I would imagine it must be pretty quiet in the Mets management offices today. All the talk in town is surrounding the Yankees, the Mets' intercity rival. And of course the Yankees will be playing the Phillies, the Mets divisional rival. While the new Yankee Stadium continues to beam with action, the new Citi Field sits quietly waiting for April.

As for Mets fans, the debate continues, root for the Yankees or root for the Phillies. Here’s an idea, root for neither.

Who says it is imperative to root for a team when watching a ballgame? Why can’t we watch baseball without rooting for either club? If you attend an out of town game to take in a ballpark you have never been to, do you really pick a team to root for? I don’t. I often attend minor league games. I enjoy the atmosphere and the price. I don’t root for either team. I just quietly observe hoping to see some good ball played.

So when it comes to the 2009 World Series, I will also quietly observe, not caring who wins or loses. Why bother? For Mets fans, it’s a no win situation. The Phillies and Yankees in the World Series punctuate an already disastrous season for the Mets. If you thought it couldn’t get worse when the season finally concluded, it did.

The fact is I can’t root for either team. How can I possible root for the Yankees? I have been a Mets fan my whole life. I have loathed the Yankees. No matter how hard I might try, I just cannot root for that team. I can’t root for the Phillies either. They have trashed the Mets for a few years now and continue to back it up with great play. They are a true rival for the Mets. There is no way I want them to win.

But alas unfortunately, one team must win. For the Mets and their fans it is a no win/no lose situation. If the Phillies lose, then we can mock their fans. If the Yankees lose, we can mock the Yankee fans. But whoever wins or loses can continue to mock us so what’s the point?

I will not root for either team but I will root for bad weather. A nice icy cold rain storm might make me feel good as I watch the two teams in baseball I hate the most. I’ll sip a hot coco watching the Yankees wear those silly baseball caps with the ear flaps. They remind me of a hat my mother use to make me wear to school when I was a kid. I was so embarrassed to wear it I would take it off and put it in my book bag when I got far enough away for her not to see me.

I’ll laugh at Jimmy Rollins in that goofy ski mask. At least I can enjoy the game of baseball, the summer game, played in likely miserable conditions. As long as TV controls baseball, and make no mistake, they do, the World Series will continue to be played later in the year in the worst possible weather conditions.

But I digress. I guess my bitterness is showing. I’m sure if the Mets were in the World Series I would have no qualms about the conditions. Let’s face it. It’s a bad time to be a Mets fan.

Obviously with the Mets out of it I have to decide what to root for in the post season. I have the answer. No, it’s not whether to root for the Phillies over the Yankees or the Yankees over the Phillies. It’s not rooting for Joe Torre over the Yankees, although that is intriguing. No, no. For me, I’m rooting for Mother Nature. That’s right, the weather.

This is not a new rant for me. Usually, once or twice a year, I write about the absurdity of Major League Baseball extending the season later and later each year. This year, the World Series will end in November, no ifs ands or buts. Game four is scheduled for November 1st unless it has to be pushed back further due to bad weather. If the Series goes seven games, it will end on November 5th, likely at Yankee Stadium…at night. Perfect!

Forty years ago, the Mets won the World Series on October 16th, the same date the ALCS will begin this season. This year, the World Series will not even start for another two weeks.

That’s why I am rooting for cold, windy, wet weather. What better way to spend an evening than freezing to death catching the Swine Flu while rooting for your beloved Yankees or Phillies.

Now, before you think I’m being cynical, here me out.

What is it going to take for the lords of baseball to come to their senses? If you are going to tell me the love of the game is first and foremost in the minds of the owners, you are crazy and downright wrong. Like everything else in America, baseball is only about the money, the almighty buck. The powers that be know there are enough of us morons tuning in every evening to pedel their dopey products. To them, it justifies the horrendous conditions the national pastime’s championship season is played in.

Baseball sells the rights to broadcast games to the highest bidder. Why? Because, the owners want the most money they can get. Do you honestly think the question “What will you do to enhance the game of baseball?” is ever uttered from those from baseball when negotiating these deals? I doubt it. If that were true, TBS would have never gotten the opportunity to broadcast games.

The networks pay top dollar because they in turn charge the most they can to advertisers who know they will have a large audience. In the mean time, the game suffers. Last season, the Phillies won the World Series in awful conditions at Philadelphia. Was it as fair as it could have been for Tampa Bay if it had been played earlier in the month of October during the day time?

I am a fan of the game. I don’t care how much money changes hands. But I do care about the conditions in which these games are played. Remember, it’s the summer game, a game that requires decent weather conditions so players can use their skills to the best of their abilities. The post season of baseball should be a celebration of the best of play from the game. How can that be in the worst of conditions? Even football’s Super Bowl, a game designed for cold weather, is played in a warm weather location every year.

Are there things that baseball can do to improve the condition of the post season? Why of course there are. Shorten the regular season or start the season earlier in warm weather locations. Why not play more doubleheaders during the regular season so the post season can start sooner.  Shorten the playoffs to 2 of 3 in the first round, 3 of 5 in the second. Play in a warm weather, neutral location (personally, I’m not a fan of this idea). Don’t have so many days off during the playoffs. Play the games during the day when the weather is at least warmer.

But my (and others) solutions have a common problem. They all benefit the good of the game. None of them increase revenue. That’s why they will never be employed. And that’s why I hope a monsoon hits New York or Philadelphia on November 1st.

Recall how the last two seasons the Mets struggled down the stretch. Night after night, it was an excruciating loss as the Mets just could not get to the finish line for the division in ’07 and the wild card of ’08.

Of course, this season the Mets are completely irrelevant. But if you take a look at the races, there are a number of teams having difficulty closing the deal.

One is the Philadelphia Phillies who are blowing games late in pure Mets fashion. With a magic number of three, the Phillies should win the division but didn’t we say that about the Mets two seasons ago? Yesterday, with another chance to reduce their magic number,  the Phillies lost to the under .500 Astros by a score of 8-2. With six games left, the Phillies have a four game lead over Atlanta.

While the Phillies are limping to the finish line, the Braves are winning. Atlanta has won seven in a row putting pressure on both the Phillies and the Rockies who lead the wild card.

The Los Angeles Dodgers who are assured a playoff appearance of at least a wild card, need one to clinch the division. The Pirates did not give LA the chance to celebrate in Pittsburgh as they pummeled the Dodgers 11-1 yesterday. Regardless, like the Yankees and Cardinals, the Dodgers will be one of the elite eight.

The Detroit Tigers led the AL Central for most of the summer. But the Minnesota Twins, who always seem to get themselves in a race, are breathing down the Tigers neck only two games back. The Twins have a series in Detroit starting today with a day-night doubleheader because of a rain out last evening.

Then there is the Red Sox who backed into a tie for the AL wild card. Returning to Boston having watched the Yankees clinch the division on Sunday, the Sox were humiliated at Fenway when the Toronto Blue Jays spanked them for their fourth loss in a row. Had the Sox won, they could have waited around the clubhouse and celebrated after the Angels defeated the Rangers. The Sox lead the Rangers by six games in the AL wild card and will try to finish it off this evening.

While all of these teams have been feeling the heat, some have thrived down the wire. One is the Yankees who had no difficulty getting it done, assuring themselves of a playoff appearance a week ago.

The Rockies have played incredible ball for the second half of the season and should win the NL wild card but Atlanta is in hot pursuit only two games back now.

The Cardinals are in, having defeated the Rockies on Saturday night. Tony La Russa worked his magic again getting the Cardinals to the post season for the fourth time in six years.

So what does all this prove? While the Mets collapses of 2007 and 2008 are still painful, there are many teams that struggle to get the job done. It doesn’t mean the Phillies, Red Sox, or Rockies will blow it but it does show that when the pressure is on, players feel the heat and begin to press. That behavior forces players out of their rhythm, making it hard to relax and just take the same approach as if it were the end of May instead of September.

The big candidate to cough it up is Detroit. They have struggled in September while the Twins have been very hot. The Rockies could blow the wild card too but they have continued to play well. There is an outside shot the Phillies could blow it with their very ineffective bullpen. Wouldn't that be wonderful. But with a magic number of three and that tremendous offense, the Phillies should get it done.

All in all, I wish the Mets were in the position to blow it again on the final weekend. The feeling of your team being in the race, fully aware they could lose at the end is better than watching them lose their 90th game, don’t you think?

On a day after a Mets game that we desperately need to forget, maybe it's best to consider what else is going on in the baseball world.

Although in the New York area where college baseball is not that popular, the College World Series has begun, at least the regionals. Last weekend the regionals were held throughout the country. And like its basketball counterpart, (admittedly no where near as popular) the NCAA picks a field of 64 teams at the outset.

Each regional is made up of four teams that battle in a weekend round robin that concludes on a Sunday or Monday depending on the number of games required. This year, none of the local colleges made the tournament.

Over this past weekend, the teams were whittled down to sixteen teams that will play in the Super Regionals to be held this weekend. Unlike the first round, the Super Regionals pit pairs of teams in a two of three playoff this weekend. The eight winners of the Super Regionals will play in the final round known as the College World Series (CWS).

The CWS is made up of two brackets of four teams that compete in a round robin format. The winners of each bracket play a championship two of three final round. 

The CWS starts on June 13 and concluded on June 23 or 24 depending on the championship round. This weekend's Super Regionals games and the CWS can be seen on ESPN, ESPN2, or ESPNU.

Click here for bracket

I get all the arguments in regards to steroids. The stats have been inflated unfairly, it’s a bad role model for the kids, and it’s just plain not nice. I get it. But what in the world are we so shocked about? Am I the only one noticing the double standard in this country?

We pass judgment on the use of PED but it seems okay for ball clubs major sponsor to be a brewery. Don’t tell me alcohol is not a drug because it is. It can even enhance performance. Haven’t you ever heard anyone say have a drink to take the edge off.

There is a double standard in this country. Drugs are okay as long as the companies that produce them have a lobby in Washington. Don't kid yourself, drugs are huge business that create extreme revenues. Statin drugs alone account for about ten percent of all drug company revenues. But the legal drugs are safe right? Not if you listen carefully to the disclaimers at the end of each commercial.

Is there a time of year worse for the diehard baseball fan than the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl? The airways will be filled with over analysis and over reporting on the most over hyped game in all of sports. Had the Giants or Jets (yeah, right) made it, I would have some interest but to be honest, I could not care less who wins.

For me, and I’m sure for many of you, the focus remains on baseball, specifically the Mets. So what do we do to occupy what little free time we have on our favorite past time?

Here’s a list of baseball related things to keep an eye on.

The MLB Network – thankfully, we now have a 24 hour baseball channel, for those of us lucky enough to get it. Each weeknight, the MLB Network airs a one hour hot stove show. It’s a great way to keep current on what is happening with player movement. And if you miss the live broadcast at 7:00PM Eastern, you can catch a replay later in the evening or the next morning. Tonight at 9:00PM, the MLB Network will air a brand new show on the Negro Leagues narrated by Dave Winfield.

Mets Hot Stove – SNY will continue to telecast their weekly Mets off season show on Thursday evenings at 7:00PM. The show, hosted by Kevin Burkhart, features many interesting guests and segments. SNY also airs many classic Mets games from the past. You can catch about four to five games a week to get you through when the baseball shakes become to horrible to bear.

Citi Field/Shea Stadium – The website Stadiumpage.com continues to provide many great photos of Citi Field’s construction and Shea Stadium’s destruction. There is also a photographer who goes by the moniker of citi_field on WebShots.com who has provided a ton of slide shows of the Flushing sites. The latest one is posted below.

Caribbean - Live baseball is currently being played in the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, and Puerto Rican winter leagues are currently in their respective post seasons. The champions of these four countries will compete in the Caribbean World Series the first week of February. This year, all games will be televised live on the MLB Network. MLB.com has a site devoted to Caribbean Baseball. There are many major league players competing.

The World Baseball Classic – beings in March. This year, the US looks to rebound after being bounced out in the semi-finals in 2006. And if you think the WBC is a glorified exhibition, guess again. It has been reported by many that players on the US squad are already working out and are taking the series very seriously. MLB Network has a WBC roster special this evening and they will carry many of the Classic’s games. Sixteen countries will be competing. Japan won the first WBC in 2006. David Wright will play third base for the American team and Carlos Beltran will play on the Puerto Rican squad. Johan Santana would like to play for his native Venezuela but his knew recuperation may not allow it. Other Mets are involved in the Classic as well.

And if none of this stuff can hold you over, you only have to wait 24 days till Mets’ pitchers and catchers report to Port St. Lucie.

The latest slide show from Shea Stadium…

Free Agency -

Met killer Pat Burrell is out of the division and out of the league. Yesterday, Burrell signed a two year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. It’s kind of weird when you think about it. He was on the team that defeated the Rays in the World Series. So he has gone from the World Champion Phillies to the team that lost the series. Ah, the era of free agency. Burrell will get a chance to beat up on his old nemesis the weekend of June 19-21 when the Rays come to Shea…err Citi Field.

According to the New York Times, Andy Pettitte has rejected the Yankees offer of ten million for one year. What’s with this guy? He’s 36 years old and his better pitching days are behind him. He loves playing for the Yankees and wants to pitch in the new Yankee Stadium. But ten million is not enough? Randy Johnson took that amount to pitch in San Francisco and he was a far more dominating pitcher than Pettitte. I guess Andy wants some respect. When did ten million dollars become a non respectable income to play baseball?

According to Newsday, the Mets will stand pat on Derek Lowe since no other team has made a serious offer. As I wrote yesterday, this is the smart thing to do. Why should the Mets bid against themselves? The Newsday article also hinted that the Mets are negotiating with Randy Wolf and Oliver Perez, another Scott Boris client. Boris was a guest on MLB Hot Stove Live last evening.

MLB Network -

Speaking of the MLB Network, what I have seen I like except there is an awful lot of repeated content. If you miss Hot Stove, don’t fret. It will be repeated about five times before the next episode airs. And how many times are they going to run the Red Sox highlights from the 2004 post season? I’m sure Yankee fans are enjoying that just about as much as Mets fans are enjoying replays of the Phillies 2008 World Series win.

Teixeira Intro -

Today the Yankees will introduce Mark Teixeira as their new first baseman at the old Yankee Stadium. What’s with that? Why not at the new Yankee Stadium? The Mets introduced J.J. Putz at Citi Field. How come the old Yankee Stadium has not begun to be torn down? Is it possible the new Yankee Stadium will not be ready by opening day? Just asking…

Citi Tickets -

Mets ticket plans are going fast, even in this awful economy. There are still eight 40 game plans available. All 15 game Friday plans are available with the cheapest seat at $285 in the promenade reserved section. There is only promenade reserved left for the Saturday and Sunday 15 game plans. All 15 game weekday plans are still available. There is no word yet on six pack plans or individual game tickets.

Since every seat at Citi Field will be theoretically better than at Shea, a cheap fifteen game plan is not out of the question especially if you go in on one with some friends. For example, the cheapest seat, as mentioned above is $285 for the 15 game Friday or Saturday plan. Two seats would cost $570. If three friends went in on the deal together (five games each), it would only cost $190 for two tickets. That’s 38 bucks for two tickets per game. I may do that myself. It’s not a bad price to see five games at brand new Citi Field.

New Year’s Day, sports wise, for years was dedicated to college football. In years gone by, there were four bowl games, the Cotton Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Rose Bowl, and the Orange Bowl. Today, there are more bowl games on the days leading up to the new year, New Year’s Day, and the days after, than you can count on two hands.

But New Year’s Day is changing. For the second year in a row, a hockey game will be played outdoors on the first day of the year. Last year’s game played in the Buffalo Bill’s stadium was a whopping success. This year, the game will be played in a baseball park. Wrigley Field will open its doors on the year’s first day for a hockey game. I’m not a big hockey fan, but that will be cool to watch.

There is also another event that is occurring this New Year’s Day and it relates to baseball. Major League Baseball will launch the MLB Network in fifty-million homes, the largest role out of a cable television station ever. The big players like Cablevision and Comcast will be aboard as well as others. The stations content is baseball, 24-7. The new channel will turn their cameras on at 6:00PM Eastern Standard Time with a hot stove program. Following the panel show will be a ballgame. That’s right, on New Year’s night you can watch a major league ballgame. It will not be live of course but it will be baseball. The MLB Network will air the Don Larsen perfect game from the 1956 World Series.

The Network will include All-Time Games, Hot Stove, shows that focus on individual teams and players. Plus there will be historical documentaries including Ken Burn’s “Baseball”. The new network will also broadcast World Baseball Classic games and 26 regular season games. It’s baseball, everyday on the new MLB Network.

Al Leiter from Yes and Harold Reynolds, who was on SNY briefly last season, will be hosts on the new channel as well as Matt Vasgersian, Victor Rojas, and others. The station will also air a nightly recap show similar to Baseball Tonight on ESPN during the regular season.

More good news is that the station will be placed on the basic digital tier and will not cost a dime more in your cable bill. This is a smart move in contrast to the NFL channel that locked them into Direct TV limiting their exposure. In addition to Cablevision and Comcast, the MLB Network will be carried on Cox, Direct TV, Time Warner, Charter, and Verizon FIOS. It is unclear if they intend to offer programming in high definition. Regardless, baseball now has a home 365 days a year. There is no off season anymore. 

Notes: Today, Jeff Wilpon emphatically stated that the Mets are not for sale. The Mets finances are fine and nothing that happened in regards to the assets lost from being swindled by Bernard Madoff will effect baseball operations.