(Long Island, N.Y.) Ever since their dynasty came to a crashing halt with a bloop single during Game 7 in Arizona, the Yankees have been the epitome of the big engine that couldn’t. Questionable free agent signings coupled with head-scratching personnel decisions left this team out of the Fall Classic since dropping that heart breaker in 2001.

Expensive, long-term contracts were given to the likes of Randy Johnson, Carl Pavano, Jason Giambi and Jared Wright with little to nothing to show for it other than a few playoff appearances. In the Bronx – especially the George Steinbrenner version – anything less than a ring is viewed as a failure.

Although it may have taken some trial and error unaffordable to any other sports franchise in the world, the Bombers seemed to have gotten it right this time. The addition of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira to an already talented club resulted in a division championship, American League pennant and possibly more.

“It’s a great feeling, with what these guys did and how hard they worked,” manager Joe Girardi said to reporters. “They never gave up, even when we went through some tough times, they were there. They kept fighting back. Our team has showed a lot of character.”

This was a critical year for the franchise. Not only did they want to have a memorable season with the opening of the new Yankee Stadium, but also Girardi and general manager Brian Cashman had critics to silence. After taking over for Joe Torre in 2008, the former bench coach went through some growing pains and the team missed the playoffs for the first time since 1994. There was a lot of chatter saying that if that happened again, both would be on the unemployment line.

Cashman went out and aggressively made the moves that he did over the winter. He also re-signed lefthander Andy Pettitte and catcher Jorge Posada, two veterans who were integral parts of that championship run in the 1990s. Pettitte was on the mound in the clinching sixth game to send the Yankees to the World Series, where they will face a formidable opponent in the Philadelphia Phillies.

The defending champions brought back most of the same team that defeated Tampa Bay last October and then added right fielder Raul Ibanez and pitchers Cliff Lee and Pedro Martinez. Even for a team as deep as the Yankees, the Phils will be a tough out.

Although he is not his former self, Steinbrenner still shows qualities worthy of someone known simply as “The Boss.” In a statement, he said, “The Yankees enormous will to win, tremendous professionalism and great team spirit, backed by the best, most vocal and supportive fans have propelled us into the World Series.

“We’re looking forward to our 27th ring.”

That last part is not said with anything but confidence. There is nothing meant as a shot towards the Phillies or that they will be taken lightly. It is merely the leader of a team that expects to win each and every time they step out on the field.

A return to greatness is the Yankees’ goal and they are just four wins away from getting there.

(Long Island, N.Y.) “My heart is still on Long Island. I love Long Island. This is where the Islanders belong. Let’s play hockey.”

The crescendo of the statement released by New York Islanders owner Charles Wang is a microcosm of what he has been trying to convey all along. He does not want to move the team anywhere but also is a shrewd businessman. Annual years finishing in the red can only last so long, even for someone as wealthy as he.

The sticking point in the negotiations with the Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray has been the vastness of the project, which includes much more than a refurbished Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The entire $3.8 billion Lighthouse Project has been scaled down and modified since the original plans were first presented years ago, but still apparently not enough to get it done.

Although Wang had set what seems like an infinite amount of deadlines that have come and gone, the two sides are still in negotiations. “There are no plans to abandon this project which is so vital to the future of Nassau County and Long Island as a whole,” he continued in the statement.

The proposed Lighthouse Project includes a new home for the NY Islanders with a redeveloped Coliseum, twin towers 31-stories tall that would house Long Islands first five-star hotel overlooking: a conference center, offices, homes and a Celebration Plaza larger than New Yorks Bryant Park.

The latest news is that a lease has been negotiated to allow town officials more time to make a decision on the zoning. There was no time limit specified so what that basically means is that Wang may have over estimated the demand for his team in other cities.

There appears to be options, but how solid they are remains to be seen. Wang has even flirted with the idea of moving the team to Suffolk County. The top four mentioned have been:

1 – KANSAS CITY – The former location of the NHL Scouts is doing their best to lure a team back to Missouri. They built an arena with the anticipation of rolling out the red carpet and have wooed the Islanders, albeit behind the scenes. Wang may have lost some of his negotiating power with Murray when the much-anticipated preseason game in K.C. versus the Kings only attracted 9,792 fans – basically half capacity. Trying to spin it in a positive light, it was said that the light crowd may have been attributed to the fact that American League Cy Young candidate was pitching for the under-.500 Royals that same evening at Kaufman Stadium, which also held their T-Shirt Tuesday promotional giveaway.

2 – TORONTO – It may be Maple Leaf country, but that town can certainly support a second team. This is not something that should be scoffed at, especially after the Phoenix Coyotes seem to be staying put in the desert after overtures were made that the former Winnipeg Jets were Canada-bound. The NHL lost a lot of its steam when teams relocated from Canadian cities to places like Phoenix and Colorado. Placing expansion teams in the south (Florida, Tampa Bay, Charlotte and Atlanta) was not the brightest idea, either. Getting back to the grass roots of the sport north of the border is a sound business decision for the league as a whole.

3 – BROOKLYN – The Atlantic Yards project may be a pipedream, but until it is dead and buried there is still a possibility it will be erected. Perhaps the Nets arena will look more attractive if there is a hockey team in place to join them. How ironic would that be? When the Coliseum was first built for the Islanders, the Nets were the redheaded stepchildren playing second banana.

4 – SASKATCHEWAN – The Islanders held training camp in Saskatoon and also played two exhibition games at the Credit Union Center. Not exactly your quintessential NHL city, but who would have guessed that Edmonton would eventually become a dynasty town when the Oilers first joined the NHL as part of the WHA merger?

Wang does desire to stay put, as it is his best option. Kansas City may be intriguing but not overwhelmingly impressive. It appears that he is working to make anything happen to keep the team on The Island, but appears weak by extending his self-proposed deadlines.

It will all be worth it if some kind of compromise is made. The Islanders and their illustrious history belong in one place and one place only, and that is not on the Canadian prairie, downtown Kansas City, the Brooklyn rail yards or Ontario.

(Long Island, N.Y.) Postseason football in the Bronx. Yes, you read that correctly and although there will certainly be playoff baseball at Yankee Stadium, it doesn’t stop there. Beginning at the conclusion of the 2010 regular season, college football has found an annual home in the form of a yet-to-be-named bowl game.

The participants will be the Big East conference’s third or fourth selection and the Big 12 conference’s seventh selection. This will not give you the sexiest of match-ups but the setting will more than make up for that.

“This is a great day for New York City and the Bronx as we bring a premier college football bowl game to Yankee Stadium,” Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner said at a press conference at Yankee Stadium. “When we constructed this stadium, it was our intention to create a first-class baseball stadium as well as a venue capable of holding a variety of unique and memorable events.”

Both conferences voted to approve the game and signed a four-year agreement that needs to be formalized by the NCAA next April. There is one caveat that has been addressed: If the Big 12 team does not qualify under NCAA guidelines, the University of Notre Dame has stepped up and volunteered to face the Big East participant.

The date of the game has also yet to be determined but it will be during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, something that is a definite positive to Randy Levine. “There is no better place during the holiday season to host big events than New York City and no one does big events better than New York City,” the Yankees president said. “Hosting two of college football’s premier conferences in an annual bowl game will give sports fans from all over the country a unique opportunity to experience and enjoy Yankee Stadium.
“It is a tremendous honor to bring the excitement and prestige of college football to the great stage of Yankee Stadium and the great city of New York.”

The Mayor of New York City was in attendance, as well, and was overjoyed at the aspect of holding such an important sporting event right in his own backyard. “What better place for a big game between the Big 12 and Big East than the Big Apple,” said Michael Bloomberg. “Not only will it give fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to close out their season and the year in the world’s most exciting city; it will also give us a chance to introduce New York City to thousands of new visitors, including college students and football fans from the South, East and Midwest.”

This announcement comes on the heels of Yankee Stadium being named the host of a series of regular season college football games in the next five years, beginning with the Notre Dame-Army contest on November 20, 2010.

The last NCAA bowl game to be played in the Bronx took place at the original Yankee Stadium on December 15, 1962 when Nebraska defeated Miami by a score of 36-34 in the Gotham Bowl.

With the nearest major program being Rutgers, this is a chance for New York to at least be on the college football map. Of course, the money coming in didn’t hurt, either.

“With an anticipated economic impact of $47 million, we’re thrilled to join the Yankees and play host,” added Bloomberg.

The bottom line is just that, but bringing such an event here – the kind that attracts such rabid fan bases all around the country – is a huge plus no matter what the reason.

(Long Island, N.Y.) There were many highlights and accolades in the Jets 24-7 win at Houston to start the 2009 season. Of course the main attractions were the ‘firsts’ that took place, mainly head coach Rex Ryan’s first NFL and rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez’s first start and win.

On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker David Harris made the first sack of the campaign and went about his business as he always does – quietly and efficiently. He led the team with 11 tackles and also had one pass defended and two quarterback hits.

And all of this came with two of the Jets starters missing the game due to league suspensions.

Ryan even made a joke about Harris’ low-keyed mannerism. “It’s hard to have a conversation with him,” he said with a laugh. “Nah, he’s really not that quiet, but I guess compared to Bart (fellow linebacker Scott), anybody seems quiet.”

The former Michigan Wolverine is entering his fourth season in the NFL and has been a starter since the middle of 2007 when he took over for an injured Jonathan Vilma. In his rookie season, Harris had 121 tackles (86 solo), five sacks, three passes defended and two forced fumbles.

In the month of November, Harris recorded 36 tackles and a sack and was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month. He became just the second Jet to lead the team in tackles as a rookie, following Stan Blinka in 1979. Harris was also named to the Pro Football Weekly All-Rookie team.

Last season, Harris missed five games with an injury but still had 76 tackles (second on the team), one sack and one pass defended. On five occasions, Harris either led the team or was tied for the most tackles. This is a man that always seems to be around the ball, something not lost on his defensive coordinator.

“David is a tremendous football player,” said Mike Pettine. “I think in the system in the past couple of years, he’s felt the need to gain a little weight, to be more [of] a true 3-4 [linebacker]. He was taking on guards more. I think he beefed up a little bit and I think he took our advice in the spring when he first got here that he could drop some pounds and improve his movement skills a bit.

“He looks good,” added Pettine. “He’s flying around. I think he and Bart [Scott], as we’ve said before, are very good complements to each other in our system.”

With Harris dominating against the Texans, he showed that he could step it up when necessary. Fellow linebacker Calvin Pace is suspended for the first four games of the regular season for violating the league’s substance policy and defensive end Sean Ellis had to sit out the first game as penance for a marijuana-related arrest last year.

Ryan was not surprised that Harris added to his personal awards by being named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week. “I think David definitely deserved it,” he said. “He had (11) tackles and made some hits that made a difference in the game. David is a fine player and I’m sure he’s going to win that award several times.”

But then Ryan has a little locker room rule that keeps the men keenly aware that it is about 53, not one. “The thing is, you can be the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, but you can’t be the team’s defensive player of the week,” he said with a smile. “So if you get that award, immediately we take your game ball from you. That’s what we did.”

If Ryan has his way, they’ll be an entire collection of game balls in his office. There’s a good bet that they’ll be more than one coming from Harris.

(Long Island, N.Y.) Big things were expected at Citibank Park this summer. All season long, promotions were geared towards the franchise celebrating its 10th anniversary and fans young and old of the Long Island Ducks came out in droves as usual.

Hoping to add to their lone Atlantic League championship five years ago, the team hired former Met and Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter as their manager. A veteran-laden roster played inconsistently in the first half and finished at 37-33, five games behind the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.

After the All-Star break, the team has played under .500 baseball and is currently in third place in the Liberty Division. Because of the wild card playoff potential the Atlantic League has in place, the Ducks have an outside chance to make the postseason.

Because Southern Maryland leads the division again (as well as the Somerset Patriots in the Freedom Division, which they won in the first half), the team (or teams) with the best-combined record(s) in both halves will qualify.

With 17 games remaining on the regular season schedule, the Ducks actually control their own destiny. Currently, they are one half game at the top of the wild card standings. Not resting on their laurels, the front office went out and acquired some extra talent for the stretch run.

This past week, the Ducks have brought in three new players hoping that their experience will put them over the top. First, general manager Mike Pfaff welcomed infielder Freddie Thon from the Joliet Jack Hammers of the Northern League in exchange for future considerations.

Originally an 18th round pick in the 2004 draft by the Texas Rangers, the 25-year-old was hitting .302 with 11 home runs, 23 doubles and 63 RBI with Joliet. He is also the nephew of former big league infielder Dickie Thon, who spent the majority of his career with the Houston Astros.

Carter definitely approved of the deal. “Freddie adds a solid bat to our team,” he said. “He put up some impressive numbers in (the) Northern League and I look forward to him helping our club down the stretch.”

Pitcher Drew Shetrone, 24, was also brought in from Joliet for future considerations and the former Staten Island Yankee had a record of 3-1 with a 2.68 ERA. “You can’t have too many quality pitchers,” Carter added, “especially in a heated wild card race. Drew has been a consistent pitcher wherever he has been and we’re glad to have him join our club.”

Adding another arm came in the form of Jim Brower, whose last major league stint came in 2007 with the Yankees. The 36-year-old had three saves and a 3.77 ERA with the St. Paul Saints, also of the Northern League. “Jim’s got a strong arm and will help boost our bullpen,” Carter said of his new reliever acquired for future considerations. “Suring up our bullpen will make us that much more dangerous.”

In anticipation of things going their way, the Ducks began selling playoff tickets. They hope to keep their streak of five consecutive postseason berths alive and once that is taken care of, break the winless slump since hoisting the 2004 title.

(Long Island, NY) Becoming the highest paid person in your profession is quite an accomplishment in any field. When it comes in the sports world, where some owners throw money around as if they had a printing press in the bowels of their home stadiums, the importance of that fact grows ten-fold.

By signing a six-year, $97.5 million contract extension, Eli Manning’s annual salary jumps to $15.27 million. Amongst his NFL brethren, that total tops the list. Julius Peppers ($16.683 million) and Carson Palmer ($16.166 million) are the only players in the NFL that will earn more but have shorter deals.

“All of us – Eli and this organization – are pleased to have this officially done,” Giants general manager Jerry Reese said in a statement. “Our total focus is on our performance on the field and being the best team we can be in 2009.”

The MVP of Super Bowl XLII seemed to be relieved that the contract talks are done before the regular season kicks off. “Well, it’s good just to get it out of the way, don’t have to worry about anything else and just get ready for the season,” said Manning, who was entering his walk year before the extension was signed.

Negotiations began nine days before the actual signing of the deal but that did not seem to bother Manning. “We just had to work out some language and it’s just part of contracts,” he said. No doubt that some of that language had to do with money and it is quite amazing that Manning has eclipsed not only his older brother Peyton, but also Tom Brady in salary. Any extra pressure knowing that?

“My job is to play quarterback for the New York Giants and try to win games,” said Manning. “Nothing has changed, our responsibility hasn’t changed. I’m trying to go out there, do my part, play well and lead this team.”

In all likelihood, both Brady and Peyton Manning should receive larger contracts when their time for a raise arrives but that doesn’t change what will take place all year. Every time a ‘wounded duck’ thrown by Manning stalls a Giants drive, the fans and newspapers will be reminding us of the rich contract.

Manning has been a steady and sometimes spectacular quarterback since being the top overall draft pick out of Ole Miss in 2004. For his career, he has thrown 98 touchdowns and 74 interceptions. 14,623 passing yards and a 86.4 quarterback rating round out his stats. Manning has been selected to only one Pro Bowl, which occurred this past season.

Peyton, taken first back in 1998, has a 333-165 touchdown-to-interception ratio, 45,628 yards and a 94.7 QB rating. He also has one ring and a Super Bowl MVP (XLI), but has been named NFL MVP three times (2003, 2004, 2008) and has represented the AFC in Hawaii nine times.

A sixth round draft in 2000, Brady rose from obscurity to become a four-time Pro Bowl selection, the 2007 NFL MVP, three-time Super Bowl champion (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX) and two-time MVP of the big game (XXXVI, XXXVIII). The former Michigan Wolverine has thrown 111 more touchdowns (197-86) than picks, 26,446 yards and a 92.9 rating.

Just going by the numbers, there is no question that the younger Manning is down in the pecking order of top quarterbacks in the NFL, regardless of what the contracts say. Were the Giants paying a little extra for comfort and the fact that Manning is a former Super Bowl hero?

Reese will never admit that but from the outside looking in, it is plain that this was a case of dollars and sense as opposed to dollars and cents.

(Long Island, NY) Late July in Cortland, New York. The preparation for 16 games that run through the cold of December begin in the heat and humidity of the summer. The team goes through treacherous two-a-days and countless repetitions to ensure that the mistakes are limited when the games count.

Even after the practice session is complete on the field, the players can be seen in the weight room exercising and honing their bodies for the torture that lies ahead. But if you look closely, you will see that their leader is amongst them in more ways than one.

Rex Ryan has always been, in his description, a big guy. Since the Jets first hired him back in January, he has put on a few pounds. Between 30 and 40, and for someone who was overweight to begin with, that was not a good sign. So the first-year head coach decided that he was going on a crash diet, with the first five days being of the liquid kind.

Ryan has made it a habit of getting on the treadmill to shed the extra weight and the early reports have been so far, so good. “We were taking numbers on how much I would lose,” he said. “We got up to about eight pounds maybe? Well, you might want to get with our strength coach because somebody has lost 20 (pounds). When I said that, there were a lot of people questioning me.

“I have a funny feeling (that) maybe some of my predictions may be coming right,” he continued. “Maybe more than just that. It was one of those things that when you see how much you actually weigh you say ‘you’re kidding, right?’ That’s impressive right? I am about two pounds away from my ideal weight. Oh, it is 102 pounds,” he finished with a laugh.

Okay, so maybe Ryan’s diet will take a little more time than he originally planned for, but that does not take away from the intensity that he brings to the gridiron. The former defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens is trying to mold Gang Green into the type of team that opponents will feel it when their offense series is finished. A big part of that will be the newly shaped secondary with the additions of Lito Sheppard and Jim Leonhard.

“I’m very confident in this group,” said Ryan. “We are loaded. Just like in Baltimore, it was great what (head coach Jon) Harbaugh allowed us to do and Ozzie (Newsome), it was ‘keep the best football team, keep the best football players.’”

The Ravens’ loss was the Jets’ gain when Leonhard was signed as a free agent during the offseason. The former Cleveland Browns were not able to keep all their best players, as not only Leonhard left town to join Ryan, but linebacker Bart Scott, as well.

“I look at it as a new challenge to be able to take it to the next level and to be able to try to put my imprint on the defense and play with a bunch of great players,” said Scott. “To be able to have an opportunity to kind of move from the passenger seat to the driver’s seat is very flattering and it comes with a great sense of responsibility and I am ready to take one the challenge.”

The Jets have training camp ad the preseason to hone their skills and get themselves ready to go come September. And that includes the big guy on the sidelines wearing the headset. Only thing is if Ryan has his way, he won’t be as big as he is now.

(Long Island, NY) Having the third-best record in baseball and being a mere game out of first place in your division is nothing to lose any sleep over. Besides the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox, the Yankees (48-34) are right up there with the best of the bunch.

But ask any of the players in the clubhouse and they will be the first to admit that the team has yet to play their best baseball. “[As a team], I don’t think that we have reached our full potential, but it’s still early in the season and we feel good about ourselves,” said Nick Swisher, who has hit .242 with 14 home runs, 18 doubles and 43 RBI his first season in the Bronx after being acquired in an off-season trade with the Chicago White Sox.

Swisher had been a super-sub, filling in at first base and the outfield, before taking over right field for the injured Xavier Nady. Speaking of injuries, all teams around the league have had their fair share and the Yankees have been no exception. Besides Nady, chronologically since the start of the season, Alex Rodriguez, Chien-Ming Wang, Brian Bruney, Damaso Marte, Jorge Posada and Jose Molina all have either spent time or are currently on the disabled list. Wang was recently placed on the 15-day DL again and the ace of the staff the past few seasons has been a bitter disappointment this year at 1-6.

Wang did lose one game out of the eight straight the Yankees have dropped to Boston this year, with seven different pitchers being on the losing end of the others. That has been the biggest thorn in the Bombers’ side in a season where they have had spurts where they look like champions and others when they look as if they will be on the outside looking in come October.

Back in April, the Sox swept a three-game set at Fenway Park and repeated that feat in June. They also took a two-game set at Yankee Stadium in May.

The Yankees were the picture of inconsistency at two games under .500 shortly after that Boston series when they turned their season around by running off nine wins in a row. That put them right up there with a 24-17 record and gave them the confidence that they needed and to quiet the critics who were beginning to say once again that an All-Star at nearly every position does not necessarily make a World Series champion.

They have gone, interestingly enough, 24-17 since then and have looked like a playoff team more than they have not. One hurdle still remains to show their fans and themselves that they can beat the Red Sox.

Looking for redemption and the top spot in the division, the Yankees have seven games in August against their bitter rivals, the first four at home. The season may very well come down to the last weekend in September when the Sox come to New York for three games.

(Long Island, NY) For 16 years, Brian Leetch was the consummate professional for the New York Rangers. Since he was chosen with the ninth overall selection in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft, it was crystal clear that the defenseman was destined for greatness.

Three years later, he was called up by the Blueshirts and promptly won the NHL Rookie of the Year Calder Trophy, scoring 23 goals in the process. Perhaps that is when the chatter first began that Leetch was not only a heck of a talent, but also one of those special players that may one day be enshrined in Toronto.

End the chatter. Number two is on his way and it will officially take place with a ceremony on November 9.

Joining Leetch in the class is former Ranger Loc Robitaille, Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull and New Jersey Devils President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello, who was selected as a builder. John Davidson, the former Rangers goaltender and announcer, was selected to enter the Hall’s media wing as the recipient of the 2009 Foster Hewitt Memorial Award, given annually for excellence during one’s broadcasting career.

Leetch and Robitaille became the 45th and 46th former Rangers to be elected into hockey’s hallowed halls north of the border.

“I am humbled and excited by this honor, particularly for me it is difficult to think of myself as a member of the Hall of Fame,” Leetch said to reporters. “It’s a pretty overwhelming day to say the least.”

Although Leetch had many great moments in New York and played in 11 All-Star Games, he is best remembered for his heroics during the 1994 postseason en route to the team’s first Stanley Cup in 54 years. He had 34 points (11 goals and 23 assists) in 23games and became the first player born in the United States to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as Most Valuable Player of the playoffs.

That was far from the only accolades Leetch had bestowed upon him during his career. He won the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman in both the 1992 and 1997 seasons, holds Ranger career records for assists with 741 and goals by a defenseman with 240 and is second on the team list with 1,129 games played and 981 points.

Leetch also became only one of five defensemen in the history of the league to go over 100 points in a single season when he had 22 tallies and 80 assists during the 1991-92 campaign. He also played for Team USA in the World Cup, Canada Cup and three Olympics. Some of the hardware earned on the international circuit was a Gold Medal (1996 World Cup) and a Silver Medal (2002 Winter Olympics).

Back on January 24, 2008, the Corpus Christie, Texas native became the first defenseman and fifth overall Ranger to have his number hoisted to the Madison Square Garden rafters. That same year, Leetch was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

The man who wore both the “C” and the “A” on his sweater will have to prepare a speech for the second consecutive year, something that never gets old.

(Long Island, NY) Before the Mets fire Vice President of Player Development Tony Bernazard, they should let him do his thing in front of the parent club. Unless you’ve been on a remote Pacific island the past few days, you have heard that the general manager’s pet publicly embarrassed himself for the umpteenth time since joining the Mets front office.

The former second baseman was with the organization’s Double-A affiliate in Binghamton when he reportedly let his temper get the best of him. Bernazard, 52, removed his shirt (although some said that he was still wearing an undershirt, as if that made it okay) and challenge several of the B-Mets to a fight.

Apparently none of these 20-somethings took him up on his offer. It would have been interesting if one or more of them did.

Bernazard was apparently upset at the team for playing just as lousy as the big league club. Perhaps he was on to something. The fast-fading Mets could use a good swift kick in the pants and heaven knows that their laid-back manager would bake them a cake before calling them out.

The inside word was that Bernazard was the mastermind behind the hatchet job on former manager Willie Randolph. He not only has Minaya’s ear, but COO Jeff Wilpon’s, too. For some reason, this .262 career-hitting journeyman has both of them fooled.

Randolph deserved to get fired, but the manner in which it was done was all wrong. The Midnight Massacre Part II that took place in California was handled completely inappropriately and smelled of a Bernazard-influenced plan. Randolph stood idly by as the 2007 Mets spiraled down to blow the division. Once the team began the next season playing inconsistent, it was time for him to go. But when Jerry Manuel did the exact same thing last September, it proved that he, too, was not the right man for the job.

What the Mets need is a Lou Pinella-type, someone that is going to give them the business when they need it. Should Bernazard get a shot? C’mon now. Let’s not be delusional, but in the same light let’s not kill the guy for being the only person in the entire organization to show some frustration and emotion.

The only problem was that he did it to the wrong group and has a history of making some bone-headed outbursts, such as the recent one at Citi Field when a scout for the opposing team was sitting in a seat that he wanted to use.

The Mets have tried to diffuse the situation, as is their normal course of business, by basically placing Bernazard on house arrest while the team investigates the Binghamton situation.

“I’ll talk to him and I’ll continue to talk to him,” Minaya told a group of reporters in Washington on Wednesday. “We’ll sit down and talk this weekend. I’ve notified him we’ll investigate these things and then I’ll sit down with our owners and ask how we are going to handle this.”

Until then, Bernazard will sit in his New Jersey home and seethe as he watches the losses mount in both the minor and major leagues. His actions were inappropriate and hard to defend but were also refreshing in a lost season.