The three-day quasi-nightmare for-superstitious Yankees fans is over: The Red Sox jersey buried in cement by a Yankee-hating construction worker along the third base line at the new Yankee Stadium has been found and will be removed today in an "extraction ceremony." At first, the thought of Red Sox jersey buried in the new stadium seemed like a joke, but yesterday the NY Post published photographs worker Gino Castignoli claimed he took while after......

Photograph of Johan Santana giving the ball to manager Willie Randolph by Ed Betz/AP Brewers 5, Mets 3: Mets fans that had waited two months -- or even longer -- to see Johan Santana make his Mets Shea Stadium debut left disappointed. Santana gave up five runs (four earned) and took his second loss of the year in three starts. Three home runs proved to be his undoing Saturday. He didn't get much help......

The Bronx-born Yankee-hating and Red Sox-loving construction worker who buried a Red Sox jersey in the new Yankee Stadium has given photographic evidence to the Post proving it's no tall tale. "Gino" explained, "As I stuck it in, I said, 'The Yankees are done for the next 30 years.' I only put a 30-year curse because I'm 46 and in 30 years I'll be dead, and I won't care if the Yankees win then."......

Rangers 2 Devils 1: If you were under the impression that these teams like each other, this game should clear that misconception up. New York and New Jersey spent sixty minutes Friday hitting and scrapping and when it was all over the Rangers had a huge victory and a big advantage in the series. Jaromir Jagr got things started with an amazing shot that beat Martin Brodeur off the short-side. Sean Avery scored only 23......

Given that only time will tell, it may be a little premature to proclaim the new, currently under construction Yankee Stadium cursed. But the NY Post suggested just that, as two workers from the concrete crew claim a Red Sox fan buried a Sox shirt. Two worried workers told the Post, with one explaining, "In August, a Red Sox T-shirt was poured in a slab in the visitor's clubhouse. It's the curse of the Yankees.......

Photograph of the Mets' Jose Reyes scoring the game-winning run by Mary Altaffer/AP Mets 4, Phillies 3 (12 innings): This looked like it could be another bad loss to the Phillies. Aaron Heilman's best efforts to blow the game resulted in a two-run eighth, and the Mets had to go to extras despite leading most of the game. John Maine's strong start appeared in danger of being wasted. But Billy Wagner, Joe Smith, Scott......

Photograph of the Rangers' Ryan Callahan putting a puck pasting Devils goalie Martin Brodeur by Bill Kostroun/AP Rangers 4 Devils 1: Don’t let the score fool you, this was a close game for about 57 minutes. New York got on the board first thanks to Brendan Shanahan, but New Jersey answered with a power play goal from Paul Martin. The game remained tied until the 7:23 mark of the third period when the Devils......

Lost in the shuffle of the Mets' loss Tuesday to the Phillies in the home opener was the beginning of the team's runoff for official Sing-A-Long song. Last season the Mets used "Sweet Caroline," which is a good song and all...but it's already being used by the Red Sox. Realizing that rubbed some people the wrong way, the Mets included the Neil Diamond classic in this year's online balloting but provided several lame other......

Phillies 5, Mets 2: In a game that was a microcosm of last season, the Mets held a lead against the Phillies before surrendering it in inglorious fashion. Entrusted with a 2-0 advantage in the seventh inning, Scott Schoeneweis -- who was booed during introductions -- allowed three runs and only recorded one out. Of course, he didn't get help from Carlos Delgado, who hit Chase Utley in the back on what may have......

After days of waiting for their bats to step up, the Yankees’ offense came around on Monday and that combined with great pitching propelled them to an easy 6-1 win. Bobby Abreu got things started in the first with a screaming liner over the wall in right for a home run that put New York up 2-0. It was part of a 3-for-3 night for Abreu that ended with him only a double short of......

Photograph of the Devils' Zach Parise putting the puck past Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist by Bill Kostroun/AP Devils 3, Rangers 2 (SO): Needing a win in regulation to secure home ice in the playoffs, the Rangers pulled out all the stops. Not even adding an extra skater by pulling Henrik Lundqvist could do the trick, however, and the Devils finally beat the Rangers. New Jersey had lost the first seven games between the clubs......

Tampa 6 Yankees 3: After five games the biggest question in Yankeeland is what happened to the offense? 15 runs scored in five games is not what anyone expected from this team, but that’s where the Yankees stand thanks to some anemic hitting. It’s a collective slump with every regular not named Abreu, Rodriguez or Cabrera struggling. Some of the noteworthy failures right now are Jason Giambi is 1-for-12 (.083) Johnny Damon 2-for-18 (.111) and......

Islanders 4 Rangers 3 (shootout): The Islanders clinched at least a share of the Metro Ice Challenge Championship! Unfortunately, the Islanders had to play the majority of their games against teams from outside the tri-state area and they didn’t do as well which is why their season is over. For the Rangers, they got a critical point and that combined with the Devils’ loss (see below) gives them a chance to take over fourth......

Mets 13 Marlins 0: The game is the good news as the Mets pounded out 17 hits against Florida in an easy win. Ryan Church got it started with a home run in the second and David Wright also added his first shot of the year. Oliver Perez looked very good, striking out eight over six innings. The bad news came from Pedro Martinez who is out 4-to-6 weeks with what is being described as......

Marlins 5 Mets 4 (10 innings): Forget the final score, the biggest news was Pedro Martinez grabbing his left leg after a pitch in the fourth. Pedro later told reporters he felt a “pop” and will head for a MRI shortly. Needless to say, “pop” is not a good thing for a pitcher to feel and it seems very likely that Martinez will be heading to the DL. For how long remains to be seen,......

Photo of Yankee Stadium during the Canadian national anthem by AP/Kathy Willens It may have come a day later than many people wanted, but the Yankees opened the final season of the Stadium on a high note, winning a close and well-pitched game 3-2. Chien-Ming Wang went seven innings allowing only two runs and Joba and Mo closed the game out with a scoreless inning each. Melky Cabrera was the offensive and defensive hero with......

Photo of Yankee Stadium announcement by peterkreder on flickr Opening day for the Yankees on Monday became opening night on Tuesday after bad weather and -- it seems, more importantly -- the forecast of bad weather persuaded the Yankees to postpone a game that was set for 1:05 p.m. to 7:05 p.m. the next day. That has many of the people with tickets to yesterday's game unhappy. The Sun tells of a couple who......

Photo of Johan Santana pitching against the Marlins by AP/J. Pat Carter The rain that postponed the Yankees' regular-season opener was nowhere to be found in South Florida, where the Mets disposed of the Marlins, 7-2, to start their eagerly awaited 2008 campaign. Johan Santana, living up to the trade and subsequent contract extension that made him a Met, struck out eight in seven innings of two-run ball. David Wright's three-run double capped a......

Photo of Carlos Beltran rounding third after a two-run home run against the White Sox in the Civil Rights Game by AP/Bill Waugh Few players can catapult a team from worriers to prohibitive favorites, but Johan Santana can put his name on that list. Before the Mets got him, they and their fans were looking over their shoulders to the Phillies and Braves. Now the team is almost overloaded with optimism. That hope --......

WNBC’s Sue Simmons is known as a big Mets fan, so it's no surprise she was tapped to host a look back at Shea Stadium in its final year. So expect Sue being Sue along with some amazing Mets moments, concerts and some Jets (and we aren’t just talking about those coming into LaGuardia). The Amazin' Shea (Saturday, 7:30 p.m., WNBC 4) also will feature some interviews with some of the Mets greats. It is......

Photo of Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman before an exhibition game against the Florida Marlins by AP/Luis M. Alvarez Joe Girardi made the goal clear from his introductory press conference donning the number 27 to represent the quest for a 27th title. But, despite their tremendous resources and talent, this Yankees’ team is further away from winning a title than any in recent memory because of the question surrounding the starting pitching. It is......

Johan Santana got traded to the Mets about two weeks before the start of spring training, but his face popped up more in the Mets offseason than anyone else's. This was a great way for the Mets to take the attention off the dreadful collapse they suffered at the close of the 2007 season. Before the Mets reported to camp, they had something positive to talk about rather than the evaporation of a seven-game lead......

Photo of Hideki Matsui holding up a drawing of his wife by the AP Hideki Matsui is sneakier than he looks. First, he disappears Wednesday to get married. On Thursday, it transpired that earlier this year, Matsui, while already engaged, had joined a bet with Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu, two other Yankees bachelors. The three would award the prize to the one that got married first. Matsui won, tying the knot with his......

Entering Spring Training the Yankees had three big questions to answer. The biggest and most obvious was the role that Joba Chamberlain would play. Hank proclaimed that he wanted Joba to start and Joe Girardi’s insisted that Joba’s future is as a starter, but in the end the Yankees put him in the bullpen for at least the start of 2008. And it makes sense because while they won’t admit it publicly, the Yankees are......

Alex Rodriguez has a permanent residence in the spotlight. His contract and tendency to put his foot in his mouth both have something to do with it. A bigger reason is the media's unhealthy obsession with him, but that's besides the point. Tuesday's hot topics: Rodriguez's valuing winning over money and Jose Canseco's steroid allegations. In his interview with the Daily News, Rodriguez says he made a mistake when he went to Texas for more......

Move over baseball! Because the New Yankee Stadium will have so many amenities that you won't even need to watch a game. The Yankees unveiled a nifty website showing all the premium amenities that they're offering in the stadium that opens in 2009. The website, Yankees Premium, shows "An exclusive experience, for those with discerning taste, who seek the very best, that life has offer." Four levels of suites are offered at the stadium -......

Photo of Johnny Damon and other Yankees shaking the hands of Virginia Tech players in Blacksburg, VA by AP/Don Petersen With all the talk in the past week of the Yankees' lowering themselves -- by starting a fight and by allowing a 59-year-old Billy Crystal to take an at-bat -- cynics Tuesday had a tough time knocking the Yankees down another peg. That's because the team flew up to Blacksburg, Va., site of Virginia......

Almost no hitter has been happier after a strikeout. Billy Crystal, who turned 60 today, had the opportunity to play for the Yankees in their Spring Training game against the Pirates yesterday. Leading off and serving as the DH -- he said it stood for Designated Hebrew -- Crystal got a piece of one pitch and chopped it foul down the first-base line. He also showed a good eye to work the count to 3-1,......

That didn't take long. Opening Day is still 2 1/2 weeks away, and the Yankees have already engaged in a bench-clearing brawl with the Devil Rays. The blood began to boil Saturday, when Tampa Bay's Elliot Johnson ran over Yankees minor-league catcher Franciso Cervelli in a collision at home plate. Cervelli got the worst of it and suffered a broken wrist. Both managers -- Joe Girardi for the Yankees and Joe Maddon for the Rays......

Knicks 91 Heat 88: Even when they win, they lose. At this point there is nothing left to play for except a better draft pick and the Knicks hurt those chances with a win over the worst team in the NBA. Add it in the fact that it was the one-year anniversary of Isiah Thomas’ contract extension with the team and you probably won’t feel like celebrating anymore. Nate Robinson had 17 points, Jamal Crawford......