The Mets beat St. Louis 7-2 and the Yankees beat the Red Sox 1-0 on Friday to continue to win.

The Yankees made a roster move and had a trade with the Pirates landing former Mets outfields Xavier Nady and left hander Damaso Marte for four minor leaguers. The Yankees made a steal. While these are not super star players, they may be enough the Yankees need to make some noise.

After taking 2 out of 3 from the Phillies, the Mets are now alone in first place in the NL East. The question is: Are the Mets for real?

If you would have asked Mets fans on Tuesday night after the Phillies came back and scored 6 runs in the 9th to win, the answer would have been no. But to come back and win the next two games and take sole possession of first place is huge. This shows that the Mets maybe are for real.

There is something different about the Mets the past month. They work the counts, they get to the bullpens, they get clutch hits. But what seems to have changed is that the team is pumped and having fun.

Yesterday was Carlos Delgado's big 2-out 2 RBI off J.C. Romero (who owns Delgado). Not only did the Mets make the Phillies pay for the intentional walk to Wright, but the attitude and excitement was there. When Delgaldo made contact Jose Reyes ran out to the field and jumped up and down with the signal to Wright to come home. When Wright scored, he made a fist pump like the one he made in Game 1 of that NLDS in 2006. Oliver Perez even had a fist pump of his own after striking out Ryan Howard to end the 6th.

All of the fist pumps and celebrations and clutch hits show that the Mets are enjoying themselves. The NL East is ripe for the taking. Yesterday's win and the recent dominance of Philly (5-2 in July, 9-4 on the year) show me that the Phillies are not a championship team, they played well last September to take advantage of the Mets historic fall, but did not follow it up this year with solid play. There are still two full months left and as we saw last year, anything can happen. But as we stand today, the Mets look like they can take the NL East.

David Wright celebrating at home. (Photo AP)

There is one week to the trade deadline.  What does it mean for the Yankees and Mets?

(1) Though the Yankees acquired Sexson last week, will they make a big deal?  I doubt it as CC Sabbathia and Rich Haren are no longer available.  More importantly, Bruney should be back in the next week or so which should really help the bull pen, touch wood.  Kennedy threw seven innings in AAA last week.  Amazing!  Wang is scheduled to be back in September.  Those returning players are as good as a trade.  Expect the Yankees to stand pat unless they get a deal they can't refuse.  For instance, if the Mariners offer Jerrod Washburn for Kei Igawa, expect the Yankees to try to make it work, even if they have to eat some or most of Igawa's big contract.  Washburn is a good #4 or #5 starter for this and/or next year if Ponson or Rasner run into issues. 

ESPN 1050 AM reports that Hank "Honky Tonk" Steinbrenner is considering acquiring Barry "Steroid Boy" Bonds.  I don't think the Yankees should or will.  First, it will take Bonds a while to get in shape.  Furthermore, it will distract the chemistry which is pretty good.  If the Yankees are going to bring anyone out of retirement, it should be Bernie Williams.  A piper dream perhaps, but I wanted to get it out of my system.

Expect the Yankees to try to get help at catcher since Posada won't be catching for the rest of the season.  Molina is good defensively but as good as an out at the plate. 

As for the Mets, they need a bat, especially at corner outfielder, but Billy Wagner's shoulder may force them to get a reliever.  Will Omar give up F-Mart?  If he has to, he will as his job is now on the line after firing Willie Randolph.

(2) We like to look ahead at SATT.  But, it's always nice to look back.  Editor-in-Chief and PermaGuest Outlaw Jack reminded us that it's been 25 years since the infamous pine tar game.  George Brett had too much pine on his bat.  After Billy Martin appealed, home plate umpire McClellan called Brett out.  Brett ran furiously out of the dugout and wanted to get a piece of McClellan.  Brett was thrown out of the game.

MLB reviewed the game.  They ruled that it had to be continued on another day and the Royals unfortunately won 5-4.  White Fedora Mike remembers Ron Guidry catching a ball in center. 

Brett now laughs whenever he and his kids watch the video.  I watched a TV report a while back when Brett said he would rather be known for the Pine Tar Incident than being a spokesman for Preparation-H.  Time heals all wounds, literally and figuratively. 

Posted by a philosophical Tank in Tradeville and Memory Lane.

Johan Santana answered the bell last night and pitched eight great innings against the Phillies at Shea.

The Mets carried a 5-2 lead into the 9th inning.  The bull pen, sans Billy Wagner, imploded and gave up six runs.  It's beyond words and blogging.  Editor-In-Chief and PermaGuest Outlaw Jack was at the Yankee game and was in disbelief when I reported the info to him.

The Mets scored one run in the 9th but lost 8-6.  You try not to read too much into one game but this one hurts.  Ouch!

Posted by The Tank in a "Land of Confusion" (title of a great Genesis song).

Shock Therapy was an economic theory used by Jeffrey Sachs that shocked former communist countries into capitalism during the 1990s.

It wasn't so much a shock that the  Giants traded Tight End Jeremy Shockey to the New Orleans Saints for a couple of draft picks.  I was surprised by the timing of it.  I thought Shockey would have been traded before April's Draft.

Shockey is talented but a distraction on the field and off.  The Giants proved that they could win the Super Bowl without him.  Kevin Boss was a great replacement while Shockey was injured.  It's now Eli Manning's team.

Posted by a surprised Tank in NY.

Mets closer Billy Wagner hurt his shoulder yesterday as the Mets re-tied the Phillies for first place ahead of their big upcoming series at Shea.  He is scheduled to get an MRI today.

In good news, the Yankees swept the As.  The Yankees gained three games on the Red Sox courtesy of the Angels who exacted some revenge for last season's ALDS loss.

Post by The Tank on an emotional rollercoaster.

I decided to throw my hat into the ring because I was appalled by the lack of baseball integrity from the so-called leading presidential candidates.  For instance, Senator Clinton is not a real Yankee fan; she grew up a Cubs fan.  Mayor Guiliani supported the Red Sox during last year's World Series.  Judas is not even an appropriate description.  Speaking of Red Sox, Mayor Bloomberg is from Boston and is a Red Sox fan. 

Thanks to your support, Mayor Guiliani and Senator Clinton are no longer in the race.  Mayor Bloomberg decided not to run.  I look forward to campaigning against fellow real baseball fans like Senator McCain (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Senator Obama (Chicago White Sox).

I have an advantage over both candidates because I can bridge the partisan divide like no one else.  For instance, I recently met with former Bill Clinton advisor James "The Ragin' Cajun" Carville

and conservative talk show host and Guardian Angel Curtis Silwa in Midtown Manhattan.





I'm not perfect.  However, unlike other politicians, I have not cheated on my wife nor have a second family.  I know the issues and will bring baseball integrity back to the White House.  The fall debates will be filled with baseball references, World Series games, and good old fashioned American fun.  When the phone rings at 3 a.m., I'll answer it because I'll probably be at the ball park as I was at All Star Game or watching baseball highlights. 

Vote SteveAndTheTank.com.  I thank you for your support.

Posted by The Tank on the road to the White House.

The Giants are Super Bowl Champions and they are sticking their fans with the bill for a $1.6 Billion new stadium opening in 2010.  Don't get me wrong, it's better for fans rather than taxpayers to foot the bill.  I have believed this long before I started running for President.  (Big campaign announcement coming soon.)

That said, the bill is so high that the Giants installed a calculator on their website to calculate payments.  Whoa!  If you want the best seats in the club which is the section closest to the field, your Personal Seat License (PSL) will cost $54,000 for two seats.  Your initial payment is $8,000 in 2008 followed by two payments of $16,000 each followed by a final payment of $14,000.  Ouch!  Go Bills! 

Posted by The Tank in NY.

The Mets have won 10 in a row and are now tied for first place in the NL East. They answered my call to come out of the 3-1 series win in Philly with a 4-2 or better record against San Francisco and Colorado. After last nigh's come from behind win, on the one month date of Willie's ax, the Mets look like they are on fire. But are they for real, the Mets I know and love will now go lose 5 in a row. Will that happen?

That is a question for time to tell. After this series with the Reds, the Mets face Philly at home. So the next six games are critical for the Mets to show us what they are made of. Winning both series will prove that. After the Philly series, the schedules are about the same for both teams, but the Phillies have one West Coast trip that the Mets do not have to make-the Mets made several West Coast trips in the first half.

I am not completely a believer yet, but getting there.

Posted by Steve in New York