Florida 4 Mets 2: Where do you go from here? While 2008 is not as bad as 2007, the fact is the Mets blew a 3-1/2 game lead with 17 to play. For all the talk about the bullpen, or lack thereof, they managed only five runs during the final weekend series with the Marlins. Some changes have to be made, but it seems stupid not to officially hire the manager who led them to......

Mets 2 Florida 0: Johan Santana delivered a legendary start on Saturday. Pitching on three-days rest after throwing 125 pitches, Santana dominated the Marlins allowing only three hits and striking out nine. His 117-pitch complete game was truly pitching at its best. And the Mets needed ever pitch because the offense barely scratched out two runs. Jose Reyes led off the game with a single, stole second and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly. Ramon......

While souvenirs were stolen from every nook and cranny of Yankees Stadium last Sunday, one of the more treasured ones has spent the week at the center of controversy. Surprise, surprise. When the Yankees' José Molina hit the last home run ever at the stadium, the ball went into a net above fans, one of whom poked his fingers through and claimed it. This was Steve Harshman of Wyoming, who told the NY Times, “I......

Florida 6 Mets 1: The Marlins jumped out in front in the first scoring two runs and they never looked back. Despite that, the Mets headed into the seventh down only 3-1with a chance. You can guess what happened from there as the bullpen couldn’t keep Florida off the board and the Marlins cruised to the win. The Mets’ loss coupled with the Phillies’ and Brewers’ wins put New York in a precarious position. They......

The Yankees just won’t go quietly into the offseason. Last night controversy erupted between Joe Girardi and the press corps over the status of Mariano Rivera, who had left the team yesterday to return to New York for a checkup. Girardi insisted it was just a end of year physical while Brian Cashman told the press Mariano had felt something in his shoulder and was having a MRI. The press conference included Girardi banging his......

Hank Steinbrenner won’t like it, but Don Mattingly thinks the Yankees missed Joe Torre this year. Mattingly told reporters, "You listen to them talk, and I don't think they realized what Joe did for them for so long [12 playoff appearances], how special he is at what he does." Mattingly also added, "I think they sort of took him for granted, didn't realize all the things he brings to the table as a manager. You've......

Mets 7 Cubs 6: The Mets are anything but boring. One night after perhaps their worst loss of the season they rebounded with perhaps their best win. Jerry Manuel pushed his luck with Pedro Martinez and paid the price with Martinez allowing the first two runners to reach in the seventh and then Ricardo Rincon came in and gave up a three-run homer. That put Chicago ahead 6-3 and you could sense the despair setting......

Cubs 9 Mets 6 (10 innings): Jerry Manuel took all the questions after the game, but he didn’t have any answers. The Mets jumped out to a big lead and then saw it disappear as they lost one of their biggest games of the year. Don’t blame the bullpen. They held the Mets in the game inning after inning, it was the offense that blew this one. Time after time, the Mets couldn’t get the......

Mets 6 Cubs 2: This is why the Mets had to get Johan Santana. After last September’s collapse, the Mets needed an ace they could give the ball to when they absolutely had to win the game. Santana delivered Tuesday with an 125-pitch effort that lasted eight innings. Santana struck out ten and scattered seven hits. But, Santana’s heroics almost went for naught as the Mets were kept off the scoreboard through the first four......

At least 18 baseball fans were arrested after the last game at the old Yankee Stadium Sunday night, as attendees ran amok trying to grab whatever souvenirs they could get their hands on. We're talking precious mementos such as cup-holders ripped off of seats, which can now be yours on eBay! According to the Post, one fan sneaked onto the field after the game and blended in with the groundskeepers, almost managing to steal third base, some priceless grass and sacred dirt. ...

The Yankees closed Yankee Stadium last night with a star-studded pregame ceremony that ranged from poignant to super cheesy. Dressing up actors as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and other deceased Yankees was ridiculous, but seeing Yogi Berra standing at home plate and wearing his uniform was great. Don Larsen and Whitey Ford helped themselves to some dirt from the pitcher’s mound and Willie Randolph ignited the crowd by sliding into second base. The Murcer family......

Photograph of past and present Yankees on the field before the game by Ed Betz/AP Yankees 7 Baltimore 3: They played a game, but it was the ceremonies that captured all the attention. The Yankees brought back some of the greatest players to ever play for them. From Hall of Famers like Yogi, Whitey Ford, Dave Winfield and Reggie Jackson to fan favorites like Paul O’Neil, Scott Brosius and Tino Martinez and the return......

Photograph by wallyg on Flickr You always remember your first game and for me that would be May 18, 1980. I remember seeing my favorite player, Greg Nettles get a hit and I remember chanting “Re-ggie, Re-ggie” everytime Reggie Jackson came to the plate. Another of my heroes, Bobby Murcer, hit a home run and although the Yankees lost that game, I loved Yankee Stadium. Though the years I have been to a lot......

Yankees 1 Baltimore 0: Mystique and Aura aren’t gone yet. Bases loaded in the ninth with two out and Robinson Cano, of all players, delivered with the game-winning hit. Cano’s single capped a great day at the Stadium and the fans didn’t want to leave, staying for multiple choruses of “New York, New York”. It’s all over tomorrow with the last game ever at Yankee Stadium. Atlanta 4 Mets 2: The good news is that......

Photograph of Jose Reyes crashing into the Braves' Chipper Jones by John Bazemore/AP Mets 9 Atlanta 5: For once it was another team’s bullpen that blew it. Atlanta gave up four runs in the eighth to propel the Mets to victory. Daniel Murphy had a key two-run double to break a 5-5 tie and Jose Reyes and David Wright added RBI’s to provide some insurance. Brian Stokes came in and got the last six......

Photograph of Johan Santana delivering a pitch by Evan Vucci/AP Mets 7, Nationals 2: If Brian Schneider is hitting two home runs with Johan Santana on the mound, things feel as if they'll be all right. Santana, who has a 7-0 record with a 2.26 ERA over his past 14 starts, went seven innings of one-run ball, striking out eight and walking two. Jose Reyes and Daniel Murphy had two hits apiece setting the......

This week’s Sports Illustrated pays homage to The Stadium, The Cathedral In The Bronx, The House That Ruth Built. Tom Verducci, writing as Yankee Stadium itself, recounts some of the things that took place inside the stadium walls - a place that has seen so much history in its 85 years that it truly is an iconic location. From the “Gipper Speech” uttered by Knute Rockne, to Lou Gehrig’s “Luckiest Man” speech. The first overtime......

Mets 9, Nationals 7: No one is surprised that the Mets made this one -- which they led, 7-1, at one point -- into an interesting game. “They’ll make a laugher a tearjerker, that’s what they’ll do," manager Jerry Manuel said of his team. What would have been funny for all the wrong reasons was losing three straight to the last-place Nationals, and the Mets needed all kinds of offense to avoid that. Carlos Beltran......

Washington 1 Mets 0: It wasn’t the bullpen that let New York down on Tuesday, it was their offense. Odalis Perez, who came into the game with a 4.48 ERA, shut the Mets down into the eighth inning. Perez allowed only four hits and didn’t allow a walk. Mike Pelfrey was almost as good, allowing only one run over seven innings. The only run of the game scored thanks to a pair of doubles with......

Photographs of Pedro Martinez, left, and reliever Ricardo Rincon being pulled by manager Jerry Manuel, right, by Nick Wass/AP Nationals 7, Mets 2: Pedro Martinez didn't give the bullpen a chance to blow this one. He labored through six innings, throwing 108 pitches in six innings. He walked four and allowed four earned runs. His ERA on the season: a robust 5.47. Long Beach native John Lannan held the Mets to one hit through......

The Yankees and Mets found a fairly unique way to celebrate the closing of their respective stadiums Saturday, doubleheaders for both teams at home. It has happened twice before in 1997 and 1982 with the Yankees splitting both times and the Mets splitting once and being swept once. Saturday’s results fell along historical precedents. In game one of the Yankees series, Tampa pounded New York 7-1. James Shields kept the Yankees off the scoreboard until......

When the first-place Rays and fourth-place Yankees open a three-game series at Yankee Stadium tonight -- weather permitting -- it will mark the final time the team starts a homestand in the old ballpark. A venue that has seen more dramatic moments than any other will be closed with a whimper after 10 more games. The Yankees sit 8 1/2 games out of a wild-card berth, and their "tragic number" -- the number of combined......

Mets 13, Nationals 10: After a game like this, the Mets can sit back and laugh. But during the contest, they could be forgiven for missing the humor. David Wright's two-run homer was one of his four hits and helped the Mets retake the lead after they blew a six-run advantage. Joe Smith got the win in relief for the second night in a row. Mike Pelfrey lasted five innings but allowed five runs and,......

Mets 10, Nationals 8: Oliver Perez pitched as he did in the first half of the season (poorly), and the Mets were in trouble. Manager Jerry Manuel had to turn to his relief corps with only one out in the fourth inning. So what happened? Nelson Figueroa allowed two inherited runners to score, but, after that, the relievers allowed only one run in 5 2/3 innings. Not too shabby. Joe Smith got the win with......

Jets 20, Dolphins 14: They didn't make it look easy, but the Jets took down the Dolphins to get the Brett Favre era off to a solid, if not resounding, start. Favre, came out of retirement and got traded to the Jets from Green Bay, threw two touchdown passes. The first, to Jerricho Cotchery, was a well-executed play on both ends. The second, to Chansi Stuckey, was not. On a fourth-down desperation play, Favre simply......

Yankees 7, Mariners 4: A big 7th inning helped propel the Yankees to victory against the worst team in the American League. They scored 5 runs in the frame, sending all 9 batters to the plate and giving Sidney Ponson his first win since August 6th. Mariano Rivera pitched 1 1/3 innings for his 33rd save. As the season slowly ticks away, the Yankees continue to hold onto hope. After defeating Seattle on Saturday and......

Phillies 3, Mets 0: The Mets entered the first game of a three-game series with the Phillies riding the high of a sweep of the Brewers, but were quickly brought back to earth by Brett Myers's pitching. Meyers allowed only three hits over 8 shutout innings of work that included 10 strikeouts, stymieing the Mets for his 4th win in a row. The Phillies got all the offense they needed in the first inning when......

Photograph of Brandon Jacobs rushing during the third quarter by Bill Kostroun/AP Giants 16, Redskins 7: The Giants started their Super Bowl title defense with plenty of good, well, defense. Of course, the Redskins' offense isn't anything to write home about, but the Giants will take seven points and 209 total yards allowed any day of the week. Eli Manning wasn't great (19-of-35, 0 passing touchdowns, one interception), but that doesn't matter. Manning's rushing......

Photographs of Alex Rodriguez hitting a home run, Rodriguez waiting for a ruling on the home run and then the umpire ruling it was was home run from the AP Mets 9, Brewers 2: Wednesday was a good day for the players brought back in the Lastings Milledge deal. Ryan Church and Brian Schneider each went deep in a six-run first inning -- Church hit a grand slam -- as the Mets gave Oliver......

Mets 6, Brewers 5 (10 innings): This game had all the requirements of any contest involving the Mets. No. 1: Take an early lead -- the Mets led, 5-1, by the third inning. No. 2: Throw out a starter from which the team has little idea what to expect. They should have expected little of Jon Niese, who went three-plus innings in his big-league debut and gave back the Mets' lead in the fourth. No.......