Johan Santana gets 'trashed' at practice

The New York Mets season hasn't even started and the team's ace, Johan Santana, may already be preparing fans for the dumps.

Santana joked around with photographers yesterday by putting a big gray garbage can over his head during an idle moment at practice.

Call it garbage time in Port St. Lucie.

Maybe the left-hander should have been wearing one of those blue recycling bags since Santana— who missed all of last season while recovering from shoulder surgery— faced hitters Thursday for the first time since tossing four innings in an Instructional League game on Sept. 30

"I felt pretty good," Santana said after the outing. "I was able to throw for the first time having batters standing up at the plate and swing the bat.  It was pretty good."

Santana threw 43 pitched during two stints Thursday, resting in between. 

He is expected to throw a light bullpen session today and have a long-toss before starting s split-squad game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

If Santana's arm doesn't gain full strength by the season opener, expect to see a lot of Mets fans sporting garbage cans over their heads this season.

Meet the Meh'ts?

Ex-Met Lenny Dykstra granted permission to attend Gary Carter's funeral

Former New York Mets star Lenny Dykstra will be permitted to attend the funeral of teammate Gary Carter after he "begged" a judge to let him go.

The disgraced and broke Dykstra, who is under house arrest in Los Angeles on allegations of bankruptcy fraud and embezzlement, filed papers with a judge earlier this week in an attempt to attend Carter's funeral, according to TMZ.com.

The judge allowed Dykstra's request to cross state lines to attend the memorial service in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. at 7 p.m. on Friday night.

Carter died last Thursday after a long battle with brain cancer.  He was 57.

Nicknamed "Nails" because of his tough style of play, Dykstra played alongside Carter on the Mets from 1985-89.  The were integral parts of the Mets during that charismatic team's miraculous '86 World Championship title run.

 It was Carter's two-out single in the 10th inning of Game 6 of the World Series against the Boston Red Sox that ignited a rally and forced a Game 7.

Dykstra is out on bail for charges he sold or destroyed items under jurisdiction of bankruptcy court.

In addition to Dykstra, some of Carter's former Mets teammates expected to attend the funeral are: Keith Hernandez, Wally Backman, Howard Johnson, Roger McDowell, Darryl Strawberry, Sid Fernandez and Bob Ojeda.

Jose Reyes: Mets "Didn't Want Me"

The courtship for Jose Reyes by the Miami Marlins began at one minute past midnight on Nov. 3 and was finalized Sunday with a six-year $106 million contract because of the New York Mets feeble effort to sign their four-time All-Star shortstop.

"They didn't make me an offer," said Reyes decked out in a new Marlins jersey at a press conference  in Miami this afternoon.  "They didn't want me."

 Reyes, who was being introduced as the new Miami shortstop, said he was happy to be going to Miami and playing for the Mets' division rival.

"They showed me that they really want me there," said Reyes.  "They really pushed for me."

"I'm part of a new family now," said the ex-Met.  "I love the city.  I love the stadium."

The Marlins didn't wait long to start wooing their new prize after he became open game. 

Reyes' agent Peter Greenberg said that at that 12:01 moment inside the Carlisle Hotel bar in Manhattan,  Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria met with Reyes, opened his trench coat like a subway flasher and revealed a Marlins jersey with Reyes' name on the back.

A couple of days later, Reyes was down in Miami to check out the new stadium.

"They showed me they really wanted me," laughed Reyes.  "People say these guys are crazy...12:01?  That's why I'm here today."

Miami jumped at the chance to "sweep him off his feet" according to Greenberg.

Reyes wouldn't elaborate on the Mets reluctance to resign him but their intentions were pretty clear after they didn't swap him before the trade deadline and made a five-year offer lower than Miami's.

"I have to move on," said Reyes about the only major league team he has ever played for.

Reyes thanked the Mets and their fans for "giving me the chance to play in the big leagues."

"[Mets fans] showed me a lot of love, and the support me in good times and bad," he said.

Now, it's on to a team with a new name, sunny weather and "a lot of Spanish people there," he beamed.  "It's the perfect situation in Miami... I think I'm going to like it there."

Worst Prank Ever Played On Freed New York Mets Fan

A 27 year-old New York man, who was released yesterday from an Egyptian prison after being locked up and isolated for five months on dubious charges, was greeted by his mother and the false news that the New York Mets had won the 2011 World Series.

Queens native Ilan Grapel was flanked by his mom and Rep. Gary Ackerman on his first day of freedom since June 12 when he was pranked, according to the New York Post.

Grapel—a huge Mets fan—was locked up when the Mets won-lost record was 32-33 and still had a shot at making the championship series.  Alas, Grapel—an experienced Mets fan—figured out right away that the team had flopped once again and he was just being punked.

Mets fans are used to be tortured every year but, come on, this guy just got out of an Egyptian jail.  Telling him the bumbling Mets are world champions?  Now that's cruel and unusual punishment.

Grapel was expected to fly home to Queens today from Israel—where he celebrated his release at a press conference with his mom and Ackerman.  He thanked everyone who helped free him.

"There's so many people to thank," he said.  "And after being cut off for the past five months..."

Ackerman interrupted, "We told him the Mets won the World Series."

Grapel just smiled when he was told about every Mets fan's fantasy, but realized his favorite team was out of the running long ago—again.

Ackerman, a Mets fan himself, helped the U.S. broker the deal that swapped 25 imprisoned Egyptians for Grapel.

Grapel, a law student, is scheduled to fly home today after a hero's welcome in Israel.

Maybe the Mets will let Grapel throw out a first pitch one day.

Mookie And Buckner Auctioning Off WS Dinner Date Together

In what could be considered one of the most awkward dinner parties in history, fans will get a chance to bid for a chance to break bread and watch a World Series game with Mookie Wilson and Bill Buckner-- 25 years after the former New York Met's ground ball rolled through the legs of the self-exiled Boston Red Sox first baseman.

Buckner's improbable error of Wilson's 10th-inning dribbler down the first base line in the 1986 Fall Classic led to a Mets comeback victory and eventual world title.  The moment will forever link the two players in baseball lore.

Hopefully, Buckner cuts his food into little pieces so he doesn't...  too easy.

The auction begins today for the Oct. 24 dinner at Mickey Mantle's restaurant in Manhattan with an opening bid of $5,000.

Buckner's legendary fail helped the Mets win the World Championship and sent the Boston star into hiding.  It took the Red Sox another 18 years before they exorcised the "Curse of the Bambino" by finally winning a championship in 2004 after a long drought.

Over the years, the moment has been broken down in too many articles and documentaries to forget.

Buckner, 61, the one-time pariah has put the monumental error behind him and has now turned a lemon into lemonade.

He appears at card shows with Wilson, 55, and even poked fun at himself in an episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" by catching a baby dropped from a burning building.

Championships by the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007 have also helped damper the pain for the once championship-starved Sox fans who shunned Buckner.

The top bidder can invite three guests to sit down and rehash the infamous moment.

It will be interesting to see if a Mets or Sox fan makes the largest bid for the meal.  There are a lot of questions to be plated.

For Mets fans, it''ll be an opportunity to stuff their faces with one of the brightest moments in their history and help erase memories of the last few dismal seasons.

Meanwhile, Red Sox fans, who just went through one of the great season-ending collapses, might not want any more leftover scraps of misery on their plates.

Bidding on the Dinner for Mucks runs through Oct. 19.  The sitdown is scheduled for the eve of Oct. 25-- the 25th anniversary of the 1986 game.

Even if the final bid for this dinner ends up skyrocketing, it'll pale to the cost of the actual ball hit by Wilson.  The ball's owner is asking $1 million at an auction set to end at the exact moment-- 25 years ago-- when Buckner bungled the routine play.

Let the Heimlich Maneuver jokes begin and pass the Tums.

Reyes Pulled After Getting Hit To Preserve Batting Title Chances

Jose Reyes celebrated a lead-off bunt-single in the first inning-- lifting his batting average to a National League-leading .337  (technically, almost three points higher than Milwaukee's Ryan Braun's .335) in the New York Mets season finale this afternoon-- before Mets manager Terry Collins promptly removed his shortstop for a pinch-runner.

When Collins pulled Reyes, the home-crowd cheers at CitiField broke out into resounding boos.

While the manager's move almost guarantees Reyes the batting title, it didn't evoke any memories of Ted Williams's dignified pursuit of .400 when the Red Sox legend finished playing both games of a double-header after he already reached the milestone on the final day of the season 70 years ago.

Collins had hinted that he would lift his shortstop once Reyes had a higher average than his competition, but the move disappointed a lot of the fans who came to see their free-agent-to-be do it more legitimately.

Get the asterisks ready.

In what could be Reye's last at-bat in a Mets uniform, it was kind of an anti-climatic end to the player's amazing season and who was possibly the lone bright spot during the team's dismal year. 

Reyes admitted last week that he was striving to become the first Mets player to win a batting title and was routinely reminded about it.

He said he was being overwhelmed with text messages telling him what Braun did and what Braun was doing.

Braun must now go 3-for-4 in Wednesday night's game vs. Pittsburgh to pass Reyes for the title.

If Braun goes 3-for-4 and has another at-bat, do you think he'll be pulled from the game?

Phillie Phanatic Goes Ape Over Dugout

After clinching the NL East this weekend,  Phillies fans had a lot to cheer about but why, why in the name of Mr. Met, would the Phillie Phanatic get up on the dugout and do the monkey with half-a-dozen people in chimpanzee costumes?

The bizarre scene took place last night during a game at Citizens Bank Park against the St. Louis Cardinals when the furry green mascot was joined over the Philles' dugout by the phoney primates.

Not being a big fan of mascots-- I did find this kind of funny.  You really can't go wrong with monkeys on TV anytime.

The big-headed apes didn't push any environmental issues like the Stanford Tree, a monkey movie and they aren't as scary--or peculiar--  as the 2012 London Olympic mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville.  Are those things remote controls or what?

Last night's dance line didn't do anything to help the Phillies though.  They were blanked by the Cards, 5-0.

The New York Mets mascot can only pine for the day when he is joined in a conga line within his lonely stadium.

Maybe Mr. Met can do the Dougie with the packs of wild dogs which reportedly roam outside CitiField.

Yankees' Staten Island Farm Team Wins Title, Then Gets Sold

The New York Yankees are selling their Staten Island farm team just days after it won the N.Y.-Penn League championship.  It was the team's second title in three years.

The asking price for the team is $8.3 million-- about the price of Derek Jeter's Florida home give-or-take a couple of the mansion's nine bathrooms.

The Staten Island Yankees won the championship on Tuesday night.

According to a report in the New York Post, the Yankees and their partner, Mandalay Baseball, expect the sale of the farm team to be approved and sold by the end of the month.

The Steinbrenner Foundation, set up by Yankees former owner, George Steinbrenner, will keep a small piece of the franchise, which moved to Staten Island from upstate Oneonta in 1999.

The team-- which plays in Richmond County Bank Ballpark just a short walk from the Staten Island ferry--  has reportedly had trouble drawing the crowds its rival the Brooklyn Cyclones draws in Coney Island.

The Cyclones are owned by the New York Mets and have been drawing sold-out crowds regularly.

The buyer of the Staten Island Yankees was not identified, but it has been reported on-line that a hedge-fund manager is putting up the cash for the team.

According to the Post, Mandalay and the Yankees are getting together to purchase the Yankees Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre farm team for $14.6 million.

The Steinbrenner Foundation will also own a piece of the Scranton team too.

Scranton is usually the final stop before making the bigs.  Manny Banuelos, the 20 year-old phenom, is currently playing there.

New York Mets Fans Terrorized By New York Mutts At Citi Field

There are reports that the sidewalks surrounding Citi Field are becoming home to an increasing number of intimidating stray dogs.  Let the comparisons to the New York Mets begin-- except for the intimidating part.

Meet the Mutts.  The Dog Days of Summer.  The Mets are playing like dogs.  It's all funny until you know that the stray packs of junkyard dogs are more than a scary sight and just prowling -- they have reportedly attacked some fans.

According to the New York Post, the sidewalks around the home field of the Mets are going to the dogs.

"They came at me like a locomotive," Elaine Freerick told the Post about her encounter with a pit bull-shepherd mixed breed.  "That looked like a wolf."

"My friend, who is terrified of dogs, ran faster than I've ever seen her run before," said Freerick.  "I stood there and the pit bull rammed into me like a battering ram-- amazingly, I did not go down."

The dogs apparently wander over from the Willet's Point area of Queens.  The acres of auto body shops and junkyards are a no-man's land filled dirt roads, filth and unattended guard dogs-- many who wander off looking for food and shelter.  The area could double for the apocalyptic scenes from the "Mad Max" films.

These aren't the healthy happy pups fans see at Mets promotions like "Bark in the Park" where dog-owners are encouraged to enjoy the game from special seats with their pets.

These are free-running junkyard canines with little human contact.  The little they've had couldn't have been loving.

"The police and the security guards told me this happens all the time," said Freerick, who was not injured.  "What if I had been a child or elderly person?" she said.  " I can't believe the Mets would allow this kind of behavior."

A Mets spokes person told the Post that it has been made aware of the dog problem.

We have reached out to the appropriate agencies to address the matter.

This isn't the first controversy regarding dogs at Citi Field.  Earlier this season about 5,000 people signed a petition to stop the abuse of Coffee the dog.

Coffee, a toothless mixed breed was seen at every home game wearing a Mets cap with a pipe in his mouth with a sign begging for cash around his neck.

The "Stop Abusing Coffee" signers claimed the poor dog was left out in the baking sun without water or food while his owner collected easy money.

The sight of Coffee panting and drooling caused the group to take action.

Maybe the junkyard dogs are taking action themselves?

Guards claim the wild dogs are always around and are part of the environment.

"I see them running around.  I don't think they bother anybody," a guard told the Post.  "They seem to be peaceful, just living their own life.  We keep them out of the stadium."

Mets fans might disagree with part of that statement.  They probably think the struggling Mets team already puts nine mutts on the field at every game.

Islanders TV Slug-Fest Cancelled: Fans Could Have Gone To Mets Hug-Fest Instead

Pressure from the NHL and a backlash from "purist" hockey fans has caused the MSG Network to scrap plans for the rebroadcast of a brawl-filled New York Islanders-Pittsburgh Penguins game at a "viewing party."  The infamous Feb. 11 contest was filled with fight after fight after fight.  Both teams combined for 65 penalties, 346 penalty minutes and 10 ejections in the 9-3 Isles victory.

Critics claimed this particular game shed a bad light on the sport.

Is it so bad that a hockey game actually had 12 goals, had more punches than a Wladimir Klitschko heavyweight fight and filled a normally boring arena with excitement?  The NHL thought so.  Anyway, here's a sample of what fans will be missing.

The Islanders/Penguins cage-match had 15 fighting majors and 20 misconducts.  It set records for both teams for most combined penalty minutes and almost left both teams with barely enough players to finish the game.

The NHL suspended Islanders Trevor Gillies for nine games, Mark Martin for four and handed the club a whopping $100,000 fine.

It's not every night-- actually it's not any night-- the Islanders can fill an arena-- never mind a bar.  The last time the team won a championship "Tron" was boring people at the theaters-- the original  Tron.

Tonight's viewing party is at a Champions in Long Island and was part of an eight-game series to promote the team and relive last season's few highlights.  MSG-Plus will now air a rebroadcast of an Islanders game against the Buffalo Sabres.  You remember that game...yawn.

It's just foreplay before the team joins the Nets at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in a couple of years anyway.

Tonight, if fans wanted less thugs and more hugs, they could have headed over to Citi Field instead.

The first 100 fans who arrive at Friday's Mets game against the Milwaukee Brewers get free admission, if they take part in celebrity Nick Cannon's "Hug It Out," in an attempt to set a Guinness world record for most hugs in an hour.  I guess Johan Santana was considered too brittle.

Cannon, singer Mariah Carey's husband, should get home more often.  How else can you explain why the host of America's Got Talent and a NYC morning radio show would want to touch over 1,800 desperate Mets fans.  He'll be covered in tears.

So head out to Citi Field and hug the new Ryan  Seacrest and get a free T-shirt to prove it.

Phillies Minor League Team's 'Road Trip' Almost Ends In Tragedy

A wrong turn almost turned tragic for a Pennsylvania minor-league baseball team after the team bus they were passengers in got lost, collided with an SUV, was pushed over the guardrail of an overpass and left dangling thirty feet over the busy highway below.

On Tuesday night, the Wiiliamsport Crosscutters-- an affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies-- had just beaten the Brooklyn Cyclones (a New York Mets affiliate) in Coney Island and were headed to a Holiday Inn in Brooklyn when the driver of the bus apparently got lost.

The driver headed over the Veranzano-Narrows Bridge onto Staten Island and the driver tried to re-cross the span back to Brooklyn.  That's when the bus collided with a Lexus SUV on the overpass about 11 p.m., ricocheted off the vehicle and went up the guardrail--leaving the bus hanging precariously over the edge.

"Two more feet to the left and it would have fallen down onto the Expressway," a witness said.  "It was definitely their lucky day."

According to police,there were 52 passengers on the bus, including the entire Crosscutters team.  Two players and a coach were treated for minor injuries and released from a local hospital.

The driver of the SUV claimed the bus driver ran a red light and cut off the team's bus.

The incident recalled a more tragic bus crash.  In 2007, a Bluffton University baseball team charter bus plunged off an Atlanta highway ramp and killed six people.

The Crosscutters (26-21) recovered enough to play the next day, but lost to the Cyclones (25-22), 3-2, at MCU Park in Coney Island.  Both teams are battling for playoff spots in the Single-A N.Y.-Penn League.

I'm sure the team was counting their blessings more than their pitches the next day.

Jeter's Good Guy Image Taking 3,000 Hits This Season

Things haven't been so great in the usually charmed life of Derek Jeter this season. Except for his magnificent Saturday afternoon love-fest which saw the beloved New Yankees Captain join the exclusive 3,000th hit club, it's been a pretty tough year for New York's favorite son.  Jeter seems like he has another hitting streak going on these days.  Only these whacks, on his personal and professional image, are putting a lot of chinks in the shortstop's armor.

The controversies have piled up fast and furious around Jeter since winter like never before.  Here's a blow-by-blow account.





The contract talks with the Yankees, after last season, turned ugly with both sides drawing lines in the infield dirt.  Jeter finally settled for a three-year $51 million agreement that ended with the 16-year veteran publicly alluding to GM Brian Cashman for leaking non-truths and rumors blaming Jeter for the difficult negotiations.

The tough-talk and final terms divided Yankees and Jeter fans alike.  Jeter was called over the hill, over-rated and a big crybaby for holding the press conference to plant the blame for the leaks on the Yankees brass.  On the pro-Jeter side, he was remembered as an ambassador for the sport and a true Yankee with a few more good years left in his 37 year-old body.

Hell, even the mansion he was building in Tampa got bad press.  Neighbors of Jeter's new home called the structure a monstrosity and magnet for celebrity gawkers.  Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner   blamed it for Jeter's declining play after the Boss' Son said some players would "rather be building mansions" than concentrating on the tasks at hand--namely baseball.

The punches would come faster and harder.

There was the early season slump which saw Jeter's average hover around .260--almost 50 points below his career average-- and an unfamiliar  "Jeter isn't worth the money" outcry by fickle fans. 

The "strained calf" injury which put Jeter on the 15-day DL--the first time since 2003-- and led some experts to question about whether or not he was rushing back too soon.  He reluctantly took almost an extra week on the DL before returning to the Yankees just to be certain his calf was fully healed.

The injury led to a domino effect which started with Jeter being replaced by decent-hitting Eduardo Nunez,  a Yankees 14-4 record and finally a return to first place in the AL East.

All the while, Jeter rehabbed.  Some people--no, a lot of people-- wondered if the Yankees were actually even better without their superstar.  Such blasphemy was unheard of until this year.  Now Jeter looked like open game with more shots to follow.

The domino tiles kept falling.  There was sports radio chatter about Jeter being bumped down to seventh in the Yankees lineup as soon as he got the 3,000th hit or being relegated to the DH.  Jeter's brilliant 5-for-5 performance on the big day put an end to that gibberish--at least for now.

Then, during the Subway Series at Citi Field, conversations about the Yankees trading for the Mets shortstop--and new glamor boy-- Jose Reyes got hot and heavy.  Again,  Jeter was soaking his injured calf and ego in a Tampa whirlpool.

Even Jeter's magical day against the Tampa Bay Rays didn't end without a bloody nose.

The generous young man, Christian Lopez, who caught the $200,000 home-run ball and gave it back to Jeter like some fawning pup returning a chewed-up tennis ball struck a nerve with Jeter-haters.

Why give the ball back to a millionaire ball player without restitution?

Lopez did get to meet his idol, Jeter, got season tickets and a bunch of cool signed memorabilia, but now he allegedly owes the IRS income taxes on the "reward." Even Jeter fans are screaming that the player should somehow be responsible for the financially-strapped fan's tax burden.  Hey, $14,000 to the Yankee is nothing more than a nice little tip from Jeter.

Now comes the All-Star Game and Jeter's over-emphasized responsibility to Major League Baseball.

Last week,  people slammed Jeter for being elected to the game on the merit of fans who were infatuated by the number 3,000-- and not on his stats.  These are the same people blasting Jeter for not appearing at the game.  Funny, none of these people were as vocal when the deserving CC Sabathia wasn't selected at first.

Jeter admitted he lied during his quest for No. 3,000 and said he was "under pressure and stressed" trying to get the hit at Yankee Stadium and needs a little R&R during the break in the season.

He spent 17 days on the DL and wants to be healthy for the stretch run in September.  Jeter also doesn't want to be a distraction at the All-Star Game if he can't play.

"It's unfortunate because I enjoy going to the All-Star Games," said Jeter.  "I know I can be stubborn a lot of times  when it comes to injuries, but I'm trying to be smart this time."

Isn't that what made Jeter the great team player he still is.  He knows how far a three-day rest can help a player over the long run.  Sure the Phillies Shane Victorino and Mets Jose Reyes were elected to the game and are still going-- even if they are injured.  Great, and good for them, but is Jeter supposed to show up in street clothes, toss out the first ball and fly back to New York like some relic?  Give Lopez the glory.  That might be a better story.

Jeter's teammates still have his back.

"It really has to be something because nobody would like to be here more than him," said Robinson Cano, the Yankees second baseman who will be at the game.  "It is what it is....I wish he were here, but health comes first."

If Jeter re-injured his tender calf in Phoenix this week, Yankees fans would be up in arms about the trip.

Let's all give Jeter the benefit of a doubt.  He's earned everything he's accomplished in New York with class,  humility and hard play.  He knows this All-Star appearance could have possibly been his last and the decision couldn't have been an easy one.

For the uncontroversial Jeter, this season has been anything but.

I'm sure if the American League loses the game and the World Series home field advantage that goes with it, the blame will be squarely put on Derek Jeter's non-appearance--especially this year.

Jose Reyes Feels A-Rod's Love But Not His Tag: See For Yourself

In what a lot of New York Yankees fans are going to take as an indirect jab at rehabbing shortstop Derek Jeter, teammate Alex Rodriguez called Jose Reyes, Jeter's New York Mets counterpart, "the world's greatest player" before the Yankees 5-1 victory at Citi Field.

Before last night's opening game of a three-game series between the two cross-town rivals, A-Rod gushed about Reyes' remarkable season and how great he is playing.

"They have the world's greatest player right now playing shortstop over there, and most exciting," said Rodriguez.  "I turn on the TV every time I get a chance to watch him."

Sorry Jeter fans, it's true, even if A-Rod is only comparing the Met to Eduardo Nunez, who is technically the Yankees shortstop right now.  Reyes is the man.

When Reyes heard about the Yankees third baseman's comments, he was flattered.

"It's nice, it's nice he said that about me," said Reyes.  "We are good friends. It's nice that he thinks that, especially because he's the best player in the world.  It's nice that players notice what  am doing, but at the same time, I don't let it get to my head, I still have to go out there and focus."

All that pre-game sweet talk lasted about seven innings into last night's game after Reyes was called out on a controversial play at third base in the bottom of the seventh.  The call killed a Mets rally.

On the play, Reyes tagged at first and went to second on a Justin Turner fly ball to center.  The alert Reyes tried to advance to third after Nunez misplayed the throw, but home plate umpire Jerry Layne-- who was somehow covering the base-- said Reyes was tagged "on the side of the belt-buttocks area" by Rodriguez as Nunez's throw made it to third.

Reyes jumped up up protesting and had to be separated from Layne by the Mets third base coach Chip Hale.

"I don't feel any tag," said Reyes.  "It was a tough situation there, down 3-1.  It's a different ballgame."

Replays show the Mets speedster was right and his manager Terry Collins was ejected for arguing the whiffed tag.

"He acted on his instincts," reasoned Collins.  "You can't corral a guy like that."

It sounded like Rodriguez believes he touched more than Reyes' heart.

"I think I just touched a little bit of his sleeve," said A-Rod.  "I saw the replay three or four times and I couldn't even tell then."

"I think I had a good chance to make it...but he called me out," Reyes said.  "That's part of the game.  I try to be aggressive on the basepaths and nothing's gonna change that."

Whatever the outcome, it was a heads up play by Reyes, and is one of the reasons he is so highly regarded.  The 28 year-old, who is looking at a free-agency bonanza after the season, currently leads the majors in batting average (.352 ), hits (123), triples (an amazing 15) and multi-hit games (42).  Oh yeah, he has 30 steals too.

While Rodriguez's gushing over Reyes might seem like a dig at Jeter, the words weren't as strong as the ones he seemed to direct at him two years ago at the World Baseball Classic.  Back then, Rodriguez--a teammate of Reyes on the Dominican Republic team-- said, "I wish he [Reyes] was leading off on our team.  That is fun to watch."

A-rod sounds like he's all in with Reyes.

"If I wasn't playing third base, I'd definitely buy a ticket and try and come all weekend," said A-Rod.  "...There's not a player in the world that's playing at a higher level than Jose Reyes."

For the first time, the Subway Series doesn't have Jeter as it's main attraction--while he waits to be reactivated from a nagging calf strain.  The absence of Jeter and his quest for his 3,000th hit turns the spotlight to the deserving Reyes.

"You've got to keep him [Reyes] off the bases," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi.  "The way he's swinging the bat, it hasn't been easy for clubs to do.  He's so close to hitting .400 in the month of June, so now that it's July 1 maybe he can go the other way."

And a little more Mets love from A-Rod.

"I can't remember a more exciting series against the Mets coming up just because they've been playing extremely well," said the poker-playing Yankee.  "They've been playing at a really high level."

The love-fest continues Saturday afternoon.

Bartolo Colon Set To Start Saturday Against Mets

Bartolo Colon, who has been on the 15-day DL since June 12, is set to return as the New York Yankees starter against their cross-town rivals the New York Mets on Saturday.  On Thursday, Yankees manager Joe Girardi claimed Colon threw well enough in a bullpen session earlier that morning to be activated for Saturday's inter-league game.

Colon threw the ball and ran through some fielding drills before the Yankees Thursday afternoon game against the Milwaukee Brewers to Girardi's satisfaction.  If everything continues to check out, the hefty righthander will start the second of the three game series at Citi Field.

Colon strained the hamstring on his planting leg against the Cleveland Indians back on June 11 but says he is more than ready to get back to throwing.

 "I felt good," Colon said through a Yankees source.  "I'm ready to come back and help the team.  My bullpen went well.  I'm happy to be back with everyone.  I'm looking forward to Saturday."

Barring a freak accident, Colon will be on the mound for Saturday's 4 p.m. game.

While Girardi was not so confident about Colon's return last night, Yankees GM Brian Cashman painted a brighter picture and said Colon would return if Thursday's bullpen session went according to plan.

"I think there's a good likelihood you'll see him back this weekend," said Cashman.  "That's our mind-set."

To make room in the rotation, the 38 year-old Colon will replace Brian Gordon, who was 0-1 with a 5.13 ERA in two starts.

Colon, who was out of baseball since injuring his elbow and shoulder in 2009, was a surprising 5-3 with a 3.10 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 78 innings before he went to the DL.

If Colon's return is a success, the Yankees will have the luxury of five good arms in the starting rotation and one sitting on the back burner.

The anticipated return of Phil Hughes next week might lure the Yankees into the extravagance of having too many live arms for the team to go around.

Not so says Girardi.  He knows the overabundance of starting pitchers is better than too few.  Girardi looked at the situation like an artist surveying his canvas.

"Do we feel a guy needs an extra day off, do we skip a guy to give him a little rest?," said the manager.  "There are some different things you can do to be creative with a six-man rotation, if you do a six-man."

Too many pitchers, it's a problem any team would like.

The Yankees are 14-4 over the last eighteen games, their starters have a 3.15 ERA and the team has overtaken the Boston Red Sox for first place over that span.

Imagine, the Yankees with a surplus of pitching arms.  Take that Phillies.

Jose Reyes' Response to Yankees Non-Interest: Who Cares

Jose Reyes made it clear on Tuesday that he had no interest in discussing contract negotiations with the New York Mets until the season was over.  Today, Reyes said he had no prior knowledge of all the stories claiming Yankees GM Brian Cashman never had any interest in the Mets third baseman and it's a non-factor as far as Reyes is concerned.

Reyes claims he has not seen the New York headlines about Cashman denying the Yankees have any interest in acquiring the Mets speedster.

"I don't know nothing about that, I don't worry about that," Reyes said on Thursday afternoon.  "I play for the New York Mets, so I really don't care what they say, because I'm focused on this team."

While Derek Jeter rehabs on the 15-day DL, rumors swirled about the Yankees picking up Reyes before the trade deadline on July 31.



It's hard to believe the Yankees didn't give Reyes some thought.  It sounds like Cashman is in spin control mode--especially with Jeter scheduled, but not certain, to return on June 29 and still six hits away from his milestone 3,000th  basehit.  It would be a PR nightmare.

"It's just not going to happen," said Cashman about getting Reyes.  "We have an everyday shortstop in Derek Jeter and I think we have an everyday shortstop that would be playing for a lot of clubs in Eduardo Nunez.  The Yankees don't have a need now or in the future for a shortstop."

On Tuesday, Reyes publicly said he doesn't want to discuss trades or contracts--with anyone--and hopes to put an end to all the speculation.

"Right now, I don't want any distractions," he said.  "I just want to continue to play."

Reyes refusal to talk with the Mets could send the team into panic mode and unload him for a truckload of young talent.  There must be some uncertainty in Metville that the financially-strapped team could compete with other teams if Reyes throws his name in the free-agent pool.

The Mets third baseman is batting .335 with 13 triples, 105 hits and 26 stolen bases.  Reyes is having an MVP caliber season and even if the Yankees back away, there are plenty of teams with money which could use a player like Reyes down the stretch run.

There is still over a month until the trade deadline and, if the Mets fall out of contention, expect a deal of some kind.

Jose Reyes Will Make Mets Pay For Wilpon's Remarks

Last month, New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon told The New Yorker magazine that his star third baseman and soon to be free-agent, Jose Reyes, would never get "Carl Crawford money."  He also threw in a few tidbits like Reyes had "everything wrong with him" and "he won't get it" to stress his point.   Those fateful words may now come back to haunt the financially-troubled owner.

Reyes is off to a mind-boggling MVP-type season and leading a mid-season surge to a once improbable Mets wild-card playoff spot.

Forget Carl Crawford bucks, Reyes has even been bandied about as the next New York Yankees shortstop--replacing cross-town icon Derek Jeter.  We're talking desperate Yankees dollars now.

Reyes has not publicly mentioned himself as being trade-bait or packing his bags for another team, but Metsies shouldn't speculate that their star wants to remain with the Mets.

The 28 year-old Reyes is still attached to his long-time agents even though there has been rumors about super-agent Scott Boras poaching the highly-desirable Reyes.

Reyes' current agents are Chris Leible--the godfather of two of Reyes' kids--and Peter Greenberg.  Both associates have stood by Reyes through a couple of injury-plagued seasons and cries of overrated by fans and media.  By the way, the two men are also friends of their client.

Reyes claims people are getting the wrong idea after a Fox Sports story said the Mets player had spoken with Boras.

"There is no chance I would ever leave those guys," said Reyes of Leible and Greenburg.  " I mean, I have been with them since I was 17."

Wilpon might one of those people who are getting the wrong vibe from Reyes.  The Mets owner might read into Reyes snub of Boras as some sign of loyalty.

The Mets are probably under the impression that by staying with his agents, Reyes can't be shopped around by Boras and a reasonable offer could keep their prize in his Flushing surroundings.  That glimmer of hope is based on the delusional reasoning that since Reyes isn't represented by a blood-seeking shark who seeks the maximum contract for his clients, he is more about keeping contract talks simple and staying cozy with the Mets.

Fat chance.

Reyes doesn't need Boras to get a huge contract.  About two-third of the majors could use a lead-off third baseman who is currently leading the NL with a .341 average and 103 runs scored.

If Reyes isn't traded by the July 31 deadline, expect the free-agent flood-gates to open and the Mets left standing without their rubber boots.

Reyes' agents have not said what they are seeking, but it's a sure bet it will be a lot more than the $17 million per season that Jeter is getting.

Crawford signed a seven-year contract with the Boston Red Sox for $142 million.

At the moment, the Mets and Reyes are world's apart on what the team wants to pay and what their third baseman is expecting. He's earned it and Wilpon showed no devotion of his own when he dissed Reyes in public.

 According to the New York Daily News, Reyes' friends say he talks about what he is looking for when the Met is away from the diamond.

"He talks about it all the time," said one buddy.  "And if the Mets think they're getting him for, like, $95 million, they're wrong.  He's going to get paid.  He's clear about that."

Whatever the outcome, Wilpon is going to have to put a lot of money where his big mouth is if the Mets want to keep Reyes in blue and orange.

Derek Jeter On DL For Now; Could Jose Reyes End Up In Pinstripes?

The decision to place Derek Jeter on the 15-day DL has given the New York Yankees a possible glimpse into the future and opened up a giant can of worms for the team.  If Jeter wasn't chasing his mythical 3,000th hit, some Yankee fans might secretly call his tweaked calf a blessing in disguise.

While the Yankees put Jeter's historic milestone on hold, Eduardo Nunez gets 12 games to audition for the future shortstop opening and Brett Gardner moves to the lead-off spot.  These changes might highlight the glaring deficiencies the Yankees captain has displayed this season.

Like it or not, there is already talk about the Yankees trading for shortstop Jose Reyes from their cross-town counterparts, and cash-starved, New York Mets.

That sound you just heard is a mixture of Yankee fans wincing and Mets fans throwing up a little.



No matter how blasphemous picturing the 'anti-Jeter' Reyes in pinstripes sounds to Bomber fans, Yankees GM Brian Cashman has to be thinking about how far the Yankees can go with the 36 year-old Jeter at shortstop and leadoff.  How does he go about replacing a team icon?

 The 28 year-old Reyes is having an MVP-type season.  He leads the majors with a .346 average and has 11 triples, 49 runs scored and 22 stolen bases.

Jeter has been quietly struggling to fulfill his quest for 3,000.  It's been painful to watch.  The future-Hall-of-Famer is batting .260 with 39 runs and seven stolen bases.  Jeter's .649 OPS is a fraction of Reyes' whopping .914.

For now, the 24 year-old Nunez is Jeter's replacement at shortstop and has waited a long time for his first big shot on the Yankees.  Jeter hasn't been on the DL since 2003 and left little time for anyone to showcase their talents.

Nunez is a capable sub and was named the Yankees minor league player of the year in 2010.

When the Yankees haggled with Jeter over his 3-year, $51 million contract over the winter, did they really believe he would struggle this much, this fast?  The Yankees poster boy is not the .342 hitter with range and power he once had and, without saying it too loudly,  Nunez might be a better all-round player right now.

While Nunez auditions, it is Reyes who is waiting in the wings.

Cashman isn't the only one who has to make an unenviable decision about his shortstop.

The Mets must decide if they can afford Reyes or if their best player is worth more in a trade.  If the Mets don't commit to Reyes the cash-poor team will have to let him go.

Reyes is signed through 2011 and some cynics wonder if the immature shortstop is playing up to his potential because he is in the final year of his contract.  Others say he's finally grown up.

Reyes, in nine seasons,  was a shadow under Jeter's  bright lights.  He could only watch Jeter win championships and get TV endorsements while Reyes was a blip on the back pages except for health or maturity issues.

The Mets star has been criticized for his juvenile antics in the dugout and and mental mistakes on the field, but makes up for it with speed and his bat. 

Jeter seems to be aging faster than Brooke Shields this season and his range and the ability to perform in clutch situations has diminished greatly.  Cashman will have to decide if he wants to trade his future stars in the minors for a playoff run.

Either way, it wouldn't be easy replacing Jeter during a milestone season.

It was hard enough getting the stubborn Jeter to accept his DL stint.  Imagine the monumental task of telling the proud face of the Yankees he is being replaced-- by a Met... especially in a playoff race!

Jeter Put On 15-day DL: Poised To Get 3,000th Hit Against Mets In Citi Field

The New York Yankees placed Derek Jeter on the 15-day DL shortly before 6 p.m. today and, as fate would have it, the Yankees captain could possibly get his historic 3,000th hit against cross-town rivals, the New York Mets, in Citi Field.  Ticket prices just went through the roof for that series.

Jeter tried to convince Yankees GM Brian Cashman to give him a few days off, but Cashman wouldn't budge and announced that his star would be sitting for 15 days.

An MRI showed a Grade 1 Strain of Jeter's right calf after running out a fly-out in the fifth inning of last night's 1-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians.  Jeter got his 2994th hit in the first and went 1-for-3 on the night.

Cashman knew it wasn't going to be easy getting Jeter to be a spectator for 15 days but, with all the injuries and light hitting on the Yankees, he knew he couldn't take a chance on Jeter compounding the injury just for history's sake and he took the safe route.



A seven day rest period would have meant Jeter could have resumed playing on the June 24 home stand against the Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers and possibly collecting # 3,000 in front of the home fans.

Jeter last sat out on May 5.

Cashman probably remembers how Alex Rodriguez had the same "low-grade" strain last year and sat out three games before aggravating the injury necessitating A-Rod going on the 15-day DL.

The 36 year-old Jeter will miss a six-game road trip to Wrigley Field and Cincinnati before returning during the last two games of a home-stand series against the Brewers and finally heading to Flushing and the Mets on July 1-3.

For now, the 3,000th hit will have to wait.

Jeter said being put on the DL was "a little bit frustrating."  It is the fifth time Jeter has been on the DL in 15 1/2 seasons and the first time since 2003.

The Mets organization must be thrilled with the Yankees misfortune.  It means they will possibly fill up CitiField for three games.  Sellouts in Flushing are pretty rare.

For the Yankees fans, at least Jeter still might get his monumental hit in New York.