And with the exception of that championship run in 2006, Perez with the huge three-year $36 million contract, granted from then GM Omar Minaya, was a huge bust.  The control was gone, velocity of the fastball did not exist and Perez became an albatross to an organization obviously in the revamping process.

Simply put “Ollie”, as he was known worked his way out the door. That last game of the season at Citi Field in early October should have been the determining factor. Perez came out of the bullpen in an extra inning and meaningless game.  No control then that gave the Washington Nationals a win for the winter.

Except Perez remained as the transition to a new GM and manager started, and for whatever reason, possibly because Perez had that contract, Alderson gave him a chance in spring games.  Then down in Port St. Lucie Saturday he gave up back-to back home runs to two Washington National career minor leaguers.

Said Alderson, different from what was said when Castillo was released, “As I said during the winter our plan was to bring Oliver to spring training and give him a chance. After trying him as a starter and out of the bullpen, we felt that we needed to move in a different direction.”

The right direction because, no different from the Castillo situation, Perez would have heard a resounding amount of boos when the team comes home for their home opener at Citi Field against the Nationals on Friday afternoon April 9^th.

Ownership, similar to the Castillo situation approved the decision even as they struggle with financial issues and owe Perez the remaining $12 million of a three-year contract that Perez signed in 2009. Last season Perez went 0-5 with a 6.80 ERA after going 3-4 with a 6.82 ERA the year before. Perez commented before he left the Mets spring training complex, “They have me the opportunity. They were fair to me.” He said the team gave him the opportunity, “and I didn’t do anything great.”

Well at least Perez admits he was not great. The contract was not deserved and Minaya may have made him one of his reclamation projects as Perez showed he had something in 2006. And Minaya could not get the big guys that were available for free agency including CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett who went cross-town to the Yankees.

Perez had tow stints on the disabled list and made things worse by refusing to take a minor league assignment in attempts to get back to form.  “Ollie made every effort,” commented Alderson. Yeah but not enough to earn him at least a role out of the bullpen and those in the know have said that Perez believed he was a starter and not one to come out of the pen.

So for now, the Mets have relieved themselves of two headaches with Castillo and Perez gone. In the end payroll flexibility can still be an issue with the financial issues of ownership as the team continues this revamping process.

Acquired by the Mets from the Minnesota Twins on July 30, 2007, for two minor leaguers, Castillo was to then GM Omar Minaya a perfect fit for a team that had playoff aspirations. A perfect fit at second base, a position now in baseball that has become known more for a good glove rather than production at the plate.

Though Castillo had the ability to get on base and drive in runs. That is, until he came to New York during the Minaya regime. He arrived in New York at a time when the Mets did not spend their money correctly and Castillo became an abomination, a cancer in the clubhouse and on the field.

So now the Mets eat the remaining $6 million of his salary, another loss of money not wisely spent during the Minaya regime.  Castillo is also saved from hearing boos of fans at Citi Field, though that never seemed to bother him. There was a time last season when Castillo was asked if the fans got to him?

“I just play the game,” he would say in the Mets clubhouse at Citi Field. And he had little to say about the blunder that never disappeared, a ninth inning dropped ball at second in 2009 at Yankee Stadium. Alex Rodriguez hit a pop up allowing Mark Teixeira to score the winning run, and the cross-town Yankees stole a win from the Mets. Closer Francisco Rodriguez showed his frustration on the mound.

That play will always be the legacy of Castillo in a Mets uniform. Outside Yankee Stadium that Friday evening, even Yankee fans would sympathize with a Mets fan. But the Mets fan would never forgive Castillo and Alderson, the new sheriff in town, had to take the fans into consideration when making the decision.

The GM commented, “Don’t think there’s any question that there’s some linkage between the situation and a perception of the Mets that has existed at this point.”   He added, “It is something taken into account.”

And if it were not for the contract, four-years and $25 million, perhaps the release would have come sooner. The 35-year old Castillo batted .235, with no homers and 17 RBI in 247 at bats last season. Limited playing time for a lack of production, and his work ethic at times may have been questioned.

Castillo said Friday he was not given a chance to compete for the second base job this spring. The Mets were obviously going in another direction and last season used a combination of players at the position while Castillo and his salary sat on the bench.

It was an acquisition that came to late for the New York Mets. But Minaya made those mistakes and at times was questioned, which ultimately cost his job along with other failures.  At one time Castillo was that quality player with a .299 career average over 13 major league seasons, 194 doubles, 59 triples, 28 home runs, 443 RBI, and 370 stolen bases.

It just did not work for him in New York, perhaps extending his stay. And Castillo had his chance. It was his job at second, and he blew it by slacking at times and not giving that proper explanation to Mets fans after that disastrous dropped ball against the Yankees.

“Its baseball,” he would say in the visitor’s clubhouse that night at Yankee Stadium. Yeah, but this is New York and fans expect more from a $25 million dollar player. They expected a better and more valid explanation. They never got it.

Two less player decisions now for Alderson and new manager Terry Collins as the Mets put the finishing touches on this spring and get ready for 2011. Second base is still up for grabs with Luis Hernandez as the leading candidate to take over. But count on this, Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo won’t be there.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring 786@aol.com



Rodriguez took his anguish out on reporters in the clubhouse when asked “If he was ready to pitch.”  Because the Mets bullpen imploded and squandered a lead, as K-Rod with two outs in the eighth inning was not called on by manager Jerry Manuel to get a four-out save.

“I didn’t pitch,” said an angered Rodriguez. “I don’t have to talk to you guys,” as he stormed out of the clubhouse and is now known, he assaulted his father-in-law. With the bases loaded, Manuel opted to use the seldom used Manny Acosta who threw a 2-2 curve to Melvin Mora that went over the left field wall.

The grand slam for Mora, the fourth of his career and a National League leading ninth given up by Mets pitchers this season, also epitomized another night of frustration that may have also put a final dent in any hopes for a Mets postseason. The Mets failed to win back-to-back games for the 42^nd straight time, and the K-Rod incident also indicates a frustration and implosion of a season gone bad.

Acosta followed the grand slam with a walk and two singles, including a run scoring single hit by Clint Barmes to short left. “It was a slider, a good pitch,” commented Acosta about the home run ball thrown to Mora.

“I’ve been in this situation many years, and I know the pressure isn’t on me it’s on the pitcher,” said Mora about his grand slam. The former Met added, : “I love that pressure and I love that situation.”

“I knew he had a chance when he swung the ball, it was a big hit, a big win,” said Carlos Gonzalez,” ranked in the top five of the National League in average, home runs, RBI and ruins scored.

Manuel defended his reason for not using K-Rod in the situation, way before his closer had his eruption in the clubhouse and then taken into custody. “Usually when we use K-Rod the night before we wouldn’t take that shot,” he said referring to Rodriguez working the previous evening when he notched his 25^th save with a perfect ninth inning.

“We have to find a way to get that out,” he said. “We have no margin of error.” And Mets fans, many of the 30,554 who left after the bullpen implosion let Manuel know they were displeased not bringing in K-Rod by chanting a “Fire Jerry” chant. The Mets trail first place Atlanta by 9-1/2 games and need to jump over six other teams in the wild card race.

“That’s part of it,” Manuel said. “When you make decisions and they don’t work out New York will let you know.”  The Mets were limited to three hits as the offense continues to struggle. David Wright also heard it from the fans, striking out four times which tied a career high. Since the all-star break, Wright is hitting .196 and .061 in the month of August.

After a first inning where the Mets scored their two runs on the 10^th home run of the season hit by Angel Pagan, a career high, the Mets would produce one walk and one other hit.  At one point Rockies pitching struck out seven straight, including winning pitcher Matt Belisle (5-4) who came out of the pen and struck out three in the seventh.

The Mets did not get a base runner after the fifth inning. “I’m not having much fun right now,” said Wright, its rough.” As for the fans also getting on his case, he said “They are obviously frustrated as we are. The fans have every right to voice their opinion.”

Jonathon Niese gave up one run in seven innings and struck out seven failing to get the decision as the Mets bullpen gave up five Colorado runs in the eighth inning with two outs. “This is rough,” said Niese. “It’s tough to watch.”

Manuel said Niese was complaining about pain in his lower hamstring, a reason he did not come out for the eighth, But, like so many negative conditions that exist with the Mets, Niese contradicted what his manager said when asked if there was a problem again with his hamstring.

More so, much tougher to watch a team implode as they may be without their closer. Rodriguez has more pressing issues to deal with as Johan Santana (9-6) takes the mound Thursday afternoon and tries to earn the Mets a series win in what will probably be a very hush Mets clubhouse.

A season on the brink and very little to save, no pun intended.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

However, Mike Pelfrey continued to have his first inning struggles and Arizona picked up where they left off last week taking the opening game of a three- game weekend set 9-6. Another loss for the Mets that left them at 52-51, 7-1/2 games behind first pace Atlanta and in a fourth place tie with Florida in the NL East.

It is starting to get dismal at Citi Field.  And the Mets also have to wonder what has happened to Pelfrey who surrendered three runs in the first inning. The Mets would get even in their half of the first on the first of two home runs from David Wright. It was a three- run blast off winning pitcher Ian Kennedy (6-8).

As for Pelfrey (10-5) who failed to get the decision, the Mets have to hope their right hander can return to form if they have any chance of making the postseason. And once again the Diamondbacks had his number, 0-5 in his last seven starts against them. In his last start at Arizona on July 19^th he threw 51 pitches in the first inning and was removed after getting four outs in the shortest outing of his career.

“Everybody else in the rotation has been throwing the ball great and I’ve kind of taken a step back from early in the year,” said Pelfrey. In his last six starts, he’s worked 25.1 innings, allowing 54 hits, 28 runs, 27 earned with 14 walks and 13 strikeouts.

“I definitely plan on getting this thing turned around and back on track so we can plan on winning some games,” he said.  Mets manager Jerry Manuel said adjustments will have to be made. There is the high pitch count, “still confident we have a young pitcher and don’t think it’s demoralizing,” said Manuel about his starter.

Wright drove in five runs and with his second home run in the third off Kennedy, 17^th of the year with two on, gave the Mets a 5-4 lead. After retiring seven straight D-backs with one out in the sixth, Kennedy reached first on an error from shortstop Jose Reyes.

“A routine ground ball, I have to make that play,” said Reyes who extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single in the first. Pelfrey after throwing 118 pitches had a chance to win. Enter Raul Valdes (2-3) who failed to retire the four batters he faced. The home run to center off the bat of Kelly Johnson gave Arizona a 6-5 lead.

Two more singles and on the 14th pitch thrown by Valdes, Miguel Montero hit a home run off the second deck in right field, a five-run Diamondbacks inning that helped his team snap a seven-game losing streak. “I’m swinging  at better pitches, I think,” said Montero about his fourth home run.

As to why the Diamondbacks have the Mets number, he said, “I honestly don’t know; it’s just baseball I guess.”  Montero has hit two home runs and driven in six in his last two games. Thursday evening he connected against the Phillies and has now hit a home run in consecutive games for the second time this year.

Manuel said it was the right situation for Valdes who warmed up in the pen four times before coming in. “It was a good match up in that situation,” said Manuel about the home run ball thrown to Johnson.

But the Mets still have two more games with the Diamondbacks and have to figure out how to take this series against the second worst team in the National League. If not the road trip next week against Atlanta and the surging Philadelphia Phillies could determine their season.

“Anytime one or two of their hitters gets hot they can give us trouble,” explained Manuel about his team troubles with Arizona.

Notes:  Before the game outfielder Jason Bay was laced on the 15-day disabled list from the minor concussion he sustained crashing into the outfield wall out in Los Angeles last Friday evening. The Mets recalled outfielder Jesus Felicano from Triple- A Buffalo.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

To show how crazy the game of baseball can be the Yankees had bases loaded in the bottom of the third inning yesterday and could not capitalize. Today though it was key hits by Gardner and Teixeira that turned the tide and helped starter Andy Pettitte get the 10^th win of the season, as he joins C.C. Sabathia and Phil Hughes in the trio of Yankee starters with 10 wins. In his 391^st career start as a Yankee Pettitte pitched well allowing three earned runs in six innings pitched, giving up five hits, one walk, and two home runs while striking out four batters.

“I am glad that I am healthy and able to contribute to the success of this team,” Pettitte said after the game. “We have a really good pitching staff and to see our guys put some big runs for us was awesome.”

Yankee Manager Joe Girardi said of his starter’s performance “Andy has been huge for us this year, to be as consistent in what he does along with the success he has had for the team throughout the year’s shows what an amazing pitcher Andy really is.”

Blue Jay starter Ricky Romero (6-5) had the shakiest start of his young career allowing eight earned runs in two and two-thirds innings pitched, giving up seven hits, two walks, one home run and one hit batsman while striking out three.

“I haven’t seen Ricky that off in a long time.” Blue Jays manager Cite Gaston said. “I think that he’s had two bad games this season and today was one of them.”  Gaston continued by saying, “He wasn’t throwing any strikes and his location was off. Any time you have that combination it usually will not turn out well.”

Toronto plated the first run in the top of the first inning as Nick Green laced a lead-off single to left field. One batter latter Jose Bautista lifted a home run (21) over the center field wall. The homer for Bautista was his first since a two home run game on June 22 versus St. Louis.

Romero was cruising for the Blue Jays until a thirty-seven minute offensive inning by the Yankees took the young lefty off the mound. Key hits by Mark Teixeira who hit a double (16) to left field, Cano and Granderson set up the inning for Gardner, who hit a 3-2 pitch over the right field fence for the fourth home run of his career. Toronto manager Cite Gaston called on relief pitcher Brian Talbot to try to stop the bleeding, but he could not do so as he gave up three consecutive walks to Derek Jeter, Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira, which would set the stage for Alex Rodriguez who placed a fly ball to center field, which was dropped by outfielder Josh McDonald. The play was scored as a double (20) and plated three runs, which would make the score 11-2 for the Yankees.

“I have never hit a grand slam before on any level,” Gardner told the press of his big hit after the game. “I have hit many homers in my life, we have been really struggling to score runs lately to it was nice to have a big inning like that.”

Nick Swisher said of his teammate’s performance today “The combination of the pitching staff and our offense today showed how baseball can really be a complete team effort. You go out and give it everything you got and when you got a guy like Romero on the ropes you have got to take advantage.”

The final run for the Blue Jays came in the top of the sixth inning as Alex Gonzalez hit a home run (15) to left center field. The Bullpen came through for manager Joe Girardi today as Dustin Moseley made his Yankee debut today. Moseley came in and got his first two strike outs as well as some key ground balls, along with breaking some bats along the way. Reliever Chan Ho Park also had a solid outing getting three fly balls to the center fielder.

“I was just trying to throw strikes,” Moseley said of his debut. “I was just trying to get the ground balls and to be able to get the strike outs was great.”

On Sunday the two teams square off for the rubber match as the Yankees hope to celebrate the Fourth of July as well as George Steinbrenner’s birthday with a win. The Yankees will send out Phil Hughes (10-2, 3.58) to take on Brandon Morrow (5-6, 4.50 ERA)

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Birthday Notes: Happy Birthday this weekend to Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman who celebrated his birthday today, while tomorrow the Yankees will celebrate “The Boss” George Steinbrenner III birthday along with the Birthday of America.

The Nationals moved a game ahead of the Mets, now second place in the National League East standings, and for the second straight game a Mets player, this time Jose Reyes was ejected from the game for disputing a called third strike. Does the lack of hitting, and ejection of David Wright the day before and now Reyes have Mets manager Jerry Manuel frustrated?

“It’s a team concern, no doubt about it,” said Manuel about the lack of getting runs home. His team fanned 11 more times at the plate after 14 were struck out by San Francisco Giants pitching the day before. “We will do what we can to address the approach,” added Manuel. “When situations come, basically breathe and enjoy.”

But the Mets have not been able to enjoy much after an early season eight-game wining streak. The starting pitching has not been effective which ahs taken a toll on their bullpen, though this time against the Nationals there was no opportunity for another blown save.

John Maine gave up two runs on seven hits in six innings giving up back-to back home runs in the third inning to Adam Kennedy and Ryan Zimmerman. The over used Pedro Feliciano, leading National League pitchers out of the pen, gave up a deciding run in the eighth.

As for Reyes getting ejected, which also led to Manuel getting heaved from the game the manager said, “It doesn’t bother me when a guy is passionate what he does.”  But Wright being ejected Sunday in the ninth inning, which left the Mets short, could have caused Jason Bay to play third base had the game gone to extra innings.

The Reyes ejection may have come out of frustration, another close pitch that caught him looking and stranding two more runners on. That left Manuel to say, “Hopefully, when one guy gets that big hit….”  Meaning hitting is contagious as was the case two weeks ago during the wining streak.

It was a run scoring single by Ivan Rodriguez off Felician that became the decisive run.  The veteran Rodriquez, in his first year with Washington, had a 4-for-4 night at the plate and has been instrumental in handling the young Nationals pitching staff.

“What happened in Washington the last couple of years is already over,” said Rodriquez. “This is 2010,” he said. “We have a team. We’re focused now. We play the game now.”  Miguel Batista was the last of five Nationals pitchers and recorded his first save of the season despite giving up a one-out solo home run to Angel Pagan in the ninth.

But as the series continues against the Nationals Tuesday evening, the lack of getting runs home from Jason Bay, David Wright and Jeff Francoeur have to be a continued concern.

“We have good hitters, have a history of good hitters,’ said Manuel. “Hopefully it is a matter of time.” It better be a matter of time, because the Mets as a team are going to need to score runs if they are going to have any type of respectable season.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

The jeers of the crowd and the ineffective pitching have been a part of each of the veteran’s starts at Yankee Stadium this year. Two of the runs on Saturday came on homers by slugger Andruw Jones. The solo shots by Jones in the first and third innings were the third game this season during which the veteran slugger hit more than one home run. It was his 40^th multi-homer game in his lengthy career in the majors. Home runs are not a stranger to Vazquez. He has given up eight of the 19 surrendered by the New York staff. The other four Yankees starters, CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes, have given up a combined total of only five home runs. Those unimpressive numbers are on pace to surpass the 33 round trippers he yielded in 2004 with the Yankees. Vazquez’s other stats are also disappointing to Yankees fans. In 23 innings pitched in his five starts, the righty gave up 32 hits and 25 runs. His ERA is currently at 9.78.

The reasons for the lack of success of the veteran hurler, now in his 13^th Major league season, are not easy to discern. After Saturday’s contest, Yankees skipper Joe Girardi told reporters, “He struggled again. It’s a difficult part of the game. A lot of it (99.9 %) is miss-location, which is mechanical.” Of the mental part caused by pressing, Girardi commented, “Players can sometimes make a slump longer than it should be.” Of the fans growing disenchantment with the   performances of the Puerto Rican native, Girardi said, “If you pitch the way you are capable of, anyone can turn it [Fan’s support] around.”

When the outspoken manager of the Chicago White Sox, Ozzie Guillen, was asked his opinion of Vazquez’s lack of success in 2010, he responded, “He’s throwing balls, not strikes. You can’t do that, especially in the American League. They don’t let you get away with mistakes in this league.”

As soon as the game concluded, reporters surrounded Vazquez in the spacious Yankees clubhouse to obtain his opinions of his latest mound performance, “I’m working on everything.  I feel good. I’m just not getting it done when it counts. I might be trying too hard because I want to be good. It’s not easy when you’re struggling out there. You have to keep your head up, but it’s not easy.”

Vazquez said he understood the booing of the fans of the team, “When you’re not doing good, they’re going to boo you.” Vazquez was also questioned about having to change his glove in the fourth inning because it was considered to be illegal as it was two-toned. “I’ve used that glove for years. It caught me off-guard, but that’s not the responsible for what happened out there. I just changed my glove and went out there.”

Vazquez has been the winner of 143 Major League contests. How his performances can be improved this season is not clear. How long management of the team will continue to allow Vazquez to start games without a big improvement in his performances is yet to be determined. Five relief pitchers were used to follow Vazquez in Saturday. The overuse of the relief corps   forced management to recall pitcher Mark Melancon on Saturday night to replace outfielder Curtis Granderson on the roster.

The sad saga of Vazquez still continues. On Monday the Yankees decided to skip Vazquez in the rotation and bypassed him in the upcoming Red Sox series up in Boston this weekend. Under the normal movement of the starting rotation, the next start for Vazquez would have been scheduled on Thursday an off-day.

“More important to get the win tonight,” commented Soriano who helped the Cubs snap a four game losing streak and assured the Mets from winning their first series of the season,  Soriano got the Cubs lone extra base hit, a double the night before.

Soriano is hitting .464 with three walks, four runs, five doubles, a triple, home run and five runs batted in in his last nine games. He drove in three runs and also had a walk and a triple. “The offense came out tonight I hope tomorrow it will do the same,” he said as the Cubs got 14 hits off Mets pitching,

Olive Perez (0-2) got the loss in his third start of the season for New York.  He went five innings allowing three runs, two of them earned on eight hits. But once again the middle part of the Mets lineup continued to struggle. Jeff Francoeur went 0-for-4, now hitless in his last 22 at bats. Jason Bay did get a hit and reached base on a walk.  And David Wright did drive in a run but struck out with men on base.

In total the Mets left 12 more runners on base which added to their league high. “Think once they get a few hits, any type of hits, they get it going,” said Mets manager Jerry Manuel who may sit down Bay, Francoeur, or even Wright in the next day or so.

As Manuel explained, regarding the middle part of his lineup,” I don’t see lethargic legs…every now and then a break is good.” That may also mean the plan to drop Jose Reyes to third in the order and putting Angel Pagan in the leadoff spot. Reyes in that hole may produce some offense against the right handed pitching the Mets will see in upcoming home games with the Braves and Dodgers.

Manuel did say he has three different lineups on his desk Wright would like to see his bat going. “It’s our turn to return the favor when they are struggling, a bit,” said Wright.  He was referring to Rod Barajas, Reyes and Luis Castillo who each drove in a run. Barajas hit his third home run of the season in the second inning to left field off Cubs starter Carlos Silva (2-0) who went six innings, giving up two hits and striking out four. Silva has given up two earned runs in his last 19 innings.

The Cubs needed the win, just as more as the Mets needed to start a winning streak. Perez did his best working out of trouble but admitted he did not have his best pitch going for him, “My fastball wasn’t going where I wanted it to so I had so I had to throw a lot more changeups and breaking balls,” he said.

So after getting a quality start from Mike Pelfrey the night before, the Mets will try and take the final game of this four game series Thursday evening when their ace Johan Santana gets the ball.  The other aspect that has hindered the pitching staff is giving up the walk, nine more, a stat that also leads the league.

Manuel may mix and match more out of the pen, where most of the walks are coming from. It was not Perez losing control this time.  But the offense is a concern also, and Manuel may be forced to make a lineup change.

“I will sleep on that one,” he said.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

Because for years, did we ever have any doubt?  But for McGwire, who said “It was foolish” his admission came, a little too late. It won’t help his hopeful enshrinement to the Baseball Hall of Fame, nor does it help his respectability as one of the top home run hitters of all-time.

You see McGwire also admitted, years later, that he used performance enhancing drugs during that media hyped season home run race with Sammy Sosa in 1998 that saw him hit a record 70 home runs.  And at that time there were always the questions about him and Sosa. Except baseball was happy then that home runs were bring hit out of the ballpark in a record pace as the game was recovering from a nasty labor war between the owners and players.

All that time the questions were being asked. The speculation was always about reconfigurations of outfield fences, or that the baseball was different and easier to hit out of the park.  Yet, guys like McGwire, Sosa, and others always denied that steroids and other body enhancement drugs were the reason.

They made us, the media, and you the fans look like fools. Because they fabricated their reasons for becoming such proficient home run hitters and all the time you looked at McGwire, you saw Sosa, and were amazed at how big the arms were, and how deep the home runs were being hit out of the park.

It made sense then, as much as it is now.  McGwire denied using performance enhancing drugs before a Congressional Committee and his 538 home runs are eighth on the career all-time list.  Barry Bonds is no angel here and will always be the center of attention with his denial of allegations that he did what McGwire did.

Baseball owners knew it was happening, and perhaps so did Commissioner Selig, Home runs put people back in the seats and players hitting the long bombs out of the park were getting their lucrative pay checks.

But getting back to the admission, Monday that is putting McGwire back on the national map.  He was appointed the hitting coach for La Russa’s Cardinals in November.  Back in baseball now and teaching hitters, hopefully the right way to hit a home run out of the ballpark.

McGwire had to finally come clean or the scrutiny would continue at every Major League ballpark in 2010.  Too bad it came years later, that admission. The home runs he hit are still questionable. They are surly under consideration when the name Mark McGwire comes up every year now for enshrinement to Cooperstown. He came up short again last week when the ballots were counted.

It would have helped him to come clean years ago when this all started, most of all telling the truth then would have diminished the bad image that baseball received and at times continues/   McGwire said he did not tell the truth then because he feared there would be legal jeopardy.

He may get those sympathizers that give a second chance, Many, in the baseball community believe the steroid home run race is still a disgrace and the punishment is always denying Mark McGwire enshrinement to the Hall of Fame. All of those home runs in the record book now with this admission deserve an asterisk.

BOXING IS DISGRACED WITH FALLOUT OF PACQUIAO-MAYWEATHER:  A mediator could not get the principles involved with welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr, on a compromise over blood testing procedures and now what was supposed to be the mega fight of all time if off.

Instead the boxing world prepares for a mediocre fight.  Pacquiao will defend against Joshua Clottey the native of Ghana now residing in the Bronx. That fight will be televised on HBO Pay-Per-View on March 13^th, the original Pacquiao-Mayweather date, from the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium and does not have the magnitude that was anticipated with Pacquiao and Mayweather,

So where did the two fighters go wrong, as well as the promoters, in this case Bob Arum of Top Rank who promotes Pacquiao and Richard Schaefer of Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions that represented Mayweather?   According to Arum, Pacquiao made some concessions as to timing of three blood samples prior to and after the fight.

The blood testing issue was the obstacle that prevented this fight from officially being announced in New York City this week. Arum requested a mediator with hopes there would be some movement to getting the top two fighters in the world in the ring. A mediator who Arum used to negotiate a proper deal for Pacquiao when is fighter left the Golden Boy promotion.

Arum is livid, so are boxing fans   The sport has once again become a travesty because of a ridiculous blood testing procedure called by Mayweather that would have been conducted anyway by the sanctioning Nevada State Athletic Commission, Mayweather wanted to use the Olympic style blood testing procedures that are done three times, Prior to the pre fight press conference, 30 days before the fight, and after the fight

Either way, the Nevada Commission would have done similar testing, and if everyone is clean there are no concerns. The biggest paydays for Pacquiao and Mayweather go down the drain.  The questions persist. Is Mayweather backing away from Pacquiao, or is Pacquiao with his initial resiliency to taking blood hiding something? Pacquiao is a record seven- division title holder having defeated Miguel Cotto last year and is going for number eight against Clottey as a junior middleweight.

e-mail Rich Mancuso:  Ring786@aol.com

Lefthander pitcher Michael Dunn, the promising prospect who was in the Yankees bullpen plans was also shipped to Atlanta along with right hand pitching prospect Arodys Vizcain, along with that always other part in a deal, $500,000 of Yankees money that never seems to be an issue

So Yankee fans may be critical of the deal. They lose Cabrera who seemed to come along during their championship season of 2009.  And they regain Vasquez who finished fourth in the NL CY Young Award balloting with a 15-10 record and 2.87 ERA in 2009. The 33-year old came to the Yankees the first time in 2003 and finished with a 10-5 record in 2004 pitching with an ailing sore shoulder.

Not a very good first stint in New York for Vasquez, and General Manager Brian Cashman believes Vasquez is a different pitcher that will help the backend of a Yankees rotation. “The second half of 2004,” commented Cashman in a conference call, “which was poor cannot erase the long success that he’s had in both the American and National League.”

Most of the problems for Vasquez when he previously wore pinstripes came in the second half of that 2004 season.  He does rank second to Livan Hernandez in starts with 327 and innings with 2,163 among active big league pitchers since 2000.  And his 2,001 strikeouts are second to Randy Johnson since the 2000 season.

Cabrera will get the start for the Braves. The Yankees lose a good arm in the outfield and for the moment will find a way to deal without his career highs in doubles, 28 and the 13 home runs he hit in 2009.  The Braves wanted Cabrera and more so, the youngster Vizcaino in the deal.

“We had to have him in the deal,” said Braves GM Frank Wren about Vizcaino, the 19-year old who was 2-4 with a 2.13 ERA in Single-A. “He is a special young pitcher,” added Wren who acquired veteran relief pitchers Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito earlier this month.

Cashman continues to pull the strings, though the Yankees appear to have less punch int heir lineup with the departures of Hideki Matsui to the Angels. The future of Johnny Damon is uncertain and it appears the Yankees have no interest in bringing the outfielder back

Be certain that Vasquez is not the last move.  Dunn is gone, so is pitcher Phil Coke who went to Arizona in the three team trade that brought outfielder Curtis Granderson to the Bronx.  Where will Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain be before the winter is over?

That is something that Cashman may still need to address. And something Yankees fans await before the start of the 2010 campaign,

“Despite where we are in the standings the quest for a championship continues,” said Manuel, obviously referring to next year and the future and as to why he had a brief meeting with his slumping team with three weeks of games remaining.

The Marlins would sweep the three-game series embarrassing the Mets 13-4 in the finale and in the final few innings Citi Field was almost desolate.  Once again many no-shows in the announced crowd of 37,620 and those who remained saw sloppy baseball. So perhaps Manuel called the meeting because he has lost control of his team?

“The effort for the most part has been there,” said Manuel. “It’s some of those little things. I don’t think as a group, individually yes.”  But the Mets as a whole have resembled a team that could care less about their future, especially the past few games against the Marlins.

New York fell 16 games under .500 at (62-78) for the first time since finishing 71-91 in 2004.  Florida the past two years came to town and was responsible for the two Mets collapses in September. This year their visit in September was making sure they stayed in the NL East pennant race.

So the Mets proved to not be the spoilers. Instead they pitched well, hit home runs and saw the Mets lack of focus on the field get them more runs. Starter Bobby Parnell walked two straight batters with the bases loaded and Anderson Hernandez made an error that put Florida on the board early.

And later on in the game Angel Pagan blundered again when he forgot how outs there were when he was on base and was doubled up/  Pagan has been hitting well, three more hits and a 10-game hitting streak but there have been constant mistakes on the bases and some costly errors in the outfield.

The Mets as a team are planning ahead to the future, and Pagan is one of those individuals that Manuel has cause for concern. He could be a quality fourth outfielder next season but the mental mistakes, or lack of focus could put him out of their plans as the team tries to rebuild.

“There are a lot of positive things he does unfortunately it’s unacceptable,” said Manuel about Pagan’s obvious lack of focus on the bases. Last week on the Mets last road trip, Pagan made similar mistakes on the bases that proved to be costly. Manuel has not pointed the blame individually at Pagan and the Mets outfielder realizes it has to get better before it gets worse.

Said Pagan about his blunders of late “Right now I am having a tough time on the bases. “That can happen to anybody. I have to keep my head up. I am willing to keep working at it and getting it right. I am having a rough time and will be the first to admit it.  All I can do is come back the next day and get it right.”

But the Mets can’t afford to continue losing focus, even if Manuel calls another team meeting in the final weeks.  They want to finish with some respectability because in all probability, if they don’t, next season the novelty of a new ballpark will be over and Citi Field could resemble a ghost town.

Perhaps that is why Manuel had to have a meeting with his troops.  A good move to do one had this awful play been coming early in the season, but for the Mets all of this losing has been a constant thing since the month of May. Regardless, Parnell (3-8) once again pitched inconsistent baseball and that is also a concern.

“To come out of the first inning and not throw strikes is aggravating,” said Parnell who walked a career high five.  And very aggravating for the Mets once again having to play come from behind baseball that was a part of the Marlins series

Now it is on to Philadelphia and Atlanta for the Mets, games that were supposed to mean something in the standings, Instead Manuel has to try and keep his team focused on finishing with some respectability.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com