Hitting Back

-When the news came down yesterday about Neil Smith already being out as Isles' GM, it wasn't surprising. All you had to do was look at how off the wall team owner Charles Wang is. Who hires both the coach and GM and even brings in reinforcements on the same day? This man is delusional. He has no clue how to run a professional franchise. Somehow, Wang has done the impossible by making MSG boss James Dolan look sane. How do you run an organization by committee? This just doesn't happen. The less voices, the better.

-It gets even better. Wang somehow decided on former backup netminder Garth Snow as Smith's replacement. Snow has no experience and still has two years left on his contract as a player. In the world of remarkably absurd, the new Isles' GM can't get rid of his $750,000 a year salary off the cap. To top it off, Pat Lafontaine resigned immediately following a ridiculous press conference in which the clueless owner tried to explain his laughable policy. Is this The Twilight Zone? This can't really be happening. Or can it? Only in the bizarre world of today's owners who have no business running sports teams. What you see with Wang will continue to become more common. Scary thought indeed.

-When does Carlos Beltran start to get NL MVP consideration? He only hit his second grand slam in two games to lead the Mets past the Reds 8-3. A disappointment in his first season as a Met, Beltran leads the ballclub with 27 home runs and his five RBI night moved him ahead of fan favorite David Wright for first with 78 RBI's. He's been just as valuable as Wright. It's time to show the Amazin's centerfielder some love.

-The Yanks rallied with two in the ninth off Seattle closer J.J. Putz before waiting out a lengthy rain delay to comeback and beat the Mariners 5-4 in 11 innings. After Aaron Guiel came through with a pinchhit RBI single to cut it to 4-3, the Bronx Bombers caught a break when first place umpire Mike Reilly ruled Jorge Posada safe at first to put runners on the corners with one out. Replays indicated he was out. Instead of two outs, Johnny Damon's sac fly forced extras. In the 11th, surprising rookie Melky Cabrera hit first walkoff home run to give New York its fifth consecutive victory.

-Is it me or does passing up on the overpriced Bobby Abreu make a heck of a lot more sense? In case anyone hasn't noticed, this team has figured out how to win without Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield. Both will be back for the stretch drive as will All Star second baseman Robinson Cano. Btw...that is why the Yanks are a better story than the Mets. The Mets play in a lousy division and have been very healthy. Despite what Daily News columnist Mike Lupica says, it's not surprising that the Amazin's have the NL's best record. I could have told you that before the season began. My World Series pick was the Mets against the A's. Sticking with it.

-Make me watch the ESPY's.