Mets Land Baez in Deadline Deal

 In need of a move, any kind of move, the Mets acquired former Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez and pitcher Trevor Williams for minor league outfielder Pete Crow Armstrong. 

While the Mets didn't have to give up much for the free agent to be in Baez, it creates a very intriguing dynamic for the Mets, who now have two of the best shortstops in the sport on their  roster in Baez and Francisco Lindor. 

 

Of course, Lindor, who is currently on the IL, is here for the long term; having signed a 12-year $340 million deal over the winter. Baez is a free agent to be. 

When Lindor returns to the Mets lineup in mid-to-late August, it will most likely mean that Baez will have to move to second or third base for the remainder of the season. That will have a direct affect on the playing time for Jeff McNeil, JD Davis and Jonathan Villar. Davis and McNeil might be forced into the outfield to platoon with Dom Smith in left or Michael Conforto in right. 

While the deal enhances the Mets depth in the short term, the long term consequences could mean that the Mets don't feel they have the right guys in the infield around Lindor and first baseman Pete Alonso. Changes are coming to second and third base in the long run. 

Will Baez want to be a Met long term? Who knows. He's coming here to help them win right now. Down the road, he will most likely look for shortstop money, especially after Lindor cashed in on a record deal in the off-season. 

Enjoy it while it lasts with Baez in New York. It will likely be a very short stay.

Yankees Score Another Slugger with Rizzo Trade

 The Yankees are not messing around. The Bronx Bombers acquired Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo for minor leaguers Alexander Vizcaino and outfielder Kevin Alcantra. Both Vizcaino and Alcantra were among top 12 prospects int he Yankees farm system. 

Rizzo is having a down year this year, hitting .248 with 14 homers and 40 RBI. The good news for the Yankees, the Cubs will pick up the reamining $5.5 million on the deal. It's a move that leaves the Yankees with about $4 million in space from the $210 million luxury tax threshold. 

In that regard it's a steal. Yes, the Yankees lose two top prospects. But they get a legit power threat, and a consistent left handed bat for the middle of the order in Rizzo. 

This is a clear message by Brian Cashman that despite the team's inconsistent play this season, they are going for it. The Yankees are only 2.5 out of the second wild card as Oakland continues to struggle. 

With Rizzo and Joey Gallo now part of the Yankees lineup, the Bronx Bombers are now complete up and down the order with power from both sides of the plate. They will not be fun to pitch to down the stretch. 

The big gamble with Rizzo is he is a free agent after the season. He probably won't stay with the Yankees, unless they can convince him to sign with them long term. If he walks, the Yankees could always move DJ LeMahieu to first base as has been suggested by the Yankees beat writers. 

Meanwhile, the Yankees need pitching. If they are serious about the playoffs, they need pitching and need it badly.

Zach Wilson Signs his Contract (Finally!!)

 So much for all the drama and hand-wringing, Zach Wilson has singed his rookie contract after missing the first two days of practice. 

The deal which is for four years at $35 million with a $22 million signing bonus was held up over technical language in the contract regarding off-set language and deferments of the signing bonus.Wilson wanted his singing bonus up front, and the Jets initially wanted to defer the payments. Eventually the Jets agreed to pay the money within 15 days. 

On the flip side, Wilson agreed to the Jets terms on off-set language which protects the franchise should Wilson be cut after his third year and signs with another team. The off-sets prevent that player form potentially double-dipping. 

So all the worry and stress is over, the focus now turns to football and football alone. Now is the time to see how Zach Wilson develops into the Jets starting quarterback. 

 

If anything, this ordeal did expose the fact that the Jets desperately need a back-up quarterback behind Wilson. They don't have one on the roster. The team was expected to bring in Josh Johnson and Sean Mannion in for a workout. It's anyone's guess if that will still happen. 

The Jets need to address this. It's a huge issue.

Yankees Acquire Joey Gallo from Rangers for Six Minor Leaguers

 The Yankees are in dire straits. They are falling farther and farther back of the AL East and wild card race and need to make moves if they are serious about competing for a playoff spot this season. 

 

What to do? Do what the Yankees always do. Give up a ton of prospects for a top flight All-Star. 

This time the All-Star is in the form of outfielder Joey Gallo, formally of the Texas Rangers. Going back to Texas are six minor league prospects including pitchers Glenn Otto and Randy Vasquez, second baseman Eziequiel Duran, short stop Josh Smith, infielder/outfielder Trevor Hauver and outfielder Everson Pereira. 

Otto is a big chip going back. He was ranked 27th among the Yankees top 30 prospects this season, and was lights out for the Somerset Patriots this season in Double-A. 

Getting Gallo gives the Yankees the left-hander power bat that they do not have, but it also gives them another hitter who is struggling to hit above .200. Gallo is hitting only .223 this year with 125 strikeouts. He is well on his way to striking out more than 200 times this year. 

This for a hitter who has proven to be feast of famine throughout his career. Gallo has 25 homers and 55 RBI this, despite the poor batting average. For his career Gallo owns 145 home runs, but is only a .211 hitter. His best season came two years ago in an injury riddled year when he hit a career best .253. 

This is what the Yankees gave up the farm for? A left-handed version of Gary Sanchez? 

Yes, Gallo is an All Star, but that has more to do with the fact he had back-to-back 40 home run seasons in 2017 and 2018 than anything he has done with the bat or glove. Defensively, he is a right fielder; which means the Yankees essentially have three natural right fielders in Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gallo. Nice. 

The best part of the deal is that Gallo's contract number of $2.2 million, and is signed through 2022. So the Yankees won't have to pay him much over the next year and a half. 

This is a truly risky move by New York. They are so far out of the playoffs that adding another struggling offensive piece was not exactly what the doctor ordered, especially if it cost the team valuable prospects who were playing well. Yes, you have to give up something to get something, but hte Yankees were better off focusing on pitching, which has been their biggest issue all season. 

Chalk it up to another panic move by Brian Cashman, whose job might be on the line at the end of the season.

Jets Begin Camp without Zach Wilson, Workouts Pending for Journeymen QBs

 If things couldn't get any worse for the New York Jets, it just did. 

Zach Wilson is still not in camp. He and his representatives are haggling over off-set language in his rookie contract. Off-set language is very common in rookie contracts nowadays where money and years are pretty much set by the CBA of four-years, $35 million. 

This is not the Jets first rodeo in this department. It took them several days into camp back in 2018 to get Sam Darnold to sign on the dotted line.  Eventually he got there, but if Jets fans wants to look at that as a sign of things to come, they are probably getting queasy.  

Right now the Jets quarterbacks are Mike White and James Morgan. Neither has played a down in the NFL. White in fact was taking first team reps this morning. 

In the interim, the Jets are going to work out veteran journeymen Josh Johnson and Sean Mannion. 

Johnson has been around forever. In fact he has been on 19 different teams, 17 of those are NFL teams, including the Jets and Giants. Johnson last played in an NFL game in 2018 with San Francisco when he started three games. 

Mannion, who is a giant at 6-foot-6, was the back-up to Jared Goff for a few seasons out in LA. He spent the last two seasons in Minnesota backing up Kurt Cousins. Mannion's playing time is limited. He has only 74 career passes for 384 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. But, hey, that's 74 more career passes, and 384 more career years than either White or Morgan have combined. 

Here's to hoping that Wilson gets his deal done rather soon! 

Then again, just the very fact that the Jets have to even invest time in bringing in journeymen quarterbacks may speak volumes to the lack of communication that is going on right now between Wilson and the Jets. If that is the case, what a disaster. 

While one can blame Wilson and his people for crossing hairs over contractual language, this is a huge black eye for Joe Douglas who coveted Wilson out of BYU. He coveted Wilson so much so that he didn't even attempt to acquire or sign a legitimate backup quarterback when he had the chance. Now the Jets are going to pay for it.

New York Giants Open Camp with High Expectations

 The New York Giants haven't had a winning season since 2016, and when you really think about it they've had losing records in seven of their last eight seasons. 

Yet this year, the G-Men enter training camp with higher expectations. With the additions of Kenny Galloday, Adoree' Jackson, and Azeez Ojulari the Giants are expecting to take the next step in a mediocre NFC East. And why not. This is a team that has plenty of talent; they were pretty solid on the defensive side of the ball. And if they can get their act together offensively, the sky could be the limit. 

At least one would think in this horrible division. 

Of course all of this pressure is on the shoulders of quarterback Daniel Jones, who finds himself in a similar situation that Sam Darnold was in last year. With a year remaining on his deal before the Giants have to pick up the fifth year option, Jones must showcase that he is ready to take his game to the next level, or risk the same fate Darnold had across town. 

I talk about the five keys to the Giants season right here ... 

Zach Wilson Still Unsigned As Jets Camp Opens Up

 Here we go again! 

The latest highly touted Jets rookie quarterback is unsigned as training camp begins across the NFL. How does one NFL team consistently find itself here? Oh wait, it's the Jets. 

According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, while it is unclear what the hold up might be, the guess is the fight is over contract language.

Due to NFL rules, the contract that Wilson will sign is set at $35.1 million with $22.9 million in signing bonus money over four years. Wilson is one of three rookie players in the NFL whom are unsigned, the others being San Francisco's Trey Lance and the Chargers' Rashawn Slater. 

As we all know this is not the first time for the Jets to be down this road. They were four seasons ago with Sam Darnold when there was a dispute over the fine print in the contract. Eventually the deal got done and Darnold returned to practice. 

The difference back in 2018 was that the Jets had a veteran quarterbacks in Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgwater on the roster. They do not have any experienced quarterbacks on the roster this go-around, making a hold out by Wilson a problem. 

The Jets have two days to get something done with Wilson before practice begins Wednesday, otherwise it will be a rude, "welcome to the New York media" for the former BYU star. 

Aaron Rodgers' Pendng Return to Green Bay Another Strange Chapter in Wild Off-Season

 The most bizarre story of the NFL off-season has taken another turn for the bizarre with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers planning to end his months long protest against Green Bay's front office, particularly President Mark Murphy and GM Brian Gutekunst, and return to Packers camp when it opens up this week. 

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the two sides have been negotiating over the weekend to create a pathway to bring Rodgers back, including: voiding the 2023 season from his contract, creating a review of his situation after the season, and adjusting Rodgers' current contract so there is no loss income, at the same time creating cap room for the team to sign others (presumably wide receiver Davante Adams). 

Rodgers has made no bones he wanted nothing to do with the Packers this off-season. 

He questioned the culture established by the front office, routinely ripped the team's drafting of quarterback Jordan Love in the 2020 draft, and even threatened retirement. Earlier this off-season he demanded a trade, with many speculating that his desired destination was Denver. 

That of course never happened as Murphy and Gutekunst never budged. They offered Rodgers a contract extension and more money to become the highest paid player in the sport, he declined. It was never about money for Rodgers.  

It was about making a statement against a team, a system that he felt was unfair to him. 

In the end both sides have created seemingly irreparable harm to the other's reputation. 

We are now looking at a situation we have seemingly never seen before --- at least in the NFL -- where a quarterback clearly wants nothing to do with the franchise, but will willingly accept playing for them if it means he gets to choose his destination for the following season. 

The only example of such strife that comes close this kind of discord is Terrell Owens' bizarre stay in Philadelphia. The only difference being that Ownes' beef with the Eagles was his contract; that isn't the case apparently with Rodgers.

Owens was the apple of the Eagles eye in 2004. He was a Pro Bowler that year, and it was his efforts at wide receiver that kept the Eagles alive in Super Bowl XXXIX. 

However the relationship between Owens and Eagles deteriorated over the ensuing months as the wide out was looking for a new contract. The Eagles wouldn't give it to him.  Owens threw everyone under the bus from Donavan McNabb to head coach Andy Reid during the summer of 2005. Yet, somehow he returned to the team and played that year -- only seven games mind you -- since he was suspended by the team for conduct detrimental for the team. 

At the quarterback position there really hasn't been anything that has gone to this level of crazy. When Brett Favre retired and unretired again and again, the Packers had moved on from the former Super Bowl MVP, and wanted to proceed with Rodgers. 

Their prerogative since Favre had "retired." When Favre suddenly pulled a 180, there was the bad PR for both sides. Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy got dragged into the mud with Favre, but at the end of the day Favre was traded to the Jets by August of 2008. He would get his revenge a year later when he got what he wanted -- play for the Minnesota Vikings. 

Tom Brady's "revenge" against Bill Belichick was less stated -- at least publicly. There was always rumblings that Brady was unhappy with Belichick's drafting of Jimmy Garappolo, and in Ian O'Conner's book "Belichick" it's detailed how Brady wanted to compete and beat the kid out. He did, gritted his teeth and didn't complain publicly. The Patriots won three more Super Bowl's before Brady -- a free agent after the 2019 season, got his "vengeance" last year when he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won the Super Bowl.

With Rodgers and the Packers, just the idea that two sides that can't stand each other are suddenly going to reconcile and the Packers will be Super Bowl contenders again seems far fetched, especially after it was dragged out so publicly.

The Packers should have traded Rodgers when they had the chance. They had capital to do so with Rodgers coming off an MVP season in 2020. They could have gotten a lot back in return, and Rodgers in turn would have gotten off a team he hates. 

Instead they will roll the dice that at 37-years old, Rodgers can duplicate his 2020 season, lead the Packers to LA and win Super Bowl LVI. Hey, anything is possible, but let's get real, it isn't likely to happen. 

What if Rodgers gets hurt? What does that do to his value then? What if the Packers underachieve this year, and anytime Green Bay losses we have to hear about how unhappy Rodgers is to be in Green Bay? 

It's a drama that nobody wants, needs or desires. Both sides made the bed and now they have to sleep in it. 

What a disaster for the people of Green Bay. But, hey, at least the Bucks won the NBA title.

Yankees continue to fade with loss to BoSox

 RED SOX 6 - YANKEES 2 

To say this weekend series in Boston is huge for the Yankees is an understatement. After Thursday's heartbreaking 5-4 loss, the Yankees needed a win with Gerrit Cole on the hill, and instead they put up another stinker as Rafael Devers powered the Red Sox with a pair of home runs and five RBI.

Boston is now 9-2 against the Yankees this season, and hold a 9.5 game lead on the Yankees in the AL East. In fact Boston has 10 more wins than the Yankees do. 

While the Yankees are still very much alive for a wild card as the A's, Mariners, Angels, Blue Jays, and Guardians are all battling with New York for the final wild card slot, it's getting late early. 

The Yankees have to make a decision whether to be buyers or sellers by next week. Knowing the Yankee pedigree they will not give up that easily, and it is not that easy for them to offer up players in a sell-off at this point. 

It's not easy when the Yankees best players like Gleyber Torres and Gary Sanchez continue to struggle both at the plate and defensively. It's not easy when they are paying Giancarlo Stanton $36 million to be a DH.  Things are not good for New York. They need help, better yet, they need wins.

Alonso Powers Mets Past Matz and Blue Jays

 METS 3 - BLUE JAYS 0 

If it wasn't clear already, it is now that Pete Alonso is falling into a post-Home Run Derby funk. The Mets All Star first baseman hit a pair of home runs and drove in all three Mets runs Friday night in a 3-0 victory over the Blue Jays. 

Alonso has been red hot lately. He is riding a seven game hitting streak, and his batting average has jumped 12 points since last week to .262. He has also hit four home runs since his incredible performance in the Home Run Derby two weeks ago. 

The Mets need Alonso to catch fire. With the trade deadline fast approaching, he is easily New York's most dangerous hitter, especially with Francisco Lindor on the shelf until late August. 

Meanwhile Tyler Megill out-dueled former Met Steve Matz on the hill. Megill who was just a fill in when he joined the rotation several weeks ago, is now a mainstay. He shutout the Blue Jays dominating lineup, holding them to only a pair of singles. MeGill's ERA is now 2.10. A munch needed boost in the arm for a rotation that has been ravaged by injuries. 

As for Matz, he pitched well in his return to Citi Field as a member of the visiting team. He gave up only two runs on four hits over 5.1 innings of work for Toronto. 

Michael Conforto made a tremendous diving grab in the sixth inning off Bo Bichette that was easily one of the best catches of the season. 

TRADE WINDS: The Mets sent Tommy Hunter and a minor leaguer to the Tampa Bay Rays for 41-year old starting pitcher Rich Hill. Hill was one of Tampa Bay's better starters this season posting a 6-4 record with a 3.87 ERA. It's odd that Tampa would trade him considering they are in the midst of a playoff race in the American League. Hill is now on his 11th Major League team after this deal went down. He is a serviceable starter, and the Mets desperately needed a starter who can give them innings until Jacob deGrom, Carlos Carrasco and Noah Syndergaard return to the rotation.

What's In A Name? Cleveland Settles on "Guardians" as New Moniker

 What's in a name? In the current culture of hyper political correctness, or "wokeness," where any kind of name or phrase that is deemed inappropriate by today's standards is destined to be replaced, the team formally known as the Cleveland Indians have now chosen their new identity as the "Guardians." A new name so polarizing, it has gotten ripped by fans across the country for its blandness. And it is bland, and boring. 

 

Not that the name Guardians is a bad name.  It isn't.  It would be great for say a professional football team. But for a baseball team? It feels kinda off. 

And Cleveland owner Paul Dolan said that the India...errr...Guardians chose their new name over more popular choices like "Spiders" because they wanted to pay homage to the two monolithic, Greco-Roman-like statues that adorn the Hope Memorial Bridge just outside the stadium. These statues are known as the Guardians of Traffic. 

That's right the Cleveland baseball team mascot is a guardian of ... traffic. Yep. When in a jam, call the Guardians! (I couldn't help it,) Not exactly scintillating. 

Had they chosen Spiders at least it would have made a historical context since the original Cleveland Spiders were one of the first professional baseball teams in the city of Cleveland. It would have been a nice homage to the past. 

Instead it will be Guardians. 

Their logo looks like a cross between the type-face of the Tennessee Titans with its Greek-inspired typeface on the G and C, and the Anaheim Angles with the wings attached to the letter G, of course echoing both the Guardian statutes in Cleveland, but also the Greek god Mercury.

And if you look at sports history, team names are a subjective thing. Some names people like, others they don't. 

Case in point the Mets adopted their monikor wasn't exactly popular when it was first chosen; in fact it went to a vote before ownership settled on it. Do you believe the Mets were almost called the Jets? It's true. 

How about the Kansas City Royals? They were named after Missouri's billion dollar livestock industry. It had nothing to do with royalty. It was probably an odd choice at first, but it sticks today. 

Baltimore Orioles? They were once the St. Louis Browns before moving to Baltimore. You mean they were almost the Baltimore Browns before the Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore to become the Ravens? Yep. 

Names are subjective. They may seem silly, but eventually they work and stick. Eventually we'll get used to Guardians as weird as it sounds right now.

 

Jets Assistant Gregg Knapp Passes Away from Injuries Sustained in Bike Accident

 Jets Assistant Coach and Passing Game Coordinator Greg Knapp had worked with a lot of the league's top quarterbacks throughout his 25-year career. From Steve Young to Peyton Manning. Matt Ryan, Matt Schuabb and Michael Vick. He's coached a lot of them. 

And he was going to coach the Jets new rookie quarterback Zach Wilson this season.

  Unfortunately, after Knapp sustained life threatening injuries in a horrible bicycle accident in which a car swerved into the bike lane, Knapp lost his battle. He passed away Thursday afternoon according to reports. 

He is survived by his wife, three daughters, brother and mother. 

The shocking news sent shock-waves throughout the league as teams and coworkers with whom Knapp worked with poured in throughout the day. 

"He was a tremendous football coach who achieved at the highest level of our game, but more importantly he was a wonderful person who had the love, admiration and respect of those who were blessed to work with him," wrote Falcons owner Arthur Blank. 

Jets owner Woody Johnson added, "In his short time with us, Greg had an immediate influence on those who had the pleasure of spending the smallest amount of time with him. His legacy is not only in working some of the brightest quarterbacks the league has ever seen, but the countless others across this world he has had an indelibly positive influence on." 

According to ESPN Jets beat writer Rich Cimini, Knapp was hired to be the voice of the quarterback room for the Jets this season. It is unclear who will take the mantle of passing coordinator at this point, but the facts are Knapp will be dearly missed. 

Jets Ink Rookie Guard Vera-Tucker, Wilson and Moore Unsigned as Camp Nears

 The New York Jets put pen to paper on one of their top draft picks from April's draft, signing left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker to a four-year deal worth $15.885 million, with a $8.9 million signing bonus and a fifth-year team option according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. 

With Vera-Tucker signed, sealed and delivered the attention now goes toward quarterback Zach Wilson and wide receiver Elijah Moore, both of whom have yet to sign their rookie deals. Of course with rookie contracts the way they are now, there is not much a player can do to negotiate years and dollars, since those figures are generally set. However contract language usually plays a role here. 

Three years ago the Jets went through a similar thing with Sam Darnold, not signing him until a few days into training camp his rookie year.

We'll see if both players get deals done in the coming days are rookies are reporting to camp around the NFL.

Jets assistant Battling Life Threatening Injuries After Bike Accident

 New York Jets passing game coordinator Greg Knapp is said to be "battling life threatening" injuries he sustained in a bicycling accident. 

According to reports, Knapp was on his bike when he was struck by a motorist. The driver of the car is reportedly cooperating with police. 

The Jets, Head Coach Robert Saleh and the Knapp family put out statements throughout the day offering prayers and encouragement. 

Knapp was brought in by Saleh and GM Joe Douglas to work with the Jets young quarterbacks, especially presumed starter, rookie Zach Wilson. 

Knapp has a long history of working with quarterbacks in West Coast systems like Steve Young, Matt Ryan and Peyton Manning in Manning's final season in Denver. 

See full story ...

Rain, Homers Help Yankees to Finally Beat Red Sox

 YANKEES 3 - RED SOX 1 

The Yankees finally have a crooked number in the "win" column against the Boston Red Sox this season. 

Behind a pair of solo homers by Gary Sanchez and Gleyber Torres, the Yankees finally beat the Sox 3-1 at a rain-soaked Yankee Stadium on Saturday night. 

The game was called after six innings due to the heavy rains and strong thunderstorms in the area. At least the Yankees learned something from the last time they waited out a rainstorm with a lead (i.e. their implosion against the Angels a few weeks ago). 

Gerrit Cole was magnificent for the Yankees. He held the Red Sox to a single run on five hits over six innings of work, while stirking out 11. After a rough June, Cole has given up only one earned run in his last two starts, or 15 innings of work. 

The headline however coming out of Saturday's game had to be the incident that occurred in left field when a fan tried to drill Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo with one of the home run balls. Verdugo took issue with it and starting yelling up at the fans and had to be restrained. Alex Cora pulled all of his players off the field and play had to be halted. 

 

This is the second time this week a fan/player incident has occurred at a baseball game. Earlier this week in Little Falls, New Jersey players from the New Jersey Jackals and Sussex County Miners went into the stands after a fan allegedly threw beer onto a Miners player in the visiting dugout. 

Clearly there are a lot of tensions in the nation right now, but the wild behavior between fans and players is getting out of hand. No player should be the target of fans throwing stuff onto the field. And players have no reason to go into the stands. 

Mets Bullpen Implodes, Blows 6-0 Lead as Bucs Party

 PIRATES 9 - METS 7 

Who knew that the kryptonite of the 2021 Mets would be the worst team in the National League. The WORST TEAM!! 

The Mets held a 6-0 lead on the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday, and looked well on their way to notching an important victory that would maintain their three game lead in the NL East. Instead the bullpen imploded, specifically the combination of Seth Lugo and Edwin Diaz, and the Mets lost 9-7. 

Lugo didn't have it at all, and it was a question as to why manager Luis Rojas waited so long before removing him, especially if he was planning to bring in Aaron Loup to finish the inning as he would have to later. 

Lugo gave up five runs in 2/3 of inning pitched in the eighth inning, highlighted by Wilmer Difo's grand slam homer that widdled the Mets lead down to 6-5. 

Once Lugo gave up the three-run bomb, you could feel the air come out of the Mets sails. The Pirates meanwhile had renewed life, and all they had to do was stage one more comeback against Edwin Diaz, the same Edwin Diaz they tagged for multiple runs last Sunday. 

And low and behold we sat in horror in the ninth inning as Diaz displayed no command, hitting the first batter he faced, and walking the next. Later he gave up an infield single to John Nogowski that was really the fault of Jonthan Villar who forgot where the runners were. Suddenly bases loaded and one out. 

 

Somehow Diaz found a way to strikeout Gregory Polanco looking for the second out on a 3-2 pitch that hit the corner, but he wouldn't be so lucky with catcher Jacob Stallings. Stalling took the first pitch he saw from Diaz, lifted it deep to left field and over the wall for a game winning grand salami. 

6-0 turned into a 9-7 defeat. And the Mets suddenly with two of their most important players on the IL, lost a game they couldn't afford to lose in brutal fashion. The defeat effectively erased what was a triumphant return from the IL by JD Davis, who went 3-for-4 with a pair of homers for the Mets. Had the Mets won, Davis would have been the story. Now the focus turns to a ravaged bullpen that can't get anyone out. 

Think the Mets need to make a deal for some pitching in the next two weeks? You betcha.

Both deGrom and Lindor Hit Injury List for Mets

 This isn't the kind of news the Mets wanted to hear when the reconvened in Pittsburgh to start the second half of the season. 

Both Francisco Lindor and Jacob deGrom are on the injury list. deGrom who was scheduled to pitch Monday in Cincinnati was diagnosed Saturday with right forearm tightness. An MRI revealed no structural damage. There is no consideration of when deGrom will be available next. 

The forearm injury is the latest in a string of injuries that have bothered the two-time Cy Young Award winner this season. He already missed an outing in early May when he was dealing with a right lat muscle, and didn't pitch again until May 25. He also spent time on the IL with tightness in his side. 

In June he left a start against San Diego because of flexor tendonitis in his right arm, and later came out of a game against the Cubs after three inning after experiencing similar arm issues. 

This is not a good situation the Mets find themselves in with deGrom.  He is the best in the business and they need him to be 100 percent healthy for the stretch drive. There was already concern that he has been throwing too hard this year, resulting in this series of setbacks. 

Meanwhile Lindor has hit the 10-day IL after straining his right oblique during the Mets 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Friday night. Oblique's can be tricky, so don't expect to see Lindor back for a while.  According to reports it's a grade-2 Oblique strain.

It's been a rough season for the former All Star shortstop. He has struggled mightily all year, hitting at .228 with 11 homers and 36 RBI. 

If the Mets should lose lindor for a long stretch of time, which is very possible, they have no choice but the swing a deal for a bat. 

The Mets were in desperate need for a bat to add to the lineup and a starting pitcher. Those needs get elevated now with the losses of these two huge keys to the Mets season.

Yankees Suffer COVID Outbreak, Red Sox Game Postponed

 Just when you thought it was safe to be in a crowd, COVID-19 has reared its ugly head again, this time leading to the postponement of the opener of a four-game series between the Yankees and Red Sox. The rest of the series at this point is still up in the air. 

According to multiple reports, three Yankees have tested positive. Those players according to ESPN are Jonathan Loaisiga, Nestor Cortes Jr. and Wandy Peralta. 

Aaron Judge, Kyle Higashioka and Gio Urshela are under COVID-19 protocols as tests are awaiting those three. 

GM Brian Cashman says that the three players who did test positive got the virus despite being vaccinated. 

"We'll wait now for the lab tests to come back, which I am assuming is going to be positive, as well," Cashman said. If that is the case it would increase the number of positive cases to six. 

Judge was at the All Star Game this week, so now the entire sport sits on the edge of its collective seat to see what his test reveals. The Red Sox have already asked its All Stars to undergo testing. 

The revelation is a frightening one. While Cashman said the players infected were vaccinated and should be ok, it shows that nothing is foolproof. And still there are a large number players, as well as citizens in this country who are still not vaccinated; a sad revelation as the DELTA variant and DELTA Plus variant are causing cases to climb once again. About 23 of the 30 clubs have reached a vaccination rate of 85 percent. 

According to ESPN, the Red Sox are not one of those 23 teams. 

What will happen to the rest of this series? Will it be played on schedule? Will it be pushed back? That is a huge question. MLB had to move a total of 45 games last year during the height of the pandemic. Considering this latest outbreak, and considering teams are allowing fans, both vaccinated and un-vaccinated, into their ballparks this year -- one has to wonder how long before restrictions return.  

This is a question that not only MLB has to answer, but local, state and federal leaders as well.

Yankees Implosion in Houston Emblematic of Season

 ASTROS 8 - YANKEES 7 

Just when it looked like the Yankees were on their way to start digging out of the hole they spent the better part of 3-1/2 months buried themselves in, the Astros decided to throw the dirt right back on them. And of course, the hero at the end of the day for Houston was none other than Jose Altuve. 

 

The Yankees had a 7-2 lead. They were on their way to an impressive sweep of the first place Astros in Houston, after impressive 4-0 and 1-0 victories on Friday and Saturday nights. The Yankees appeared heading into the All Star Break on a head full of steam. 

Until they weren't. 

You can get on the Yankees all you want for hitting 3-for-16 with RISP and stranding 14 men on base, but the facts are they carried a 7-2 lead into the ninth inning and couldn't get the job done. 

With Aroldis Chapman basically relegated to mop up duty because the team lost faith in his abilities after he watched his ERA skyrocket the last month whenever he was called upon to shut it down, Aaron Boone put all of his eggs into the basket of Domingo German and Chad Green. Big mistake. 

German gave up two hits to start the ninth before Boone went to Green who just didn't have it. 

He gave up a two-run double to Chas McCormick, and a RBI double to Abraham Toro. Suddenly 7-2 was now 7-5. Panic was in full bloom, and the Yankees didn't even blink when it was obvious someone else needed to be pitching. 

Two batters later, and Yankee-killer Jose Altuve came up to the dish and destroyed the second pitch he saw for a three-run homer to left. He even ripped his shirt off this time heading for home as a direct shot at the Yankees who believed Altuve was wired up when he had a similar moment against Chapman two years ago in the playoffs. 

There was no sweep. Just another tough reminder that this Yankees team is flawed and overall not very good as the break hits.

Mets Limp into All Star Break After collapse vs. Pirates

 PIRATES 6 - METS 5 

This is not the way the Mets wanted to go into the All Star Break. When the Mets saw they had the Pittsburgh Pirates for four games at Citi Field to precede the halfway point of the season, one could only help but think the Mets had a chance to roll into the break. 

Three wins? Maybe a four-game sweep?

2-2? To the lowly Pirates? Now that is inexcusable. And the way the Mets lost on Sunday was equally inexcusable. 

A five-run lead, thanks to home runs by Fransisco Lindor and Michael Conforto in the bottom of the first inning was not enough. Not enough when the Mets decided instead of pitching Jacob deGrom on short rest, opting to go with a bullpen game. As a result, the already overworked pen got lit up like a Christmas tree against Pittsburgh's young stars. 

Rodolfo Castro and Michael Perez both went yard off of Jared Eickhoff in the top of the fifth. Then Castro decided to do it again, this time crushing a pitch from Jeyrus Familia the opposite way to left for a two-run homer that cut the Mets lead to 5-4. 

Then after Miguel Castro struggled to get out of the eighth inning, Luis Rojas rolled the dice and brought in his closer Edwin Diaz into the game for a five-out save. Diaz walked  Rodolfo Castro to load the bases and worked extra hard to strikeout both Michael Perez and Ke'Bryan Hayes to get out of the inning. It was no surprise that come the ninth inning he had nothing left. 

Adam Fraizer hit a hard liner to left for the first out. Then Kevin Newman doubled and moved over to third on a ground out. Facing their last out, John Nogowski singled up the middle, scoring the game-tying run. Two batters later Wilmer Difo reached on an infield single that brought in the lead run to give the Pirates a 6-5 advantage. Diaz was finally done, but the facts are he should have never been allowed to pitch two innings to begin with. That is on the manager. 

As a result, the Mets turned what should have been an easy victory, a waltz to the All Star Break, turned into the Mets' worst nightmare. If that is a preview of coming attractions of the second half, the Mets are in big trouble. They can't continue to burn the bullpen the way they do if they hope to challenge for a World Series. Losing games like this to the Pirates is disturbing enough. 

Open Mike Vlog: Mets Make Amazin' Statement in Subway Series

 Check out Michael Cohen's take on the Mets Subway Series victory over the Yankees this past weekend. It was a huge series win for the Amazin's who maintain their lead in the NL East, while the Yankees continue their descent into the baseball abyss -- ten games out of first place in the AL East, and with an uncertain future for the manager and all involved. 

Mets Take Subway Series with Dramatic Victory in First Game of Double-header

METS 10 - YANKEES 5 - Game 1 

YANKEES 4 - METS 2 - Game 2 

For the Mets it was easily one of the best victories of the season. For the Yankees it was one of their worst; heck one could argue the Yanks suffered two of the worst losses of their season in the same week on the same home-stand. 

In what was a wild opening game of the day-night double-header, the Mets stormed back twice, once from 4-1 down, and again from 5-4 to stun the Yankees and drop them to an even .500 at 41-41, as once again Aroldis Chapman imploded on the hill for the Bombers. 

There was so much to take away from the first game. 

For starters, the Mets had numerous opportunities early in the ball game to knock Gerrit Cole out, but failed to do so. In the top of the 2nd, with the Mets leading 1-0, the umpires initially ruled that Jeff McNeil was out at first, but replay proved that he was indeed safe. The call was reversed, but the Mets could't move him as Billy McKinney struck out and Tomas Nido lined out to right. 

Then in the top of the third, after the Yankees scratched out three runs to take a 3-1 advantage, the Mets got Luis Guillorme on base with an infield single, and it appeared that Brandon Nimmo beat out Luke Voit at first for a single of his own, but he was called out. The umpires did not reverse that call that time,  which proved to be an inning killer for the Amazin's. 

Still, the Mets hung around. In the top of the fourth, Cole lose Michael Conforto to a walk after getting ahead of him with a 1-2 count. McNeil singled, and McKinney walked. That set the table for Nido with the bases full, and the Mets back-up catcher slapped a single to right to plate a run, cutting the Yankees lead to 4-2. 

Two batters later, Nimmo ripped a single to right-center to cut the deficit to 4-3, and chase Cole out of the game. 

Cole lasted only 3.1 innings for the Yankees, allowing four runs on six hits. 

With Jonathan Loasiga on the hill in relief of Cole, Francisco Lindor slapped a single to right, driving in McKinney with the tying run. 

And it felt for a while like all the Mets best efforts would be for not, especially after Marcus Stroman's wild pitch brought in D.J. LeMahieu with the go-ahead run in the fifth, and Loasiga settled into a nice grove for the Yankees on the hill. 

Then Chapman came in and the bottom fell out. He left a hanger over the plate that Pete Alonso corked over the left field wall into the Mets bullpen to tie the game at five. Alonso pumped his fists in the air, as Chapman wrapped his arms around his head in disgust. 

It didn't get any better for the embattled closer who hit Conforto and walked McNeil before Aaron Boone removed him from the game to a chorus of boos. 

The Mets had life. 

Kevin Pillar singled off Lucas Luetge to get the party started. Then Jose Peraza hit one deep to left that a Mets fan leaned over the wall and caught resulting in a ground-rule double and two runs for the Mets to take a 7-5 lead. 

Brandon Nimmo then got that fan off the hook when he doubled to left to give the Mets a 9-5 lead. Lindor capped off the stunning Mets rally with a RBI single to plate Nimmo to push the Mets lead to 10-5.  

The win gave the Mets the series, and sent the Yankees back into the clubhouse pondering their problems. They had both Cole and Chapman and couldn't get the job done. 

In the nightcap, the Yankees rode the left arm of Nestor Cortes and reliever Chad Green to stop the Mets from pulling off a series sweep in the Bronx. 

Cortes was brilliant, holding the Mets to just two hits over 3.1 innings, but Aaron Boone decided to take him out of the game in the fourth for Darren O'Day, and that almost blew up in his face when Alonso cracked a two-run shot to right that cut the Yankees lead to 3-2. 

On the flipside, Corey Oswalt struggled in a bullpen outing for the Mets, serving up a three-run homer to Gio Urshela in the second inning. While he settled down a bit after that, the Mets just couldn't do anything offensively. 

Green shut the Mets down in the final three innings of the game as Chapman never got into the ballgame, an obvious choice by the Yankees who needed the win to get back over .500. 

Even with the loss in the nightcap, the Mets have to feel good about taking two-of-three from their crosstown rivals in a critical series for both at this juncture of the season.

Nimmo Returns as Mets Pound Yankees

 METS 8 - YANKEES 3

Brandon Nimmo hadn't played in a Major League game in 60 days after suffering what turned out to be a small ligament tear in his left index finger. While the Mets have certainly held their own since Nimmo last played in a game May 2, they were more than happy to have him back in the lineup on Saturday against the Yankees in the first game of the Subway Series. 

 Nimmo had three hits and scored two runs as the Mets pounded the Yankees 8-3. 

Nimmo's infield single in the top of the fifth helped jump start a three-run rally for the Amazin's. After Nimmo's single, Francisco Lindor singled to shallow center as the ball dropped in front of Brett Gardner who played too deep on the ball. A batter later, Dom Smith singled to center, driving in Nimmo with the game's first run. 

After a Pete Alonso walk chased Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery from the game, James McCann slashed a base hit to center to keep the conga line moving; Lindor scored. The Mets lead increased to 2-0. Smith would later score on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.

An inning later, Nimmo was in the center of it again, as one of three Mets' hitters to single to open the top of the sixth to load the bases for Lindor, who would draw a run-scoring walk. Dom Smith followed with a game-breaking two-run double to left as Jose Peraza and Nimmo scored to make it 6-0. 

Kevin Pillar's two-run single off Michael King later in the frame gave New York an 8-0 advantage. 

On the hill Taijuan Walker pitched brilliantly, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth before Aaron Judge it a solo shot that cut the Mets lead to 8-1. Walker finished the day allowing only two runs on two hits over 5.2 innings of work. He is now 7-3 with 2.44 ERA. 

 

On the flip side, Montgomery struggled. He got himself in and out of a several jams in the first and third innings, but couldn't survive the fifth inning. He was chargned with three runs on six hits over 4.1 innings to take the loss. The Yankees bullpen was equally miserable for New York with Justin Wilson getting charged for five runs. 

Both teams were heading in opposite directions coming into the series, and they sure looked like it on Saturday. The Mets are now six games over .500 while the Bronx Bombers are now only a game over the .500 mark at 41-40. 

The Subway Series continues tomorrow with a day-night double-header.

Zach Wilson Offered to Pay His Mom to Get off Social Media? Is this a Distraction?

For a better part of the past five months the New York Jets have been the media darlings of the off-season. For a franchise that never seems to get anything right, this off-season has been nothing but successful (at least on paper). 

- They hired a new head coach that players can't wait to play for. 

- They drafted a new quarterback in BYU standout Zach Wilson after jettisoning Sam Darnold to Carolina.  

- They revamped the offensive line with the drafting of Alijah-Vera Tucker to anchor left guard and the recent signing of ex-Washington lineman Morgan Moses to anchor right tackle. 

- Joe Douglas added speed and depth to the wide receiver room with the signing of Corey Davis, drafting of Elijah Moore, and return of Jamison Crowder. 

- They had a mini-camp, both voluntary and mandatory that had max attendance. 

- They even put out a YouTube direct mini-series called "FLIGHT 2021" that documented this past off-season to huge critical acclaim.

It almost feels too good to be true. Just four weeks before football season truly begins with the opening of training camp, the Jets are entering 2021 in good spirits. Then this story exploded online about Zach Wilson trying to pay his mother to get off Instagram, after she had been criticized for past social media posts, including one where she called officials at Disney World "maskholes."

"People out there think I embarrass my son -- has he asked me to take down my social media? He has before. And he says 'Mom, if its about money, I'll give you money.' I said, 'Zach, I don't need your money," Zach's mother Lisa is quoted as saying. The full rant can be seen retweeted on Dov Klienman's Twitter. 

Is Lisa Wilson putting herself in a position to become a distraction to her son in his rookie season? It's not a problem now. But were she to rant about a poor performance, or a teammate dropping a pass, or something that would cause the New York press to create a story, it could be. Zach is correct in asking her to lay low on the social media front. Let's hope by August and September we hear a lot less of Lisa Wilson and more about how Zach develops in his first year as a quarterback.