You’re probably wondering why I haven’t written much about sports this week. Part of it is cause I’ve been way preoccupied running Battle of NY putting together plenty of Ranger entries with the tragic news of Alexei Cherepanov only making it that more urgent. Poor kid was only 19. What a terrible way to go. Only 19.

The fact is he should be alive no matter if he had a heart condition. The KHL (Continental Hockey League) is still liable for not having a   defibrillator in working order and the ambulance needing to be called back to the arena when this awful tragedy took place in the third period.

I feel terrible for his parents and family who have to live with the harsh fact that their son isn’t around anymore. I hope to God they get the world for this. It shouldn’t have ever come to this. Even if they do get all that money, nothing can replace their son and how special he might’ve been. Now we’ll never know just how good the former Ranger 2007 17th overall selection could’ve become.

I just wish he were still around. His spirit lives on and let’s hope an extremely valuable lesson was learned for the inaugural professional hockey league in Russia. But it sure comes at a very costly price. It was one of their own who was taken. It doesn’t get any worse.

I also feel very bad for Jaromir Jagr, who went back to play once more with Cherepanov and help prepare him for the NHL. The former Ranger superstar had informed the organization that he could play on the team’s second line already. The talented Russian was off to a great start having scored in his final game an eighth time with 13 points total in 15 games. It was following a shift on a near miss off a two-on-one with Jagr that he and his close teammate nearly twice his age joked about probably should’ve scored.

Then the worst happened and he passed out on the bench with Jagr pleading for him to wake up before six people carried him back to the locker room reviving him briefly before he was pronounced dead at the hospital. If everything had been functioning, he probably could’ve been saved. Instead, a life was taken from us way too soon.

Tragedies occur everyday. This one was inexcusable and should’ve been prevented. If only.

R.I.P. Alexei Cherepanov (1989 - 2008)

Aside from the sad doings with an entire hockey community still mourning, here’s a thought which I’m sure many here can agree with:

I’m sick of the Red Sox. Can’t they just go away already? Why couldn’t the Rays finish the job? They were only seven outs away from a five game series win and their first World Series when the unthinkable happened blowing a seven-run lead letting that gritty resilient championship bunch off the hook completely.

Suddenly, Big Papi remembered who he was and hit a huge two out home run and the rest of his teammates followed suit with J.D. Drew taking advantage of Evan Longoria’s throwing miscue to knock in the winning run forcing Game Six. Of course, it was started by probable AL MVP Dustin Pedroia who hadn’t hit much this October. You just can’t give that team an inch.

It’s like what WFAN’s Chris Carlin said on the Morning Warm Up quoting former Arizona Cards’ coach Dennis Green who had that infamous quote after his team gave away a game versus the Bears a few years ago:

“They are what we thought they were!”

Now, suddenly here are the Rays facing a similar crisis to the one the 2004 Yankees experienced when they had the worst collapse of all-time. Sure. It wouldn’t be as bad if they lose tonight’s Game Seven dropping the last three victimized the way Cleveland was a year ago.

However, the scenario would be similar due to having the Sox beat before totally imploding blowing a bigger lead with a pen which had been very reliable before manager Joe Maddon messed up not going to either lefty Trever Miller or J.P. Howell to face David Ortiz when it became apparent Grant Balfour had nothing suddenly opening the door.

Imagine you’re a young talented Tampa Bay team who’s been resilient all year having won when needed against Boston to remain in first and win your first AL East crown. Now, it’s suddenly all on the line the way it was for the Yankees and A-Rod battered by stunning defeats wondering if you’re about to blow it and be labeled chokers with another game in your own home building.

And you know there will be plenty of supporters for the enemy rooting for more history. Just like that unlikely scenario where Derek Lowe easily outpitched Kevin Brown, the Red Sox have the edge on the mound with Jon Lester facing Matt Garza in a Game Three rematch. Can Garza really get the better of Lester twice? It seems unlikely.

Some friendly advice for Longoria, the red hot B.J. Upton (4 homers in ALCS, AL tying record 7), Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena: Get the jump early and get your fans into it.

If they don’t, they’re probably doomed.

Full credit must go out to the Red Sox, who never seem to panic and are showing why they’ve won a couple of World Series the last four years. Still, at some point, their opponent has to show that they have heart to fight back too.

Hopefully, that’ll be tonight cause I’d really like to see two fresh teams decide this year’s World Series.

A Phillies-Rays series would serve that purpose and be very fun and exciting.

Week Seven is here in the NFL and here are our picks:

BILLS (4-1) over Chargers (3-3), 1 ET: The Bolts blew out the Pats but traveled cross country against a good rested Buffalo team. Trent Edwards returns and we think he helps make a difference.

Saints (3-3) over PANTHERS (4-2), 1 ET: Originally, we were tempted to go with Carolina after a dreadful showing at Tampa but are they really that much better than a Saint team which is finally clicking on all cylinders? This one should be tight late.

Vikings (3-3) over BEARS (3-3), 1 ET: Neither of these teams are anything special and don’t score many points. So, expect a very close game where perhaps the team that turns it over less and executes win. I’ll go with the best gamebreaker Adrian Peterson.

BENGALS (0-6) over Steelers (4-1), 1 ET: Pittsburgh is undoubtedly the better team but Cincinnati hasn’t been playing like a winless team and this is one of those dangerous rivalry games. Maybe the Bengals catch Big Ben and Pitt napping.

Titans (5-0) over CHIEFS (1-4), 1 ET: The NFL’s lone remaining unbeaten travels to Arrowhead fresh off a bye week against a brutal opponent. Unless Larry Johnson goes off against the league’s top rated D, it should be a long day in Kansas City.

DOLPHINS (2-3) over Ravens (2-3), 1 ET: Both these teams are coming off bad losses but at least Miami was competitive. Plus they lost in tough fashion. More than you can say for Baltimore who got smoked by the Colts. Both D’s are good and will keep it close but I just feel the home field and Chad Pennington are enough for the Finns to get back on track.

GIANTS (4-1) over 49ers (2-4), 1 ET: It’s awfully hard to see Eli and Co. having a second straight off week after how the Browns manhandled them on national TV. That had to be a wakeup call. This could be close without Antonio Pierce (iffy). Especially with one of the game’s better backs Frank Gore. But figure Big Blue to respond well before a very challenging stretch approaches.

Cowboys (4-2) over RAMS (1-4), 1 ET: Can anyone really see the ‘Boys losing a third in four to the lowly Rams on turf? They’ve already disappointed and might be without Tony Romo (pinky) but there’s still plenty of fire power to get by with T.O., newly acquired Roy Williams and Jason Witten. So why risk further injury to their starting QB?

TEXANS (1-4) over Lions (0-5), 4:05 ET: The Texans finally got their first win pulling one out over the Skins atoning for the prior week’s Sage Rosenfels’ collapse against Indy. Matt Schaub returned and the game’s most overlooked receiver Andre Johnson was heroic. The Post Matt Millen Lion Era has already tossed in the towel reloading by getting a nice return for Williams. The question is how many will they lose?

PACKERS (3-3) over Colts (3-2), 4:15 ET: This is easily one of the best games on the menu featuring Peyton Manning versus Aaron Rodgers with two teams’ fates still in question. Though they’re in a weak division, Green Bay kinda needs the game and I can see Greg Jennings and Donald Driver having big days.

Jets (3-2) over RAIDERS (1-4), 4:15 ET: Another game which Brett Favre and Gang Green must get before business picks up in the second half. With the Chiefs next, they really have no excuses. Why do I get the feeling this will be close?

Browns (2-3) over REDSKINS (4-2), 4:15 ET: MNF was a statement game for Derek Anderson and the Browns playing out of this world against the Giants saving their season. Sometimes, a game like that can give a team a huge boost and the way they played pounding the ball on the ground, passing it and playing physical D, it could carry over against another quality NFC East foe on the road. Kellen Winslow could also be back. The Skins are coming off a very tough loss to St. Louis and have much to prove. This could come down to a last second field goal.

BUCCANEERS (4-2) over Seahawks (1-4), 8:15 ET, NBC: Somehow, Jon Gruden has the Bucs playing a very good brand of football despite not having a star QB getting the most out of vets Brian Griese and Jeff Garcia. In his return to Tampa, Warrick Dunn’s been a nice addition on the ground giving Tampa a well balanced attack along with Ernest Graham. Right now, Seattle can’t seem to get out of its own way. There’s Matt Hasselbeck still but they’re unable to get much done. This is a trap game for Tampa Bay which they must not take lightly.

PATRIOTS (3-2) over Broncos (4-2), 8:30 ET, ESPN MNF: Knowing history with Mike Shanahan versus Bill Belichick, all signs point to Denver who boasts one of the league’s premier offenses led by gunslinger Jay Cutler featuring weapons Brandon Marshall and rookie Eddie Royal. With Matt Cassel struggling last week, the Pats were blown out by the Chargers and are reeling. So, why are we picking them? Just a hunch that the Denver D helps New England out of their funk. Maybe I’m nuts but it’s hard to go against Belichick in this spot even with everything lining up against him.

-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 Mets rebounded with a 6-3 win over the Phillies thanks to Jose Reyes game breaking three-run homer in the home sixth off reliever Ryan Madson grabbing a share of the division lead with the rubber match this afternoon on Kids Day with Oliver Perez opposing Jamie Moyer. Twice, the Phils rallied from early deficits against John Maine, getting back-to-back homers from Shane Victorino and Geoff Jenkins plus a Jimmy Rollins RBI double. Maine settled down to go seven permitting just the three runs on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts for his ninth victory- first since June 25 versus Seattle.
The Mets got a lift from closer Billy Wagner, who returned from a stiff shoulder after a night off retiring his former team in order for his 25th save in 31 chances. Met fans who might get a little nervous when he takes the mound for the ninth, please not what tonight’s hero Reyes said of the veteran:

“He makes it easy.”

As for Billy The Kid, he was happy to get back out there despite some aching:

“Of course you feel it, but I was able to stick with it. If I can compete, I’ll be out there. The training crew, they deserve a lot of this credit. They were fantastic. They deserve a lot of the credit just to get me out there.”

Nice to see the chatty lefty who’s closed out 383 games pay due respect to the trainers as they play a key role in any locker room.

If the Amazin’s can get today’s game which starts a little after 12, that will be four consecutive series from their nemesis. It should be fun to see what happens.

-Props to second baseman Damion Easley, who at age 39 continues to defy logic by hitting the ball well. In fact, as WFAN talkie Steve Somers pointed out during an interview, “You had to set a record with those three infield hits for oldest player.”

The Schmoozer has to be right. How in the world are the Mets a better team with Luis Castillo, who’s here another four years as DL fodder? Plus rookie Argenis Reyes has been a solid defensive backup who boasts much better range.
-Down in South Florida, the Marlins were routed by Atlanta 9-4 preventing a three-way first place tie. Gregor Blanco and Yunel Escobar each drove in three runs and Tim Hudson tossed six shutout frames striking out a batter per inning before leaving with an injury. Chipper Jones also left early due to a left hamstring strain. The veteran third baseman was 0-for-2 with an RBI but is still pacing the Senior Circuit with a .369 average. Remarkable.

-C.C. Sabathia continues to dominate for Milwaukee this time going the distance in a 3-0 blanking of St. Louis to pull the wild card-leading Brew Crew two games ahead of the Cards. J.J. Hardy and Ryan Braun hit solo shots and the former Cleveland southpaw who won the AL Cy last year three-hit St. Louis walking a pair while K-ing seven. He tossed 106 pitches with 71 going for strikes. In four starts since switching leagues, he’s a perfect 4-0 with a 1.36 ERA completing three games and even hitting a home run. Is there anyone who still believes this wasn’t the right move for the Brewers even though they parted with a package which included top prospect Matt Laporta???

-Matt Holliday drove in a pair as the Rockies defeated the Dodgers 5-3 for their sixth win in seven making much traveled veteran southpaw Glendon Rusch a winner for the fourth time this season. I didn’t even know he still pitched. Brian Fuentes closed it out for save No.17 as Colorado improved to 45-58 which is now good enough to trail first place Arizona (50-51), who fell at home to the Cubs 10-6 by six games. The Dodgers meanwhile at three under (49-52) remained a game out. What a division. Who thinks I’m still crazy for believing the Rockies will comeback to take it?!?!?!?!?!?!

-The Red Sox got three runs in the 12th highlighted by a two-run Mike Lowell single in a 6-3 triumph over hapless Seattle sweeping the series to remain three up on the Yankees for the AL wild card. In a big series, Boston now gets a day off to travel back East to Fenway where they’ll host those red hot Yanks for three beginning tomorrow.

-Don’t look now but the Brewers have won seven in a row and sit just a game in back of the Cubs for the NL’s best record.

-Man. I don’t know about you but what the heck did the Hawks do so wrong after taking the eventual NBA champion Celtics seven to watch valuable sixth man Josh Childress leave for Greece?

-Final thought. Who decided that Wendy Williams should become a TV host? Just saying.

-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

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.

I only have one thought crawling around my head as I get ready to head out to cover a more fun brand of baseball between the Staten Island Yankees and Hudson Valley Renegades. It’s this:

-Why whenever the Mets beat up on the Yankees does a professional broadcaster such as Howie Rose turn into such a complete homer? Suddenly, a man who’s one of the most respected play-by-play men in the business feels the need to exceed in his calls making silly references to how “most Yankee fans have left” when their team is down by seven runs in the eighth at The Stadium. Well, duh Howie! Let’s not be too obvious about how important it is for the Amazin’s to beat up on the Yanks’ Double-A pitching version in Game One of an overhyped Subway Series between two overrated teams. Heck. I bet if I put together a team of high school All-Stars, they could’ve batted around against what the Yanks sent out there for the first game in the Bronx.

Has anyone even seen the pitching match-ups for this dreaded series? Tonight when it shifts to Shea for the rest of the weekend, the Yanks send out veteran scrub Sidney Ponson for his second tour of duty against Pedro Martinez. That’s about as fair a fight as Mike Tyson in his prime against Michael Spinks.

Don’t try telling Mike Lupica, who always takes cheapshots at the Yanks whenever he can while pushing Mets propaganda in the Daily News whenever possible even if they’re the bigger embarrassment in this town. He probably still thinks the Yankees play in the weaker division when at last check the Rays were for real and even the Orioles are playing a respectable brand of ball having taken a couple from the Cubs at Wrigley when nobody had beaten the majors’ best team there in a while.

Let’s be real. Before the WFAN Mets homers wave their pom poms if their team does what it should this weekend with very favorable match-ups, the only reason they’re in the hunt is because their division is mediocre. The Phillies have comeback to earth and the Marlins are remembering who they are. On paper, you’d still have to say the team in Queens should wind up winning the NL Least.

Heck. If you went and looked at what’s happened to the senior circuit since Interleague, only two teams boast great records and they both reside in the NL Central which happens to also be the best division in the league with the Cubs, wild card leading Cardinals and Brewers all playing well. Even the Pirates have improved but don’t tell Lupica that they entered Friday only a game and a half worse than the NL’s highest payroll.

It doesn’t count. Only the BIG BAD Yankees do when they lose to much cheaper teams which have more chemistry and better pitching without three of their starters hurt. See. Facts sometimes elude this columnist who continues to write the same recycled columns.

But again, what would you expect? This town has officially become a circus. While there’s a much more glorious event going on over in London at the All England Club with Wimbledon, the New York papers continues to obsess and overanalyze every move in what basically is a meaningless series. Will it mean much in late August and early September? We already know the answer.

But the way Rose and Lupica act regarding these games is like some sort of holy war. This is exactly what the late great George Carlin- the best comedian ever- was talking about when it comes to this country. The press have lost their minds.

Oh. The Yanks and Mets do play in New York where everything is heavily scrutinized. But they’re about as much rivals as the Giants and Jets. Unless these teams start fulfilling lofty expectation$ and meet in the World Series daily, there’s not much of a rivalry to speak of no matter what propaganda the talkies on WFAN feed you.

The one time they met for all the marbles, the Pinstripes were the superior team winning their last World Series.

You want old fashioned rivalries? You have to go back to the 50’s with the Dodgers and Giants occupying Ebbets Field and The Polo Grounds.

Maybe one day, the papers will come to this realization because our ballclubs are flawed and not that good.

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 Wikimedia Commons 

This is mostly a blog about sports with some music sprinkled in. However, there are sometimes big events which can’t go unnoticed. Such was the case Friday when we heard the shocking news about Tim Russert announced by WFAN’s own Mike Francesa.

The Buffalo native was only 58 when he suffered a massive heart attack tragically passing away to the shock of many doing what he loved. Russert was doing a taping in the nation’s capital for NBC when he was stricken. Unfortunately, it was too late for paramedics to save him.

This was a very important person who had an excellent reputation as a political news reporter hosting NBC’s popular Meet The Press since 1991. I’m not going to say I knew Russert well but watched and listened to the man enough to gauge that he was very genuine and had a passion like few others in the TV industry. I frequently remember him appearing on Imus In The Morning before their falling out last year involving the Rutgers women’s basketball team.

His style of reporting was fun and frequently put political candidates on the spot during his shows. His style was kind of like a trial lawyer where he’d ask tough questions because at one time, he was on. The man also had a good sense of humor spelling out in magic marker on a board, “Florida, Florida, Florida,” about the controversial 2000 Presidential Election. He also nailed what 2004 came to by accurately mentioning Ohio in similar fashion.

Watching former colleague Tom Brokaw break the news and then be interviewed on the NBC News at 6 here in New York, it was quite obvious how heartbroken he was.

As I sat here watching Brokaw speak so highly about Russert, I just thought about how brave it really was. How many could really be put on the spot like that and eulogize a close friend with cameras rolling? At one point, the NBC veteran who used to anchor the NBC news got too emotional and was basically reduced to tears.

This was really hard to watch which might be why like so many, I was touched. The slight heavyset man with the bright smile was gone and way too soon. He had built his career by working on a couple of Democratic campaigns including former New York Governor Mario Cuomo some 26 years prior before eventually leaving politics to join NBC News where he eventually became the Washington Bureau Chief in 1988.

Russert became a recognizable face to so many households who appreciated his honest approach. He never acted like a Democrat doing his job the right way without any bias setting a proper example.

Both this year’s Presidential candidates each paid tribute to him Friday as did many others:

Sen. John McCain said “Tim Russert was at the top of his profession. He was a man of honesty and integrity. He was hard, but he was always fair.”^[33] Sen. Barack Obama said: “I’ve known Tim Russert since I first spoke to the convention in 2004. He was somebody who over time I came to consider not only a journalist but a friend. There wasn’t a better interviewer in television nor a more thoughtful analyst of our politics, and he was also one of the finest men I knew.“^[33]

Not only was he an accomplished reporter but also went on to pen a few books including a best selling autobiography a few years ago entitled, “Big Russ and Me” about growing up in an Irish-oriented neighborhood in the Southern part of Buffalo.

Russert also bled for his two hometown sports teams the Bills and Sabres. He would’ve given anything especially to see the Bills win a Super Bowl. The man was a good sports fan who also liked the Yankees before becoming a Nationals fan and also liked the Wizards.

No matter the topic, the personable kid from Buffalo who was married to Maureen Orth and celebrated his son Luke’s college graduation from Boston College with a trip to Italy would always chime in giving his views.

He will be sorely missed by all.

R.I.P. Tim Russert (1950-2008)

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?

Normally, I list a whole bunch of random stuff floating around my brain. But being that it’s kind of late here in Shaolin, NYC and I need some rest, I did have this one random musing which I felt like issuing:

-This isn’t something I feel totally comfortable saying but it must be stated anyway. This blog represents a lot of things. I’ll never beat around the bush on any issue. I’m always game for pretty much anything. Especially revolving around sports. Lately, the Mets have been getting plenty of press both negative and positive for finally responding to management backing Willie Randolph. They had reeled off three in a row including a fascinating extra inning comeback win over the Marlins which was reminiscent of 2006. Then David Wright bashed the ball jacking a couple out off favorite Met target Brad Penny. They finally were back to .500 and starting to play the kind of winning baseball most had expected. Then came last night where resurgent reliever Aaron Heilman imploded. Given a one-run lead to protect, he permitted four straight hits allowing the Dodgers to score five in the eighth on their way to a 9-5 win evening the four-game series headed into the weekend. As usual, the customary boos were back at Shea from disgruntled fans who expect their team to win every game. Since when is that even plausible?!?!?!?!?! Let’s face it. New York sports fans are spoiled rotten. When our teams don’t perform on a given night, the majority of us including yours truly act like it’s the end of the world. When did it become this way? I don’t know. But it just seems common these days to have a sky is falling mentality. I’ll readily admit to bashing the Rangers even writing them off last February when they looked deader than Hillary Clinton’s Presidential campaign. Then they played to capability finishing fifth in the East and derailing the rival Devils in five before losing in identical fashion to the Pens the next round. As someone who’s been very critical of the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants and of recent Yankee teams which got off to miserable starts only to make October again, I have developed a more patient approach. These days, I’m not so caught up in how many games the Yanks are trailing Boston by or the wildcard. Baseball is an extremely long season and there’s still over 100 games to go. It just seems to me that our town has become lame. You read the papers and nerds like Kevin Kernan are psychoanalyzing everything like it really matters. Oh really?!?!?!?!?! Last I checked it was May 31st with four entire months left in the season. Does winning games now help teams down the road? Absolutely. It’s one less win they’ll need down the stretch. However, it’s far from life and death the way people in this town have made it become. Listening to the WFAN airwaves has become tedious. How many more recycled debates could they have? It’s just dull. How about covering other sports? The NBA Finals should be darn good and the Stanley Cup even if Sidney Crosby’s mug makes me want to vomit is at least watchable with the Pens trying to square their series tonight against the very gifted Red Wings. I just am fed up with how we handle stuff. There’s so much more out there. It truly is the best city in the world. My advice to those using bags to breath in and out on their beloved teams is get some air and suck it in. Live a little! It will pay off in the end.