(Long Island, NY) Aaron Garcia has meant so much to the New York Dragons over the years. But perhaps nothing can be compared to this season. The quarterback threw nine touchdown passes on ESPN 2’s Monday Night Football to lead his team to a 69-63 win over the VooDoo in New Orleans. It was the Dragons’ third straight victory and put them in the sixth and final playoff spot in the AFL’s National Conference with four games to play.

The game came down to final seconds and the Dragons needed to hold the home team with a goal line stance. New Orleans’ quarterback Steve Bellisari ran the clock down for one final play after the VooDoo recovered an onside kick and had a first-and-goal situation. Bellisari tried to sneak the ball in but was stopped inches short of the goal line.

“We tried to let them score so we could get the ball back with some time on the clock,” Dragons head coach Weylan Harding said to reporters. “But they decided to milk the clock. You have to give our guys credit, they were resilient tonight.”

The Dragons scored on every possession except for when time ran out in the first half. Garcia (29 of 37, 358 yards, 0 interceptions) connected with wide receiver Kevin Swayne for six touchdowns. The former Jet wideout caught 13 passes for 150 yards and came up big with fellow receivers Mike Horcek and Chris Anthony both out with injuries.

Even with the gaudy offensive numbers, the game of Arena Football comes down to defensive stops and turnovers. The Dragons were flawless on offense while their defense intercepted Bellisari once and their special teams recovered a kick-off that hit the upright. It was the third consecutive game for Garcia without an interception.

“After a game like this all you can talk about is the team effort,” Garcia informed reporters. “From top to bottom, everyone fought. We realized it’s a crazy game. And young players learn you can play a great game, but it can still come down to the last play.”

After starting the season 1-6, the Dragons have improved to 5-7. It was no coincidence that as soon as Garcia returned from his leg injury, the team’s fortunes began to change. The star QB missed most of last season and the most of the first half of this year with a broken fibula. He returned on April 28 and the team has only lost
once with Garcia at the helm. Since then, they have defeated the Arizona Rattlers, Philadelphia Soul, Kansas City Brigade and New Orleans. The one loss came at Columbus versus the Destroyers.

The Dragons are home for three and away for one to round out the schedule. They face the Austin Wranglers (3-9), Orlando Predators (7-5) and Columbus (6-6) at home and the 11-1 Dallas Desperados on the road in the next to last game. Their main competition for the final playoff spot are the Tampa Bay Storm at 5-7 and New Orleans at 6-6. Two games separate playoff seeds three through six. Whatever the outcome, the last month of the season will be quite interesting.

(Long Island, NY) Years ago, it was commonplace for New York Yankees’ owner George Steinbrenner to make statements to the media. But in the past few seasons as he has gained in years, the words coming directly from ‘The Boss’ and not a prepared statement have been few and far between. With the current state of his team, Steinbrenner felt compelled to speak his mind.

On Friday, Steinbrenner did a telephone interview from his office in Tampa with members of the Associated Press. While he did praise certain people, some of it was vintage Steinbrenner.

With the team 21-24 and trailing the first-place Boston Red Sox by nine and a half games, the biggest question on everyone’s mind was the job security of manager Joe Torre and GM Brian Cashman.

According to reports, Steinbrenner said that Torre’s job is safe for now and that “we are not considering a change.” As far as Cashman’s status, Steinbrenner told reporters, “He is on a big hook. He wanted sole authority. He got it. Now he’s got to deliver.”

He also had strong words for embattled slugger Jason Giambi, referring to his comments to the USA Today concerning alleged steroid use. “He should have kept his mouth shut,” Steinbrenner said to reporters about Giambi. “The matter is in the hands of the baseball commissioner.”

Some of his players did receive praise, such as Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens. Steinbrenner stated that he felt Clemens needed another start in the minor leagues before coming to the Bronx, and the organization must have heeded his words. The Rocket was scheduled to make a start on Monday in Triple-A Scranton.

The Boss may have planted the seed for Torre’s eventual replacement. “Mattingly is a good one,” said Steinbrenner in the same interview. “He is a very thorough guy. He understands what it is to be a Yankee.” Steinbrenner also said that Torre’s current bench coach “could possibly” become manager someday.

When Steinbrenner speaks, people usually listen. But since the interview took place, the Yankees were swept in a three-game weekend series at home to the Los Angeles Angels. This occurred while Boston was sweeping their series against the Texas Rangers, swelling their lead over the Yankees to 12 and a half games.

It is not a stretch to say that Boston will win the American League East. That will leave the Yankees fighting for a wild card spot in order to qualify for the post-season. No easy road there, either. Currently, there are seven teams ahead of the Yanks for that race. In the AL Central, quality teams such as Detroit, Chicago and Minnesota are all within seven games of first-place Cleveland. Out west, Seattle and Oakland are still close enough to Los Angeles to fight for the division. And in their own division, the Yankees are looking up at Baltimore and Toronto (who host the Bombers in a three-game series scheduled to start on Monday evening). Many hills to climb.

On the bright side, it is still only May and Cashman has some time left to make the necessary moves to get the team back where it expected to be. If the starting rotation is healthy, a top-four of Clemens, Pettitte, Chien-Ming Wang and Mike Mussina will be quite formidable. That may be enough to go on a good run and overtake some of the teams standing in their way for the playoffs.

(Long Island, NY) Things seemed bleak for the Yankees prior to the third game of this year’s installment of the Subway Series. The Mets took the first two and had one of their top starters, John Maine, going against 22 year-old Tyler Clippard, who was making his major league debut. But no one came out and told Clippard.

The young righty pitched six innings of one-run ball, surrendering only three hits while striking out six Mets and walking three. He earned his first career win with the Yankees salvaging the last game of the weekend set, 6-2.

David Wright put the Mets on the board first in the bottom of the second inning with a solo home run to left field. But Clippard avoided any further damage by inducing Jose Reyes to fly out with the bases loaded.

In the top of the fourth, the Yankees took advantage of two walks by Maine. Clippard successfully sacrificed two runners over in only his second at-bat in the majors. That led to a two-run double by Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter answered that with a two-run home run. By the time it was all said and done, a slim lead turned into a 4-1 deficit for the Mets.

An inning later, Jorge Posada blasted a Maine change-up into the Mets bullpen to extend the Yankees advantage to four runs. Reyes then made a diving stop in the hole on a grounder by Robinson Cano, but the Yankee second sacker beat the throw. The inning ended when Paul Lo Duca threw Robinson out attempting to steal.

Alex Rodriguez greeted Mets reliever Ambiorix Burgos with a laser into the Flushing night that traveled an estimated 390 feet, making the score 6-1 Yankees in the top of the seventh.

Damian Easley hit a solo home run off Yankees’ closer Mariano Rivera in the ninth, but that was a too little, too late.

It’s hard to call a game in the middle of May a ‘must-win.’ But in Yankee-land, this was pretty close. Prior to the game, Yankees manager Joe Torre commented on speaking to owner George Steinbrenner before Saturday’s 10-7 loss to the Mets. “It was all supportive. That means a lot to me.” He also said that the Yankees’ recent slide has been “the toughest stretch that we’ve gone through.”

Torre felt confident throwing the young Clippard out there in a national game. “He [Clippard] really impressed us in the spring. You look in someone’s eyes and you can tell what type of personality they have.”

That seemed to be a sign of things to come as Clippard not only impressed with his pitching, but with the bat, as well. He doubled into the right-centerfield gap off Mets reliever Scott Schoeneweis for his first major league hit.

“This was the first time I hit in a game in like four and a half years. Since high school,” said a beaming Clippard in the winning clubhouse after the game. He had the game ball on the top shelf of his locker, sure to be a life-long souvenir.

Clippard’s strong showing convinced Wright. “He threw the ball well for a young guy,” said the Mets third baseman. “I was impressed. He had a live fastball with a herky-jerky motion. He was throwing strikes.”

Although the Mets dropped this game, rightfielder Shawn Green chose to look at the positive side. “Going into Atlanta [three-game series starting on Tuesday], it was big for us to take this series.”

Not as big as the Yankees getting a much-needed win.

(Long Island, NY) The Long Island Ducks introduced a new starting time for weeknight games on Tuesday at Citibank Park when they hosted the Somerset Patriots. First pitch was 6:35 pm and the evening began with the announcement that Ducks hitting/infield coach Kevin Baez has been signed by the Mets organization in a coaching capacity.

Regarding the new starting time, Ducks general manager Michael Pfaff said, “Our fans let us know that they would like an earlier starting time for weeknight games while school is still in session.” The half hour earlier beginning will take place in May, June and September.

On this beautiful night for baseball, Somerset lit up the Ducks pitchers for 13 hits and routed the home team by a score of 13-6. Patriots’ right fielder Mike Lockwood just missed hitting for the cycle, sans the single.

Long Island DucksThe Ducks (5-5) were coming off a three-game weekend sweep of the Lancaster Barnstormers but fell behind the Patriots 2-0 in the first inning. In the top of the third, Lockwood hit an opposite field home run off Long Island starting pitcher Pat Ahearne to pad the advantage.

The Ducks got one back in the bottom of the frame when second baseman Ray Navarrete singled home Derek Wathan. After Somerset (7-3) went up by a score of 4-1, DH Jorge Piedra knocked in right fielder Kevin Haverbusch with a double to the wall in right center field in the bottom of the fourth to cut the deficit in half.

Ahearne could not find the plate in the top of the fifth and forced in a run when he hit left fielder Teuris Olivares in the back with the bases loaded. It was his second batter he hit in the inning. That brought manager Dave LaPoint out to the mound to bring in Tim Cain, who is still the all-time Atlantic League leader in career wins. Cain promptly stopped the bleeding by retiring the side with a fly out.

Ex-major leaguer Carl Everett drove home a run in the bottom of the fifth with a groundout to the right side to make the score 5-3. Haverbusch then hit one to the base of the left field wall for a double to put runners at second and third. But Damian Rolls grounded out to end the inning, stranding both runners.

In the top of the sixth, Lockwood drove in a run with a long triple off the base of the right centerfield wall and came around to score on third baseman Jeff Nettles’ base hit.

Haverbusch hit a three-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to make the score 7-6. In the top of the seventh, the Patriots widened their lead when DH Josh Pressley doubled to drive in two. Catcher Michael Hernandez then lined a single over first base to plate two more for an 11-6 lead. The scoring was completed when Elliott Ayala, Somerset’s left fielder and ninth place hitter, smacked a triple to center to bring two more runners home.

Ahearne took the loss by surrendering four earned runs in 4.2 innings and fell to 1-2. Andy Van Hekken pitched six innings, giving up only two earned runs and improved to 2-0.

The feel-good story on the night was Baez, who will report to the Mets Rookie team in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The Brooklyn native said there was a “50/50 chance” that he will be assigned to the Mets NY- Penn League affiliate, the Brooklyn Cyclones.

“The guys here (Long Island Ducks) are set in their ways and all you have to do is fine tune,” Baez said. “With the younger guys, it’s a different feeling (coaching them).”

(Long Island, NY) The sideshow otherwise known as the New York Yankees proved once again that they do everything with a little flair. Even when they announce that they have signed a free agent forty-something pitcher coming out of retirement (again) that will not be ready for at least a month, the Bronx Bombers pull out all the stops. Should we have expected anything less?

During the seventh inning stretch on Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, Roger Clemens stood up in owner George Steinbrenner’s private luxury box with a microphone in hand and announced to the 52,553 fans that he was coming back. The scoreboard also informed the crowd of the situation, and the ovation trumped even the one following the home team’s 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

Clemens addressed reporters during a press conference that took place after the game and said, “I’m coming back to do the only thing they know how to do with the Yankees, and that’s win a championship. Anything else is a failure, and I know that.”

The seven-time Cy Young Award winner signed a minor league one-year deal that will cost Steinbrenner a prorated amount from $28 million dollars. Clemens will also enjoy the flexibility of missing certain road trips to spend more time with his family, which is similar to the stipulations that he had in his 2006 contract with the Houston Astros.

“He’ll be here at times, he may not be here at times,” said general manager Brian Cashman at the same press conference. “But I know one thing: We’ll be happy every five days when he shows up on our mound.”

The team will not have to be concerned with that unique situation for at least three or four weeks while Clemens gets back in game shape. He is expected to make rehabilitation starts in the minor leagues prior to coming to the Bronx, most likely making Tampa (Florida State League) the first stop.

For a team that has endured numerous injuries to their pitching staff, Clemens’ signing could not have come at a better time. Considering that the season is barely five weeks old, the Yankees already have had to place five starters on the disabled list. Chien-Ming Wang and Mike Mussina are horses that will be needed to join Andy Pettitte to anchor the staff. Jeff Karstens and Philip Hughes are youngsters that should be able to bounce back and contribute. Carl Pavano? If he ever gets back on the mound for the Yankees, it would be considered a plus.

All along, Clemens had stated that if he did in fact decide to pitch this season, it would be only for one of three teams: the Yankees, Red Sox, or Astros. Houston would have made the most sense for him to be close to home, but they are not expected to have much success this season. The Rocket obviously wants to win, and using that as a barometer, Boston would have been a good choice. But there also is the ego of Clemens to consider. The Sox have a good staff currently and are leading the American League East, and how much would he cement his legacy even more by riding into Yankee Stadium and resurrecting the Bombers? If he does just that at age 44 and the Yankees overtake their nemesis Boston, he would be viewed as the best pitcher of his era.

(Long Island, NY) Madison Square Garden was ablaze once again on Tuesday night as the Rangers held on for a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres to even their Eastern Conference Semifinals series at two games apiece. After dropping the opening two hard fought contests in Buffalo, the Blueshirts took Sunday’s match in double overtime and followed that up with a close regulation victory.

The Rangers led the latest game 2-0 before the Sabres came right back. Jaromir Jagr (second period) and Brendan Shanahan (third period) had power play tallies before Buffalo’s Ales Kotalik scored only 33 seconds later to cut the lead to one.

Sabres’ captain Daniel Briere had a potential game-tying shot with only 13.4 seconds left in the game kicked out by Rangers’ netminder Henrik Lundqvist that was sent for a long video review. It was determined that the puck did not fully cross the goal line and the Rangers took the two-game set at home. Counting the end of the regular season and first-round sweep against the Atlanta Thrashers, it was their ninth consecutive win and 12th in their last 13 games at the ‘World’s Most Famous Arena.’

“In that situation, you’re handcuffed. You’re at the mercy of the video review,” Rangers’ head coach Tom Renney said on a conference call to the media on Wednesday. “You have to prepare yourself to continue to play with the worst fate possible. Our video people thought it was a no-goal.”

The Rangers’ special teams were very effective, not only scoring twice with the man advantage, but killing off all four power plays that the Sabres’ had.

“We’re working together,” said Renney. “We tried to make their entries a little tougher. We have to continue to work very, very hard.”

Now the Rangers head back up to Buffalo for Game 5 on Friday night. A big shift has occurred in the series since the Sabres led two games to none.

“It’s on behalf of the players more than me,” Renney continued. “I felt as a coach that the guys had it in them (to come back). We just stayed with the game plan. This may be a special story this year.”

Renney also felt that due to the low scoring and effective goal-tending in the series, scoring first would be major. “The goal-tending has been great. Scoring the first goal is important. The bottom line is controlling the puck, controlling the ice. We understand what they’re (Buffalo) capable of doing.

“If you want to move through the playoffs, you have to play in a certain manner,” Renney said. “I truly believe our guys fell they can beat anybody.”

(Long Island, NY) With the Knicks once again leaving their fans thirsty at the playoff watering hole, basketball fans in New York have two choices. Turn on sitcom reruns during the NBA post-season or become followers of the New Jersey Nets. Considering the recent fortunes of both clubs, it may not be a bad choice.

The Nets qualified for the playoffs once again and headed to Toronto to face the Atlantic Division champion Raptors. Vince Carter made his return to the arena he once called home for Game 1 last Saturday. The former Raptors star heard the boos every time he touched the ball.

“I didn’t come here to worry about the crowd and the response, I came here to win a basketball game,” Carter said to reporters. His words rang true after the Nets took away Toronto’s home court advantage with a 96-91 win. Carter went only 5 for 19 from the field, and scored 16 points.

Richard Jefferson was the Nets’ high scorer with 28 points, and Jason Kidd chipped in eight points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds.

Game 2 took place on Tuesday and the Raptors needed a split to salvage the set. They gained their first playoff victory in five years with a 89-83 decision. Prior to the game, Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year.

Chris Bosh, the talented young big man, had a double-double (25 points, 13 rebounds), while Anthony Parker led the way with 26 points.

“We need Anthony Parker to play like that,” stated Mitchell to reporters following the win. “He was just unbelievable tonight.”

The Nets’ big three put up impressive numbers, but were unable to pull out the game in the final minutes. Carter (19 points, 11 rebounds) and Kidd (14 points, 11 rebounds) both had double-doubles and Jefferson had 13 points, all scored in the second half.

Now the series shifts to the Continental Airlines Arena in New Jersey. Game 3 is Friday night and will be a ‘swing’ game in the best of seven series. Figure this one to go the full seven games. These teams match up fairly well and are familiar with one another, playing in the same division. The Nets lead in the experience factor, players
and coach. Lawrence Frank knows what lies ahead for pressure packed post-season games.

The Nets also have more veterans than the youthful Canadian club. They also know how to handle the situation at hand, and will not let it get to them. The same thing cannot be said about the Raptors. A must-win Game 6 or 7 may be the type of situation the Nets want to put Toronto in.

However you slice it, the Nets should be able to contend in the watered-down Eastern Conference for the next few season. And by then, they will be ready to move into their brand new arena in Brooklyn, the Barclays Center.

(Long Island, NY) What a difference a year makes. In the opening round of the 2005-06 NHL Playoffs, the New York Rangers were on the short end of a three games to none deficit. That eventually turned into a four-game sweep at the hands of the New Jersey Devils. Captain Jaromir Jagr was out with a shoulder injury suffered in the first game, and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist was experiencing migraines and fatigue from the long season and Olympic Gold Medal he won for Sweden during the All-Star break.

But fast forward to the present and the Rangers will once again be on the Madison Square Garden ice with the opening playoff round standing at three games to none. But the Rangers are not on the short side of that. The team staring elimination in the face is the Atlanta Thrashers, who finished the regular season seeded third in the Eastern Conference to the Rangers’ sixth.

Usually, a team that goes on the road for the first two games in a playoff series would be satisfied with a split. But the Rangers were able to take total control of the best-of-seven series by winning both games in Atlanta by one goal. They took the opening contest 4-3, and then held on in Game Two, 2-1.

The series then moved to New York and as close as the first two games were, Game Three was a blowout. Michael Nylander scored a hat trick to lead the home squad to a 7-0 victory, which was the Rangers’ first home post-season win since 1997. Lundqvist was sharp once again and stopped all 21 Atlanta shots.

“It felt like everything was working for us,” Lundqvist said to reporters. “It’s not every night, especially in the playoffs, when everything just seems to work for you.”

Jagr had four assists in the game, which included all three of linemate Nylander’s goals. Rookie Ryan Callahan is enjoying his first NHL playoff experience and scored two goals in the second period. The other scorers were Marek Malik and Brendan Shanahan. Sean Avery chipped in with two assists to further his legend with the fans at the Garden.

“I think we are hungry and we are going to come in here tomorrow night with the mindset that we are going to finish it off and play a real hard game,” the forward said to reporters. “Basically, the same game we played in the first three (games of the series).”

Atlanta has basically gone to a platoon system in goal. Kari Lehtonen started Games One and Three, with Johan Hedberg in Game Two. The youngster Lohtenen was in goal for all seven scores, and was not pulled to give Hedberg rest before his start the following evening in Game Four.

With the Rangers on the verge of ousting Atlanta, this has to be viewed as a mild surprise. The Thrashers did win the Southwest Division with 97 points. But the Rangers came into the post-season hot, and went 7-2-1 in their last 10 regular season games.

(Long Island, NY) A record crowd of 56, 227 packed a chilly Shea Stadium to cheer on the Mets in their home opener on Monday afternoon. The game may have taken over three hours, but no one seemed to mind with the Mets coming back to defeat their division rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, by a score of 11-5.

What began as a close contest that went back and forth ended with a brutal bottom of the eighth inning for Charley Manuel and the Phils. Trailing 5-4, the Mets batted around and scored seven runs to win going away.

Two quality young starters were on the hill at the beginning of the game. John Maine and Cole Hamels both pitched well enough to win, but the Mets bullpen did the job and the Phillies did not.

“We have to fix and improve our bullpen,” said Manuel, the Philadelphia manager. “We have to play better sound baseball.”

Hamels, the Phillies 23 year-old second-year phenom, reached base safely in the second inning and came around to score on Chase Utley’s sacrifice fly. Jose Valentin put the Mets up in the bottom of the fourth inning with a two-out hit that plated two runs. Carlos Delgado was waived home by third base coach Sandy Alomar, Sr. and barely made it in under the tag of Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz.

Shane Victorino tied it the next inning with a solo home run to left field off John Maine. Manager Willie Randolph pulled the Mets’ young right-hander later that same inning when he loaded the bases with two outs. Ambioroix Burgos made his Shea debut and received an ovation from the fans when he induced third baseman Abraham Nunez to ground out.

In the bottom of the fifth, Jose Reyes reached on a muffed pop to the pitcher’s mound and came around on Delgado’s sacrifice fly to center field to make the score 3-2.

In the top of the sixth inning, Ryan Howard, the reigning National League MVP, tattooed a Burgos delivery 390 feet into the right field bullpen with two runners on, giving Philadelphia a 5-3 lead. Joe Smith and Pedro Feliciano then came out of the Mets bullpen to pitch a scoreless inning each and keep the game within reach.

“That scoreless inning made a big difference,” said closer Billy Wagner, who pitched a scoreless ninth, in reference to Smith’s 1-2-3 seventh inning. “These [middle] innings are important, because if you give up a run or two there, maybe we don’t come back and win the game.”

Carlos Delgado made it a one-run game when he singled in Paul Lo Duca home from second base with two out in the bottom of the seventh. An inning later, Moises Alou began the barrage with a sharp single to right-center field. The wheels started to come off for Philadelphia four batters later when shortstop Jimmy Rollins made an error on a
potential inning-ending double-play grounder by the speedy Jose Reyes. Pinch runner Endy Chavez came around to score the tying run. The Mets went ahead when Geoff Geary uncorked a wild pitch with Lo Duca at the plate.

“It is what it is,” said Geary. “I was trying to make a pitch and threw it over his head.”

Former Yankee John Lieber came on in relief and did not fair much better. The big blow came off the bat of David Wright, who recorded his only hit of the day with a shot off the left field wall, good enough for a double and two RBI. By the time smoke cleared, the Mets were comfortably ahead and the final three outs became merely a formality.

“With the team that we have and the lineup we have, we’re expected to go out and score runs,” Beltran said. “Any guy can be the hero and do the damage and it’s a great feeling. Pitchers can’t pitch the game that they want to when they’re facing a good lineup.”

With the win, the Mets snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 5-2. The Phillies’ early season struggles continued as they dropped to 1-6.

(Long Island, NY) Game 7. NLCS. Shea Stadium. Everything was lined up with a raucous sell-out crowd gearing up for a trip to the World Series. A pitcher’s duel during a low scoring tied game that included a catch for the ages by Endy Chavez in leftfield to bring back a shot that was being deposited over the wall. Then light-hitting Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina hit one off Aaron Heilman that couldn’t be rescued by anyone other than Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic, who was not wearing a Met uniform. And last but not least, the curve ball that froze Carlos Beltran with the bases loaded and the Cards were on their way.

That was then. This is now. The New York Mets opened the 2007 baseball season in St. Louis to face the team that not only ousted them last October, but also went on to defeat the American League champion Detroit Tigers for the World championship.

Prior to the season opener, Beltran said to reporters, “They won last year, but this year is a new year.”

The Mets will have to shake off their worst spring training (as far losses) in team history. The 12-21 mark was mercifully completed with an 8-3 drubbing at the hands of the lowly Tampa Bay Devil Rays. But exhibition games mean squat once the first pitch is thrown when it counts.

Facing Cardinals’ top starter Chris Carpenter, the Mets went about their business with a workman like attitude and put up six runs by spraying the ball around and getting timely hits with men in scoring position. They put up a three runs in the fourth inning and made it stick. Their bullpen did bend, but did not break. They played a great
defense behind their pitchers and came away with a 6-1 win.

Tom Glavine will be the ace of the staff with Pedro Martinez out until at least August recovering from shoulder surgery. He pitched a very effective six innings, giving up only one run on six hits in earning his 291st career win. Nine more wins to get to that magic 300, which is usually an automatic ticket to Cooperstown.

I’m obviously anticipating it,” Glavine said to reporters at the end of spring training. “But I’m more concerned with what we’re doing as a team.”

The opening win was a total team effort. Carlos Delgado hit one off the wall to drive in two runs early on, and then Paul Lo Duca knocked in two more in the fourth inning. In the sixth inning, Carlos Beltran threw out David Eckstein trying to score from second base on a single and was pegged on a beautiful throw.

Jose Valentin bailed out the middle relief in the bottom of the eighth inning with a diving backhanded stop, which resulted in an inning-ending double play. Billy Wagner pitched the ninth and closed out the win.

161 games to go. But at least the Mets may have removed some of that bad taste left in their mouths by the Cardinals last October.