The Yankees are showing their age, led on also by the contracts granted to Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and down the line possibly the deal that Mark Teixeira has. And forget about the rumors Monday surfacing that the Yankees had a potential deal going with the cross-town Mets for Carlos Beltran.

With the first installment of the Subway Series at Yankee Stadium Friday night, Beltran rumors only add to headlines as the two teams play the first of six games, the other three next month at Citi Field. But, seriously speaking, with the Yankees slipping and the Mets trying to stay competitive, it certainly is different to see the Yankees getting controversial headlines.

Does Posada get the blame for pulling himself from the lineup an hour before the first pitch Saturday night, reportedly because he was put ninth in order of manager Joe Girardi, or was it a bad back that Posada reportedly had? And was the situation handled properly by the Yankees? That is a question still under review, though the Yankees say that the problem is in the past and it is time to move on.

But where do the Yankees go from here is the ultimate question. Girardi handled the awkward situation graciously and offered a sympathetic tone about Posada, a catcher turned to a fulltime designated hitter with a .155 batting average and hitless against left handed pitching.

This is drama, maybe more than the theatre that was played when the late George Steinbrenner picked up the phone in anger and called the Yankees dugout as a game was in progress.  Posada, from reports, wanted an immediate release form the team, but the realization is that would be difficult to do with the huge salary and last year of a contract.

But from all intents and purposes, and from a perspective of those who analyze and break down baseball, the beginning of more to come is now a part of these New York Yankees. How do you part with Posada, a 17-year career Yankee, a five-time all-star and part of that core four of players that contributed big time to five world championships?

It is a dilemma that the captain, Jeter, also has to address. Because Jeter, the 36-year old shortstop and showing signs of decline, signed a lucrative contract that takes him through the 2013 season with an option for another year. And on the verge of reaching the 3,000 career hit milestone, and if Jeter continues to decline, do the Yankees have another aging player and another Posada situation?

In all probability, the Yankees look to avoid any similarity. But listen to how Jeter responded to all the Posada talk. He defended his longtime teammate. But the Yankees hierarchy spoke to their captain Monday down in Tampa Florida before the start of a series with the first place Rays.

“If I thought he did something wrong, I’d be the first to tell him,” Jeter said when asked by reporters about Posada. He said there was no need for Posada to apologize to his teammates, yet reportedly team President Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman and managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner seriously contemplated releasing Posada.

And after speaking with Jeter Monday, everyone is on the same page. But are they? Because Posada is not helping the Yankees with his lack of hitting and the damage has been done. When Jeter supported Posada, it was more than being a longtime friend or, as he said supporting someone that he considers a brother.

It was also about Jeter’s future, and the long term commitments that the Yankees have made with an aging roster of players. The Yankees learned a lesson about Posada and Jeter was obviously consulted about not putting the organization in a similar situation, if and when the skills of Jeter continue to decline.

There is a consensus that owners are getting away from the long term contracts and going more towards homegrown talent from their minor league system. The Kansas City Royals offer an example. In the Bronx last week, the Royals took two of three from New York.

A Royals franchise with a $50 million dollar payroll, enriched with young talent that has Baseball America listing them with the top prospects in the game and on the verge of being one of the premiere teams in the game. In essence getting away from the long term lucrative contract may be something for the Yankees to examine as an aging roster of players is coming to fruition.

Posada has become a victim of the aging ballplayer with a contract granted out of loyalty, as the Yankees do have that generous approach of taking care of their core/franchise player. Perhaps, when Bernie Williams felt insulted a few years ago, and then walked away, it was the right move.

For the moment, as the Yankees say, the Posada dilemma is over. But is it? Because through all of this, the Yankees have to still figure a way to win ballgames and hope the Mets don’t cause additional embarrassment when they come to the Bronx Friday night.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

This time it was K-Rod working hard on the mound and A-Rod swinging for a third strike with two runners on. The Mets and Johan Santana took the rubber game of a three-game series over the cross-town Yankees 6-4, in the first installment of their inter league Subway Series  The two teams will play again the Bronx at Yankee Stadium June 18-20.

The other battle on the mound this time went to Santana (4-2) who was previously bested twice by Yankees starter CC Sabathia (4-3) when the two opposed each other in the American League. Santana was better going 7 2/3 innings on six hits, striking out five.

Santana got early run support aided by the two home runs from Jason Bay, a two run shot to left in the second inning, and another solo shot to right in the fifth that put the Mets up 5-0, the only home runs hit in the three games. It was the 14^th multi home run game for Bay in his career The Bay home runs tied for the least amount hit since this series started back in 1997.

The Yankees, now six games back of Tama Bay in the AL East once again struggled at the plate, while the Mets in the last two games found a way to get runners home, going 5-for-12 with runners in scoring position that helped Santana.

“Right now we are struggling a little offensively,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi. His team is without starting catcher Jorge Posada and outfielder Curtis Granderson. And first baseman Mark Teixiera continues to struggle, though going 2-for 4 and another strike out, including an infield hit that set the stage for K-Rod against A-Rod in the ninth

“We put the best guys out there that we feel can win every night,” said Girardi when asked about contemplating any lineup changes. The Yankees continue this road trip to Minnesota for three games starting Tuesday before returning home to the Bronx for a holiday weekend series against Cleveland.

“It’s a Frustrating week for us going 2 and 5 this week, not what we wanted,” said Girardi. He added, “The sun will come up tomorrow. We go to Minnesota and try and get some wins.”

For the Mets, who seemed to find a way to get runners home in the three-game series there is a day off Monday and then a three- game home series with the first place Philadelphia Phillies.” I think what we have to do is continue to play good baseball,” said Manager Jerry Manuel. “We have had some things obviously surrounding us especially the pitching staff.”

Manuel was referring to two-thirds of his pitching rotation. Oliver Perez is regulated to bullpen duty, with John Maine and Jonathon Niese on the disabled list. “It doesn’t affect us but you still have to play on the field,” he said.

Will the momentum continue for the Mets with the Phillies coming to town? “It’s more of a carry over effect of beating a good team,” said Bay regarding the Mets taking their first rubber game series of the season.

Email Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

And opponents have come to know that getting a win in the Bronx won’t come easy.

But this time, the Toronto Blue Jays were one of those teams that had an answer to not giving the Yankees another late inning comeback win. The recently acquired Eric Hinske, who hit a solo home run in the fifth inning, struck out swinging ending the game with Cody Ramsom at first.

Toronto took the final game of a four-game series 7-6 and the Yankees headed to Minnesota and Los Angeles for six games before the all-star break. But all was not bad for the Yankees, despite failing in their attempt to sweep the four-game series from Toronto. Overall they got good starting pitching and their bullpen continued to impress during the 5-2 home stand.

“We played well and had a pretty good home stand,” said Manager Joe Girardi who had to watch the outcome of this one from his office after being ejected from the game in the first inning. A Derek Jeter steal attempt at third base went against New York and Jeter began to argue that he wasn’t tagged for the out.

Jeter, who has never been ejected for arguing a disputed call in his career wanted to get an explanation. Girardi also wanted one and third base umpire Marty Foster said it was a force play and required no tag. As bizarre as the play was, it took the Yankees out of an inning and early first inning lead.

“I was baffled by the explanation,” said Jeter about Foster’s call. But it was more of a point of view that Jeter slid under the tag and should have had the base. Girardi, ejected for the third time this season, said all he wanted was a valid explanation from Foster.

And Girardi alluded the move by Jeter at the time may have been a mistake.” The idea of being aggressive I have no problem with,” he said. “But you have to be right. We made some base running mistakes. The decision is right if you are safe.”

New York lost for just the second time in 12 games. Starter and loser Andy Pettitte (8-4) had trouble with his command.  He pitched six innings and a third, gave up a season high six earned runs, five hits and walked five. Pettitte also gave up two home runs that put the Yankees in trouble, 12 of his 14 home run balls have been thrown at Yankee Stadium. Alex Rios got his 10th with two on in the third, and John McDonald hit his first, a solo shot in the seventh that gave the Jays a 5-1 lead at the time.

Rookie Left hander Ricky Romero (7-3) was once again a bright spot for Toronto, a team that gets the extra base hit and moving further back in the Al east race behind first place Boston, the Yankees, and Tampa Bay. Romero, a native of Los Angeles California and of Mexican heritage, won his fourth straight game allowing 3 earned runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings.

“He threw a lot of pitches in the first inning, but he wasn’t throwing bad,” said Toronto manager Cito Gaston about Romero. “He pitched a good game and he showed a lot.” Romero in that first inning walked Jeter, forced a balk, threw a wild pitch and Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pitch.

And Romero got some help in the outfield. His left fielder Jose Bautista made a nice catch on a ball hit by Yankees Brett Gardner in the third. And in the fourth, he caught a ball off the bat of Robinson Cano, and his relay throw to second resulted in a double play that nailed Rodriguez at first thus averting a Yankees threat.

“It was just 6 1/3 innings but it was 6 1/3 innings where they had me battling every inning,” said Romero who has six wins after a Toronto loss and got out of numerous jams. He also had his 24.0 inning scoreless streak snapped with Hinske’s home run which tied the franchise rookie record for consecutive shutout innings set by Mark Eichhorn in 1976.

Said Romero, “I was really excited, you know it’s a packed house, it’s the Yankees and you want to do really good.  Jason Frasor got his third save in five opportunities.  And for the Yankees ninth inning heroics surly will come again.

“Two outs you feel that something is going to happen,” said Girardi referring to that last out with Hinske at bat. And for the Yankees it has become so common that they expect to win games like this all the time.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

Years later it hasn’t changed much, even though Rivera may be a little older and has had some recent struggles. So it figured that Rivera would be the story Sunday evening at Citi Field. The Yankees swept the three game series from the Mets 4-2 in the finale of the annual six game series and took five of the six games.

Rivera came in the game for a four out save, significant also because it was a milestone, number 500, which is now second to Brewers and former San Diego closer Trevor Hoffman. And, Rivera contributed at the plate, sort of, in the eighth inning with the bat.

He drew a bases loaded walk off Francisco Rodriquez in the ninth, the Mets closer who established a season record 62 saves last season with the Angeles. The at bat by Rivera forced in a needed insurance run for the Yankees and was Rivera’s first run batted in as a hitter in his third career at bat.

Rivera was more excited about the RBI and how he hung in there against Rodriguez. “I had one thing in mind, just try to do something.” he said about his at bat. He also recorded his 18th save of the season, received congratulations from first baseman Mark Teixeira who handed him the ball that will probably be sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame up in Cooperstown New York.  And it was Teixeira who got the Yankees started again at the plate with a two- run double in the first inning.

The entire Yankees team would meet and greet Rivera as he left the field and he also heard the cheers from the many Yankee fans remaining at Citi Field by the Yankees dugout.

“Don’t get me wrong it is definitely special,” added the 39-year old relief specialist about the record. Rivera started his career with the Yankees as a set up man out of the pen for John Wetteland and the rest is history as he also holds the record for most post season saves with 34.

“I wasn’t applauding him for that,” said Mets manager Jerry Manuel about Rivera easily stopping his Mets in the ninth inning to close the game. Instead Manuel was clapping because of the accomplishment that Rivera achieved at the Mets new home ballpark. “You have to applaud that,” he said about the record.

It was the Yankees fifth consecutive win in a season that has had its ups and downs. And for the Mets, the puzzle continues as their fans hope and possibly await some roster moves that can possibly produce some offense for a team that is next to last in baseball in the home run category. It was the first three-game series sweep from an opponent in the brief history of Citi Field.

.In all three games this weekend, the Yankees scored first. The anemic hitting of the Mets continued with a make ship lineup that Manuel has to assemble because of the various injuries to players that have dominated the first half of this Mets season. The Yankees out hit the Mets in the three games 26-4 and the Mets were outscored 17-3.

It has Manuel perplexed and trying to find the answers. The Mets are in desperate need of a power hitter because the injured Carlos Delgado is not expected back any time soon. And one of their leading home run hitters last season, David Wright in particular, has four as the month of June comes to a conclusion and instead is hitting for average.

“We have to find a way,” was all Manuel could say about how his team continued to be shut down at the plate in the three games from Yankees starting pitchers CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Chien-Ming Wang (1-6) who started the final game Sunday evening won his first game since June 15 of last season

“We have to play somewhat error free and fundamentally sound,” added Manuel. “We get the big hit, we get the big play but we have to compromise to put ourselves in that position,” he said.

Manuel was referring to the better infield play Sunday of his team, though Daniel Murphy continues to make blunders at first base dropping a ball and throwing a ball to third base that moved Nick Swisher to third base in the first inning. Overall Manuel got another effective outing from starter Livan Hernandez, (5-3) who settled in after the first inning. Hernandez was removed after seven innings after allowing three hits and five walks and got the loss.

The Yankees moved to a season best 11 games over .500 at 43-32, and for the first time since last July, the Mets are once again a .500 team. But the evening belonged to Rivera as city baseball bragging rights once again belong to the Yankees.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com