COHEN'S CORNER SPORTS

 48 hours after Javier Baez admitted that a "thumbs down" gesture among he and his Mets' teammates was directed at the fans for booing them, Baez and Francisco Lindor publicly apologized -- even though it felt half-assed.  Lindor struggled to find a way to spin reasons why the thumbs down was used as a target for the fans, stuttering and pausing to explain that the thumbs down to him resembles the "adversity" the team has gone through this year.  As for Baez all he said was he "didn't mean to offend anyone."  Too late bud.  What's worse was the tone-deaf response from manager Luis Rojas and owner Steve Cohen. Rojas said that the matter was handled in house, players are being held "accountable," adding that it was a "teachable moment" the exact "kick the can down the road" words Cohen used to describe the situation when pressed by the New York Post the other day.  To make matters worse, Cohen -- who has become synon...

 There is an old saying that the customer is always right.  And in the case of Mets fans, they don't deserve to be kicked in the dirt by their own players who thought it was a good idea to start a protest of the fans by gesturing thumbs down whenever the crowd started cheering for something positive. Makes sense? No. Neither to us.  According to multiple reports, Javier Baez, in his post game press conference explained "It just feels bad ... when I strike out and get booed. It doesn't really get to me, but I want to let them know that when we're successful, we're going to do the same thing to let them know how it feels."  Huh? How can you be that sensitive? Doesn't Baez, or Lindor, or Kevin Pillar who was in the midst of doing this, understand that fans are going to boo when the team isn't playing well? Fans reserve the right (rightly or wrongly) to cheer and boo whenever they want.  Yes, we understand that players are people. They want to do well. The...

 Needing to bolster their pass rush before the season opener in two weeks, the Jets acquired former first round pick Shaq Lawson from the Houston Texans for a sixth round pick .  Lawson never took a regular season snap for the Texans, who initially acquired him from the Miami Dolphins in a trade back in March.  The Texans were trying to shed payroll, and Lawson was available. In a lot of ways Lawson has been a slight disappointment in his NFL career, bouncing around from the Bills to the Dolphins and Texans. The most sacks he's had in a season is 6.5 with Miami last year.  Still the Jets are in dire straits for a pass rusher after Carl Lawson (no relation to Shaq) was lost for the season with a torn Achillies Tendon. By adding Shaq Lawson (again, no relation to Carl), the Jets can head into opening day knowing they can put some heat on their old quarterback Sam Darnold when they visit Carolina on September 12.  Not to mention the Jets aren't giving up a whole he...

 NATIONALS 2 - METS 1  We all know the Mets season is all but over at this rate, but can this offense figure things out?  The Mets were once again punch-less, managing only four hits against the scraps of the Washington Nationals. The Mets were so putrid offensively that they were 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position and left only three men on base. They couldn't get anyone on against the likes of Paola Espino and company.  To make matters worse, the Mets had the heart of their order up in the bottom of the ninth inning and did absolutely nothing with it.  Pete Alonso walked, Francisco Lindor grounded into a fielder's choice, and Javier Baez grounded into a double play. Ball Game over.  Three All Star players, and nothing as a result.  New York has now lost 12 of its last 14, and they look like a team completely and totally lost in all facets of the game. The month of August where the Mets are 6-19 in, can't end sooner for this disaster of a team i...

JETS 31 - EAGLES 31  An evening that started off in a torrential downpour, ended deadlocked in a tie as the Jets wrapped up their preseason schedule with a 31-31 tie with the Philadelphia Eagles.  Zach Wilson and most of the starters did not play in this game; neither did Jalen Hurts and company for Philadelphia. Good idea, considering it was the final preseason tilt before the regular season begins in a little over two weeks.  Instead what fans got was a battle of backups. Philadelphia built a 24-10 lead behind ex-Jet Joe Flacco's two touchdown passes, but New York crept back into the game on a touchdown run by Ty Johnson in the third quarter that cut it it 24-17, and a James Morgan touchdown pass to Kenny Yeboah that made it a one-point game at 24-23.  It looked as though the Jets were well on their way to a loss when tight end Daniel Brown fumbled a pass by Morgan into the hands of Michael Jaquet, who ran it back into the endzone for a touchdown with 1:15 to play....

 GIANTS 3 - METS 2  Another night, another one-run loss for the New York Mets.  It has become a common occurrence for New York during a stretch of games we all knew were going to be incredibly difficult. In 13 games against the LA Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, the Mets were 2-11.  2-11!!!  In eight of those losses, the Mets lost by two-runs or less, meaning that each and every single night has been more excruciating than the night before. Take the past two games for example.  The Mets had every chance to do something against the Giants on Wednesday, but couldn't do it. They had the bases loaded twice, and managed only one run, only because of a Kris Bryant throwing error at third on a Pete Alonso grounder.   Alonso, by the way, the man who tried to do his best Kevin Bacon in Animal House impression last week when the Mets were in the midst of losing to San Francisco and LA on the road,  grounded out twice in that contest, including with t...

  YANKEES 7 - TWINS 1  Alexander Velazquez was just a kid from the Bronx, who loved his Yankees. Now the 27-year old is making a child's dream come true: his own, as a member of the Yankees.  Since getting the call up a couple weeks ago, it has been a whirlwind for Velazquez, but on Saturday his Bronx story took center stage when he launched his first Yankee Stadium home run into the seats in right. His family was scene visibly emotional in the stands as Velazquez rounded third for home.  While the homer only added to another Yankees' onslaught over the Minnesota Twins, it was another moment where the young Kid from the Bronx delivered in a bid spot. And speaking of delivering in a big spot, how about Luke Voit? Coming off a four hit performance on Friday night, Voit was 2-for-4 with a two-run double in the  fifth inning that blew the game wide open.  Tyler Wade and Giancarlo Stanton also contributed to the victory with RBI base hits.  All of this went...

 JETS 23 - PACKERS 14  Zach Wilson took a major step forward in his development with a very solid effort against the Green Bay Packers, Saturday in New York's 23-14 victory.  Wilson was efficient and accurate once again for Gang Green, completing nine of 11 passes for 128 yards, two touchdowns and a perfect quarterback rating of 154.7. It was exactly what the Jets had hoped for from Wilson as opening day is a little over three weeks away.  In a week where the Jets have been hit by negative headlines, particularly on the injury front with regards to the season ending loss to Carl Lawson, Wilson's effort was one of a few positive takeaways for the Jets on Saturday.  One thing that became very apparent was the connection that Wilson is developing with veteran receiver Corey Davis. Davis caught four passes for 70 yards from Wilson, including a huge 24-yard completion on third and eight on a drive that led to a Jets field goal.  However it was the two touchdowns...

 YANKEES 7 - TWINS 5  It got a little hairy late, but the Yankees held on to beat the Minnesota Twins 7-5 to secure their seventh straight victory, all while increasing their lead over Oakland for the top wild card slot to one whole game.  Luke Voit, who had campaigned through the media for more playing time got just that, and leading off for that matter. Voit's two run double in the third inning, plated Tyler Wade and Kyle Higashioka to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead. They would not look back.  After a Anthony Rizzo sac fly later in the third inning made it 4-0, Higashioka's two-run bomb to left put the Yankees up 6-0.  For a while Jamison Tallion was cruising for the Yankees. He held the Twins scoreless on one hit through five innings, but couldn't get out of the sixth when he allowed three runs to score as Minnesota crept back into the game.  The Twins would get as close as 6-4 on a Jorge Polanco  RBI single in the eighth inning before Giancarlo Stanto...

 It has not been a good week so far for the New York Jets up in Green Bay.  On the second and final day of joint practice between the Jets and Packers before their preseason clash on Saturday afternoon, Jets defensive end Carl Lawson ruptured his left achillies tendon. He is done for the season.  Lawson injured his leg during a red zone period between the two teams according to ESPN's Rich Cimini .  This is a huge loss for the Jets, who signed Lawson as their premiere pass rusher this past off-season via free agency.  New York signed Lawson to a three-year $45 million deal, which at the time was viewed as a gamble considering Lawson had never before been a top flight pass rusher in his time with the Cincinnati Bengals. However, Lawson was reportedly having a very good camp this summer, and expectations were sky high for the 26-year old out of Auburn, who was featured extensively in the franchise's "One Jets Drive" season premiere last week.   Lawson i...

 YANKEES 5 - RED SOX 2  The sizzling New York Yankees completed a three game sweep of the Boston Red Sox with a dominating 5-2 win over Boston at the Stadium. The victory caps off an incredible two days that saw the Yankees catch and pass the Red Sox for the lead in the AL Wild Card race.  To think back on July 5 the Yankees were 10.5 games behind Boston in the standings. It looked like New York was well on their way to a horrible second half. Aaron Boone would be fired. Brian Cashman's job at stake. Instead New York has gone 27-11 since their 10-5 loss to the Mets in the first game a double-header back on July 4.  This team is on fire, even if there is a clubhouse schism in the works between Luke Voit and Anthony Rizzo.  Voit has hit .280 with a pair of homers and seven runs driven in over the past week. His solo shot in Tuesday's nightcap of a double header spearheaded the Yankees 2-0 victory. After the game he said he wanted to play more often, acknowledging ...

 METS 6 - GIANTS 2 - 12 innings  The Mets have had a miserable time of things since the All Star Break. They were failed by a front office that wasn't aggressive at the trade deadline, failed by injuries that keep propping up, and failed by an offense that can't hit consistently.  On Wednesday morning, with the season hitting the skids amid a five-game losing streak against the Giants and Dodgers combined, owner Steve Cohen put out a missive on Twitter blasting his players. "It's hard to understand how professional hitters can be this unproductive. The best teams have a more disciplined approach. The slugging and OPS numbers don't lie."  While Cohen isn't totally wrong, the Mets have been one of the worst offensive teams in baseball this year, it is kinda tasteless for the owner to just randomly throw his entire team under the bus, especially in a season where he has constantly tweeted and sounded more like a fan than a guy in charge of a Major League fran...

 YANKEES 5 - RED SOX 3  They may have another game to play later this evening, but the miracle Yankees continue to make their case for a postseason ticket.  Behind a two-run single by Luke Voit in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Yankees stunned their rivals, the Boston Red Sox, 5-3.  Voit's single was part of a three-run rally by New York in the fifth inning that included a RBI single by Giancarlo Stanton.  The Yankees would hold on for dear life in the top of the seventh when Jonathan Loasiga lost his command and found himself in a bases loaded jam with no one out after singles by Kyle Schwarber, Christian Vasquez and Alex Verdugo.  Loasiga came back to jam Travis Shaw on a hard line-out to Brett Gardner in left field that was not deep enough to drive Schwarber in from third. Next, after falling behind 2-0 to Kike Hernandez, Loasiga found a way to work the count to 3-2 before striking Hernandez swinging for the second out. Finally, Loasiga struck out H...

 JETS 12 - GIANTS 7  So much for the doubters. After getting grilled by the New York media and Jets fans for his poor performances in last week's Green-n-White scrimmage, Zach Wilson turned out an impressive debut in his first game action as the Jets starting quarterback, Saturday night against the Giants.  While it wasn't flashy, Wilson was poised, accurate and and efficient in Gang Green's 12-7 victory.  Over two series, Wilson was 6-of-9 for 63 yards, and led the Jets to a field goal and a 3-0 lead they would hold for almost three whole quarters.  He helped the Jets convert three huge third downs with precise throws to Corey Davis, Keelan Cole and Jamison Crowder. The Jets offensive line, and the running combo of Ty Johnson and Michael Carter gashed the Giants for a grand total of 55 yards on the ground. It was an impressive showing for an offense that kept it fairly close to the vest, especially with speedy wide receiver Elijah Moore out of action.  Def...

 WHITE SOX 9 - YANKEES 8  It had all the earmarks of one of the greatest baseball events we have seen in a long time, and it lived up to the billing.  A moment 32 years in the making when the film Field of Dreams came out in theaters and gave us the goosebumps, the tears and the joy of "playing a catch." A movie that -- still to this day -- rings true in the ethos and meaning of the sport of baseball -- a game passed down over the generations.  Thursday's Field of Dreams Game between the Yankees and White Sox had all the pageantry and feel of a major event. For a non-World Series game, or non-All Star Game, this was an event that felt as big if not bigger than any of those. And in many ways it was.  It was a huge night for Major League Baseball. It was a chance for the sport to connect its past and present in the most intimate of ways, and they did so with flying colors.  It all started with Kevin Costner walking through the cornfield and onto the baseball ...

 PHILLIES 3 - METS 0  The Mets were once in first place, 4.5 games ahead of the Phillies. Now they are in third place, 2.5 games out.  The season is spiraling out of control, and there seems to be no end in sight. The Mets were lifeless and listless on Sunday against the Phillies, and Zach Wheeler, who carried a one-hitter into the ninth inning.  A team that has struggled to score runs all season managed only five runs in the three games over the weekend, and there is reason to believe -- as the schedule gets tougher that this season is all but over.  Wheeler never broke a sweat against his former team. The Mets were 0-for-3 with RISP, as he fanned 11 and walked only one.  Javier Baez, the July 31 trade deadline piece the Mets added was 0-for-2. His average dipped below .181 since joining the Mets.  Pete Alonso who struck out swinging last night with the tying runs aboard, was 0-for-4 on Sunday with two strikeouts. It was pathetic to watch....

 It has been a season of contrasts between the Yankees and Mets this season.  For more than half the season, the Mets appeared to be the team destined for October baseball. They had the best pitcher in the game in Jacob deGrom. Marcus Stroman and Taijuan Walker were worthy number 2 and 3 starters behind deGrom. And oh, by the way, the Mets had Carlos Carrasco and Noah Syndergaard coming back soon enough.  While the Mets weren't a consistent offensive force, they fought back in games, and you never got the feeling they were ever out of a ballgame.  A true sign of a team playing for October.  They took four of seven from the Padres; took two of three from the Yankees and Brewers, and had outlasted both the Phillies and Braves in the first half. All was looking 'A-ok'.  The Yankees on the other hand were a mess. A lineup that was too right-handed heavy, and loaded with hitters struggling to hit over .220 let alone .250, the Yankees were a shell of the term "Br...

 When Steven Cohen bought the New York Mets last fall, he did so with full adulation from a Mets fans base beaten down by the buffoonery and penny-pinching ways of Cohen's predecessors, Fred and Jeff Wilpon.  When it came to free agent follies, missteps in player health, mistakes at the deadline, and otherwise one baffling decision after another the Wilpon's were always -- seemingly -- at the center of it.  Now for the really the first time, Steve Cohen is facing his first REAL crisis as owner of the New York Mets. And it didn't take long.  While he quickly put out his first fire when he diligently fired disgraced former General Manager-for-a minute Jared Porter after allegations of sexual abuse against female journalists was revealed last winter, Cohen now faces another problem: working around an incompetent front office.  The New York Mets didn't sign their first round pick, former Vanderbilt phenom Kumar Rocker after the team expressed concerns over the hea...

 Anthony Rizzo was already an established superstar before he ever donned Yankee pinstripes. A four time Gold Glover, All Star and World Series Champion with the Chicago Cubs, Rizzo has caught fire since his trade to New York last Thursday.  One of two powerful left-handed bats that the Yankees obtained before the trade deadline, Rizzo is quickly becoming a fan favorite after pounding out five hits-in-nine at bats, with two homers and three RBI. One could argue easily that Rizzo's efforts over the weekend spurred the Yankees to a sweep of the Miami Marlins down in South Beach.  Heck, Rizzo's efforts certainly dulled the lackluster efforts by Joey Gallo who carried his 2-for-30 slump with him from the Texas Rangers. Gallo is 1-for-12 since donning pinstripes this weekend.  Had Brian Cashman not obtained Rizzo at the deadline, we almost certainly would have heard nothing but anger from Yankees fans over Gallo's efforts. What would one expect from a guy who is a career ...