ever stifling opponents while lowering his ERA to 1.06 in notching his fourth win. Counting today, Mo has now fanned 50 in 42.1 IP while permitting just 23 hits and walking only four including Cliff Floyd today.

His numbers are amazing. It’s all about location. So many batters just give up on that outside pitch taking it for a called strike three. Just ask Manny Ramirez who took three straight on the black. Rivera is just amazing and if the Pinstripes do comeback to qualify for yet another October, it will be largely because of how consistent No.42 has been.

Simply the best.

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 other day, I gave my view on the weekend Subway Series between what’s still a couple of mediocre New York teams which have disappointed until proven otherwise. Here’s another one on what’s taken place thus far with one game left later this afternoon:

-It’s hard to believe the Mets dropped the next couple after blowing the doors off the Yanks at the Stadium to sweep all three for the first time in the history of the series. They had the match-ups and momentum but that proved to mean zilch when somehow, they couldn’t solve Sidney Ponson allowing him to escape two bases loaded situations while a more desperate Bronx Bomber attack got to Pedro Martinez to win by an identical nine-run margin Friday night at Shea.

I like Pedro and always have. He’s easy to root for. Hopefully, he gets it together because when he decides it’s over, it will be a sad day. This is a great competitor who’s improvised despite injuries and has worked very hard to become one of the best pitchers this game’s seen over the last decade. I wish him the very best.

Now, for yesterday’s Yankee 3-2 win over Johan Santana with Andy Pettite outpitching the former Twins’ two-time AL Cy winner. Not that Pettite isn’t still a good starter. He has gotten it together after a dreadful first six weeks. He did what he needed giving his team a chance limiting the Amazin’s to two solo homers in six innings which also included a 79-minute rain delay.

Still, one would’ve expected Santana to rise to the occasion and shutdown the Bombers. Sure. He pitched well enough to win working six and K-ing eight looking flat out dominant at times. But the one frame where he lost the strike zone cost him two runs which the Yanks manufactured. And his balk of A-Rod to second allowed Robinson Cano to drive in the winning run. So there is some responsibility for why he’s now a .500 pitcher.

Not what the Mets are paying him for. This isn’t all on the likeable southpaw from Venezuela. It’s also on the talented Jose Reyes, who continues to baffle fans with his up and down play. Oh. The 25 year-old shortstop has turned his season around getting the average close to .300 and hitting for more power and stealing more bases. But sometimes, his lack of baseball instincts are alarming. How was it possible in a two-run game that he managed to get picked off second by Pettite with David Wright at the plate killing a potential two out rally?!?!?!?!?!

There’s just no way he should be going anywhere as WFAN radio man Howie Rose pointed out immediately when the inning ended. You have your most dangerous bat who had hit two Pettite pitches hard forcing Melky Cabrera to come up with a tough running catch near the track. You don’t go in that spot and take the bat out of Wright’s hands.

So, was it any shock that Wright ledoff the home sixth with a solo shot to cut the lead to one? Of course not. Instead of maybe tying or putting his team ahead, he made it 3-2.

From there, the Yankee pen of Jose Veras, Kyle Farnsworth (pitching bandaged up) and the impeccable Mariano Rivera closed the door to give the Pinstripes at worst a split of the four-game weekend series.

For the Mets, it proved costly as the Phils finally figured out how to win again for only the second time in 10 games beating the Rangers and gaining a game in the standings. They lead the Queens club by four (two in loss column).

Now, they’ll send out jekyll and hyde lefty Oliver Perez this afternoon trying to salvage the final game at Shea. That should be an advantage over Darrell Rasner if we’re going by paper. But these days, you can’t figure out much. Either Perez will be very good bouncing back from an abysmal outing that saw the lowly Mariners tattoo him or he’ll have a repeat performance and it will be a slugfest becoming a survival of the pens.

The Yanks meanwhile are seven over and need to keep winning just to not lose ground to Boston and Tampa, who almost never lose. They finally recalled promising relief prospect David Robertson. He was lighting up Triple-A Wilkes Barre/Scranton. We’ll see if he makes his major league debut later on.

-Like many, I didn’t realize how hurt Tiger Woods was in winning the U.S. Open this past Monday. Who knew how far golf’s best would go just to return to the golf course and partake in another major, winning a historic 14th? It’s hard to believe that he was able to play all 91 holes including the dramatic playoff sudden death where he edged buddy Rocco Mediate for a third U.S. Open. I’m not going to say I’m an avid golf fan or a big Tiger supporter after how he dissed the Stanley Cup. However, his performance was not only heroic but one of the most courageous things ever in sports. It’s true that golfers don’t take the physicality of say football, hockey or even basketball or baseball. But to think he’d return prematurely against doctors’ wishes when they said he needed to shut it down for three more weeks tells you all you need to know about Tiger’s competitive fire. When I first heard him explain after winning that he couldn’t give up with all the supporters watching, I thought it was just a typical phony answer. But that proved to be otherwise as it was discovered that he would need reconstructive ACL knee surgery and will miss the rest of the PGA season. Even more amazing is that according to ESPN’s SportsCenter, Woods’ walked over 21 miles on the greens just to complete his 14th major championship. When you have a bad knee like he did, that is far from easy. He said it would go down as one of his top two majors. I have to beg to differ. For me, it’s No.1 on the list. And he did it as a first time father too. A tip of the cap to the greatest golfer I’ve ever seen. Congrats to him and best wishes for a speedy recovery as he chases Jack Nicklaus.

-You know. Lost amidst all the deserved criticism Mets management is receiving for their awful mishandling of Willie Randolph’s firing is that they’re just four and a half behind the suddenly struggling Phillies for the division. And three in the loss column. Omar Minaya did come off like a puppet at that bizarre press conference explaining the ridiculous timing after one road game which was the final ‘W’ under Willie. But the move had to be made because the questions only would’ve lingered hanging over the players’ heads. The pressure’s off even if it’s on because they no longer have to worry about who’s managing them. Now they can just go out and play baseball under Jerry Manuel which is the best thing they’ve needed all season. As I’ve echoed before in this space, this under .500 ballclub after last night’s 7-1 loss in Colorado is perfectly capable of going on a run and overtaking the Phils for the NL East. They boast the better staff and have enough talented hitters in that lineup to compete with anyone. The choice is theirs.

-So much for the Yanks’ seven-game win streak, huh? How do you lose two at home to the hapless Reds? It’s getting more difficult to take them seriously. Especially if the Rays keep winning. Tell you something else. Derek Jeter better get it going soon. He and Robinson Cano haven’t produced. When Melky Cabrera has more homers than both, that’s not a good sign.

-Mike Mussina has really pitched unreal this season and deserves a spot on the AL All-Star squad at the Stadium. It’s amazing to think how well he’s pitching at age 39 when he looked all done last year.

-I still say that Jose Reyes can carry the Mets back in it. There are few players who can impact the game more.

-Novak Djokovic sure has a big mouth for someone who’s won one grand slam. He beat Roger Federer at less than 100 percent back in January. You don’t think the rating five-time Wimbledon champion wants revenge if they meet in another slam semi? Here’s hoping Roger kicks the Serbian’s ass.

-It’s finally okay to tell the Lakers to guard a wide open Celtic. Jack Nicholson would’ve put up a better fight in Game Six.

Photos Copyright Getty Images

Johnny Damon has been a high quality player for a while. The 34 year-old veteran leadoff hitter had himself a career record breaking day of sorts in the Yankees thrilling 12-11 come from behind victory over his former club the Royals Saturday afternoon in the Bronx.

In a game which saw veteran southpaw Andy Pettite give up a career worst 10 runs including a two out seventh inning grand slam off the bat of Jose Guillen, the Bronx Bombers still found a way to comeback despite some poor managing from first-year skipper Joe Girardi bailing him and the starter out. Why Pettite was still in against the Royals version of an outfield slugger was due to the lack of confidence in the Joba-less bullpen. He had already served up a two-run jack to Guillen back in the first. Pettite’s 111th pitch was crushed to deep left giving Kansas City a 10-6 lead.

But the Yankee bats didn’t cool off on a near record-breaking day of 90-plus degree June heat coming back with a pair in the home seventh off the big bat of Alex Rodriguez (ninth home run) and Damon, who made it five-for-five with a money two-run opposite field single scoring Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera to knot the game at 10 apiece.

Just when it seemed the Yanks had the game in their favor, the reliable Mariano Rivera gave up a first pitch solo homer to Royals left fielder David DeJesus putting them behind a run once again. However, he got the next three batters setting the stage for the fateful bottom of the ninth.

A couple of days earlier, Jason Giambi provided some fireworks with a walkoff right field upper deck blast to beat B.J. Ryan and the Blue Jays. This time, they were facing Kansas City closer Joakim Soria, who entered a perfect 13-for-13 with a 1.03 ERA. With one out, it didn’t matter as veteran starting catcher Jorge Posada took the 24 year-old yard into the short porch tying the game at 11.

The Yanks weren’t done mounting a two out rally to win in exciting fashion. After Wilson Betemit drew a walk, center fielder Melky Cabrera beat out an infield hit to put a runner in scoring position. When Soria fell behind 3-1 on Damon, you knew or at least I did anyway that he was going to win the game. The next pitch, he went down and got slicing it inside the right field line for the winning walkoff extra base hit propelling the Pinstripes to a topsy turvy 12-11 home win.

Six-for-six giving Damon a career day and also becoming the first Bomber to record six hits in a nine inning game. Not a bad day’s work at the office.

The winning hit picked up Rivera, who notched his second victory bringing the Yanks back to .500 (31-31). They still trail first place Boston by six and a half with the Rays a half game behing the Red Sox.

This was a good win for them but the lingering questions remain as to why Girardi stuck with an ineffective Pettite to pitch to a batter he’d already given a long ball up to late in the game. Was he that uncertain about Kyle Farnsworth? At that stage, you have to trust your late inning setup guy to record that key out.

All a product of Joba Chamberlain no longer being available out of the pen. Instead, the 22 year-0ld will try to improve on an ineffective first outing against Toronto later today when he opposes Royal ace Zach Greinke. The 24 year-old Greinke was once a high draft pick just like Joba who was force fed to the majors at a young age by Kansas City only to struggle back to the minors before the Royals patiently allowed the righthander to straighten out. Now, he’s pitching to capability with five wins and a 3.56 ERA.

The Yanks need every win they can get in a much tougher AL East. The question is how long will Chamberlain go? This experiment gets more tantalizing by the day.

-The Willie Randolph watch continues after the Mets fell to the Rockies 4-1 to drop two of three to a depleted Colorado club who placed NL MVP runner-up Matt Holliday on the DL before the game. Jose Reyes gaveth and taketh away literally. The enigmatic shortstop’s runscoring single had given John Maine a one-run lead. But his E6 of a potential inning-ending double play ball proved costly when a batter later, Seth Smith slugged his first career home run to put the Rockies ahead 3-1. Despite Colorado only getting three hits, Smith’s big one was plenty for starter Aaron Cook, who had the Amazin’s off balance all day going the distance tossing a four-hitter to win for the seventh time. His team has only 20 wins. So he’s accounted for 35 percent of them.

For the Mets, it ended a brutal week which saw them go 1-6 in Atlanta and Colorado after sweeping the A-Rod less Yanks last weekend. Now, they’ll fly home and Randolph will have his pow wow with Met management tomorrow before hosting the first place Marlins for a crucial three-game set at Shea with his team two under .500. Will Willie still be in the dugout? Who knows anymore? I guess we’ll have a better idea sometime on Memorial Day.

-The Yanks continued their winning ways rallying past the Mariners by scoring four in the eighth to pull out a 6-5 win making it five in a row and pulling them within four and a half of Boston, who again lost at Oakland. Following a Bobby Abreu RBI double, Hideki Matsui’s infield hit and Robinson Cano’s sac fly off Seattle closer J.J. Putz tied the game taking Chien-Ming Wang off the hook despite permitting five earned in six-plus. Backup catcher Jose Molina delivered the winning hit with an opposite field runscoring double which plated Matsui allowing the Bronx Bombers to sweep a bad Mariner team which is now a dismal 18-33. So much for contending. Closer Mariano Rivera got the M’s in order fanning a couple including Raul Ibanez swinging to notch career save No.455 (12th of season). Reliever Edwar Ramirez picked up his first win working one and two thirds scoreless and K-ing a couple to keep his perfect ERA.

Suddenly, the Pinstripes are back at .500 25 up and 25 down out of cellar half a game in front of Baltimore. They’re also no longer just looking up at Boston but rather the Rays, who won again and are 10 over .500 a half game better than the Red Sox in the AL East. Don’t look now but the Blue Jays have also reeled off four in a row and are four out. The Yanks sit five back which is much better than it could’ve been. Is the sudden turnaround due to Alex Rodriguez? The offense has been clicking much better since the rating AL MVP returned after the Met series. It makes a huge difference having that big righty bat in there relieving pressure off other teammates.

The Yanks will now take to the road for three in Camden beginning tomorrow afternoon.

-I wish I cared about this Stanley Cup between the Pens and Red Wings but I just can’t get into it. Not with the ridiculous overhype of Sid The Kid. I honestly tuned out of the All Pens Network last night and opted for the radio. I have decided I can’t deal with the insanity of network TV. It really is disgusting.

-Could these Laker-Spurs games be anymore competitive?!?!?!?!?!

-The French Open is here. So here are my picks:

Women’s champion: Jelena Jankovic def. Anna Chakvetadze to capture first slam

Men’s champion: Rafael Nadal def. Roger Federer again

-With the Mets being swept by the Braves last night, the pressure’s on for them to snap out of it this weekend in Denver against a struggling Rockie club which enters 11 games under .500 trailing Arizona by 10. A far cry from winning the NL pennant last October. Troy Tulowitizki is out two to three months with a torn tendon in his left quad. The shortstop who took the league by storm in his rookie season was off to an atrocious start hitting just .152 with a home run, 11 RBI’s while K-ing 17 times in 26 games. Most of Colorado’s problems have come away from Coors where they’re 8-16 as compared to 10-13 in the thin air. Unless they get it turned around soon, Clint Hurdle’s club will be out of contention.

-As for Willie Randolph’s club, losing four straight to the archrival Braves was stunning. They were outscored 27-9 and saw staff ace Johan Santana blow a 2-1 lead by giving up three in the seventh which allowed Atlanta to complete the four-game sweep at Turner Field. As usual, Chipper Jones was in the middle of it with a game-winning two strike opposite field hit. Mark Teixeira added insurance with a base hit to left center. In fact, the Braves pounded out 12 hits against the former Twin which were a career high. Just goes to show how things have been going for the Mets. They had taken two from the Yanks in an abbreviated series and were looking to ride that into Atlanta but instead got totally outplayed in all facets and now have lost six of eight entering tonight’s match-up between southpaw Oliver Perez and promising Colorado rookie Greg Reynolds. The Amazin’s are one under .500 trailing the surprising Marlins by four and a half. If they don’t snap out of it, their embattled manager could be replaced. Is it all his fault that this team doesn’t play consistent ball? Hardly. But it is the manager’s job to get the most out of his players. For whatever reason, that’s not happening. Instead, the September malaise of last year is hanging over them threatening to ruin their season.

-Meanwhile in the Bronx, the Yankees won their second straight to take a series from the Orioles. They pushed across the winning run on a two out walkoff Robinson Cano single which plated Hideki Matsui allowing them to outscore the Birds 10-1 over the last two days. Rookie Ian Kennedy finally pitched well working the first six permitting a run on four hits while walking and fanning four lowering his ERA to 7.27. Jose Veras, Kyle Farnsworth and Mariano Rivera each worked scoreless frames as the Pinstripes found a way to win after skipper Joe Girardi got his first ejection of the season for arguing a strike three call to Jason Giambi on a foul tip. Girardi showed plenty of fire tossing his hat twice and kicking dirt to protest plate umpire Chris Guccione’s ruling. A couple of batters later, his team responded by winning their second in a row for the first time in two and a half weeks. Maybe that kind of emotion was what the Pinstripes needed. Though it did earn Girardi the night off when they host the Mariners for three beginning tonight. Veteran southpaw Andy Pettite will be looking to win for the first time in over a month against Seattle’s Erik Bedard. The Yanks still trail red hot Boston by seven and a half. The Red Sox have won seven straight and show no signs of slowing down. So, the Bronx Bombers must get it in high gear or face the prospect of a double digit deficit by June.

-AL 3 for MVP:

A.Josh Hamilton, Rangers

B.Carlos Quentin, White Sox

C.Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox

-NL 3 for MVP:

A.Lance Berkman, Astros

B.Chipper Jones, Braves

C.Chase Utley, Phillies

No. This isn’t about Team Dumb and Dumber Clown Management 101 who predictably didn’t win the NBA lottery earlier tonight. 

At last check, the last place Yankees were getting trounced 10-0 by the Orioles at The Stadium. This on the heels of being humiliated by the Mets in which they were swept over an abbreviated weekend set by an aggregate total of 18-6 dropping them to four under .500 and six behind the first place Red Sox. It became six and a half last night when Jon Lester no-hit the Royals.

It only gets worse these days around the Pinstripes. Where the chaos of Hank Steinbrewhiner isn’t helping much. He can make all the vows he wants but just maybe this team isn’t good enough to see October. Yankee brass (Randy Levine) believed it would be good to make a change away from Joe Torre’s laid back style to the edgy persona of Joe Girardi, who looks in over his head. He doesn’t know how to handle the New York press and apparently isn’t putting out the right lineup these days.

Once again, Jason Giambi was hitting before Robinson Cano, who inexplicably continues to bat at the bottom third of the order. So what if Alex Rodriguez is back and apparently went yard to break up Daniel Cabrera’s shutout cause it’s really the only positive any Yankee fan could take with this disassembled bunch. Oh. The rating AL MVP’s big righty bat is a welcome sight to an offense which can’t score. If only that would resolve all the team problems.

It still isn’t known when switch-hitting All-Star backstop Jorge Posada will return. The Yanks need every bat these days cause this pitching staff isn’t scaring anyone. For once, Mike Mussina didn’t have it tonight lasting only 10 batters while retiring a couple and allowing seven runs of only one which was earned thanks to teammate Derek Jeter’s throwing error that opened the floodgates. Making matters worse, the Yankee captain left the game after getting plunked on the left hand.

Out of the O’s 10 runs, only two were earned with Johnny Damon misplaying a Luke Scott fly ball in the second leading to three more runs. When it all goes wrong, sloppy team D is common and even umpire’s errant calls such as the other night which negated a Carlos Delgado three-run home run don’t even matter. At least the Met first baseman wound up with an RBI hit in the 11-2 blowout of Chien-Ming Wang Sunday. That’s how brutal Girardi’s Yanks have been. What happened to playing a crisper brand of ball? What happened to executing and winning close games? And what happened to just having solid pitching which could shutdown an offense?

Oh wait. That never got addressed. It didn’t help that Phil Hughes was pitching hurt getting off to a miserable start before finally being DLed. Even that was a three-ring circus with Girardi not even able to properly communicate what was wrong. This guy is just way too sensitive and is proving the Florida reporters right. If he thought that was tough, he really shouldn’t have taken this job.

Ian Kennedy has struggled and remains winless with the Yanks hoping one of these days, the former first round pick out of USC will put it all together like he did when he came up. If he could just locate, it’s bound to turn around. Andy Pettite’s been a bust in his second season meaning that only Wang and Mussina were performing up to expectations. Toss in surprise recall Darrell Rasner who will get another big start tomorrow trying to put a halt to a four-game skid.

There’s also the bullpen which soon could be renamed the pigpen. Kyle Farnsworth had shown improvement until his implosion a few days ago in which he served up two homers to Met duo Jose Reyes and David Wright putting Saturday’s game out of reach. The problem is that even with Girardi using the hard thrower more, he’s already allowed six gopher balls. Or one more than Aaron Heilman. So how reliable is he?

Russ Ohlendorf is still a work in progress and LaTroy Hawkins is proving to be the latest Brian Cashman mi$take. Unless Edwar Ramirez becomes a solution, the Yanks only have the same 1-2 punch of Joba Chamblerlain and Mo Rivera to finish games which is why Steinwhiner’s idea of moving the Nebraska setup man to the rotation would be a colossal mistake making even more a mess of their pen.

I still want to know how Morgan Ensberg was signed while a younger and more versatile Andy Phillips was let go. How Ensberg is even still on a major league roster begs questioning. This is what the Yankees have become. Where misfits somehow wind up with jobs. What? Like Eric Duncan couldn’t be given a shot to sink or swim? The organization needs to get their heads out of their collective asses.

How is it getting any better? Unless the team snaps out of it, they’re in for a tough go because the AL East is no longer a joke. Not with the Rays much improved and the O’s showing signs of life. Even the Jays are coming around.

So, is it over? Hardly. After tonight, the Yanks will have completed 45 games meaning that there’s still 117 to go. They have been in this unenviable position before and comeback to make the postseason. Still, falling into the same early habits isn’t a good trend. One of these days, it’s going to comeback to haunt them.

Is this finally that year? Only time will tell. For now, this team is a mess headed on the road to nowhere.

There’s always plenty going on in the sports world. Especially at this busy time of year. So, what’s the latest? Let’s find out:

1.It’s not so much that they’re both struggling entering this weekend’s Subway Series but if either the Mets or Yankees get swept in the Bronx, it will only fuel the fire with their own fans and management who expect so much so early. It’s still a little easier to comprehend the Yanks’ early season struggles which has them two under after dropping three of four to the suddenly improved first place Rays. Anytime you lose your two biggest righty bats in Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada, it’s going to take its toll. Runs have been hard to come by for Joe Girardi’s club. We still can’t figure out why he bats Robinson Cano so low.

As for the one over Mets, how can they explain losing three of four to a team recently demoted starter Nelson Figueroa described as “dancing ballgirls?” Last week, we stated that anything less than five wins against a pair of cellar dwellers in Cincinnati and Washington would be disappointing. That Willie Randolph’s club managed just a 3-4 record is hard to fathom. Somehow with even Moises Alou back healthy and Carlos Beltran coming around, the Amazin’s have problems scoring runs. The latest lack of hustle from Jose Reyes using poor judgment to get doubled up at third in the eighth was mystifying. Even David Wright didn’t hustle a single into a double. Still, it didn’t explain getting shutdown by Jason Bergmann. So on a Kid’s Day where Mike Pelfrey took a no-no into the seventh before Aaron Boone broke it up, the Mets couldn’t hit a guy who had given up 16 earned, 20 hits and five homers in 12 and a third this season. Opponents came in batting .364. New York had just three hits and K’d nine times in seven innings before Manny Acta pulled his starter for a pinch hitter getting the only run his team needed to win. Simply Amazin’.

2.Where would the Mets be without Ryan Church? All the 29 year-old former Nats outfielder has done is lead the team in hitting (.310), home runs (8) and runs scored (29). While former Mets’ first round pick Lastings Milledge struggles to stay in Acta’s lineup as their everyday center fielder, Met fans are being taken to church literally by a player who shows up ready to play every game and always seems to be a tough out. It took a great diving snag by Willie Harris to prevent a Church double in the home ninth which likely would’ve led to the tying run. Did we mention Brian Schneider was also in this deal? It just might be Omar Minaya’s best deal. Does anyone miss Milledge now? How can a player who’s underperformed thus far be hot dogging it in the dugout with Elijah Dukes? Boggles the mind.

3.I’ll say it again. Hitting Cano in the bottom third is a detriment. The second baseman is finally snapping out of it. With four hits in a win yesterday and a hit earlier today, he’s up to .207 with only one way to go. Can someone please explain to me what Shelly Duncan has done to bat cleanup? Morgan Ensberg hit fifth against Scott Kazmir. How Ensberg is even on this roster remains an unsolved mystery. Maybe Robert Stack can host it for old-time’s sake.

4.Guess that minor stint with Wilkes Barre/Scranton didn’t do much for Ian Kennedy at the major league level.

5.Can anyone get out Lance Berkman? The 32 year-old slugging Astro first baseman has always been overshadowed by the other game’s stars. With a game-winning homer for his major league-leading 15th in a come from behind 8-7 win over the Giants, Berkman now has hit in 14 straight with seven dingers and 20 RBI’s. During that span, the Astros have won 11 of 14 hiking their record to 24-18 within a game and a half of the first place Cubs. Not bad for a club which looked to be headed nowhere following a poor start. So, the question is which NL star is having the best year? Berkman, Chipper Jones, Chase Utley or Hanley Ramirez? Tough choices.

6.Speaking of Ramirez, good for the Marlins getting the exciting 24 year-old shortstop signed to a reported six-year $70 million contract extension. One of the game’s brightest young stars, the five-tool talent combines great hitting with power and speed. After narrowly missing out by a homer of the 30/50 club a year ago, the undrafted free agent who Boston dealt as part of the Josh Beckett/Mike Lowell deal has continued to flourish hitting .327 with nine dingers, 13 stolen bases and 34 runs in all 40 games while leading the surprising Marlins to an NL East-leading 23-17 record. He’s now moved from leadoff to the No.3 hole supplying the ballclub with more power out of an RBI spot. It’s just nice to see Florida investing some money to keep a player with that much talent as opposed to selling them off like they’ve done in the past. About time!

7.Mike D’Antoni is a good coach but might not be the right move for Donnie Walsh and the Knicks who always seem to get these kind of vital decisions wrong no matter who’s running the Dumb and Dumber Clown Mgt 101 operation. This isn’t Phoenix and there’s no Steve Nash or Amare Stoudemire to save D’Antoni for the lingering questions about ‘D’efense. Unless the lottery tilts New York’s way, Derrick Rose ain’t coming either. What I want to know is how you get Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph to play in this up-tempo system.

8.Well, at least the Stars and Flyers weren’t swept out of the Conference Finals. Now, if just one of them can make their series worth watching by sneaking a road win in Game Five to get another home game and stir up more ‘33′ talk. I’m still not counting on it.

9.Have you ever seen a team bitch and moan as much as the Sidney Crosby Penguins when they lose a game?

10.I liked the ESPN piece where Celtic legend Bill Russell interviewed Kevin Garnett but the whole special music in the background like it was Field of Dreams which the 11-time NBA champion quoted was a little bit much. Talk to me when KG leads his team past the Pistons into the NBA Finals.

11.I don’t usually enjoy ESPN themed shows but E:60 is a decent watch with interesting stories that you don’t usually see covered. Thankfully, it’s got nothing to do with Eklund.

12.Justine Henin was a phenomenal tennis player who got the most of her small 5-5, 126 pound frame winning seven grand slams including an impressive four at Roland Garros with a three-peat (2005-07). She also won an Australian Open and two U.S. Opens including sweeping through the Williams sisters en route to her second win in NYC last year. The 25 year-old Belgian wasn’t always the most well received due to some of her antics on and off the court. However, she was a great competitor who worked hard to be a champion. Possessing one of the best one-hand backhands in the game, Henin was tremendous to watch. She always ran the court well getting to balls you thought she had no business getting to and doing something extraordinary with it. Her all court game included an underrated forehand which improved over time and a solid net game. Though she never quite won Wimbledon, the seven-time slam winner reached two finals falling a little short of her goal of completing a career grand slam. No matter as she had a brilliant Hall of Fame career. It will be sad to see such a gifted player leave the sport but that’s the kind of mental and physical toll such dedication in tennis which has essentially no offseason takes. Best wishes to her and congrats on a memorable career!

13.If the Spurs find a way to win at New Orleans on Monday, it will because of their tremendous wealth of experience. However, Chris Paul just continues to do special things on a basketball court which defy logic. The scary aspect is he’s just beginning.

14.Enough of SpyGate. No matter what comes out, it’s too late. When do they finally realize that?

15.Less than a week until Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull. Yeah. I’ll definitely be there no matter how old Harrison Ford is playing a kid’s character.

16.There needs to be more rappers such as Mos Def and Immortal Technique who aren’t afraid to tell it like it is about the real issues which too often are ignored in our country. Enough said!